It’s Peyton Manning's prerogative to be secretive about his offseason lockout work.
It’s Bob Kravitz’s prerogative to question it.
Radio friends in Indianapolis tell me Kravitz is being called a whiner for his piece today bemoaning Manning’s secret operations.
I'm looking for the right words to characterize the players' -- and by that, I mean Manning's -- insistence on working out in utter secrecy, keeping fans and media at bay.
Ridiculous.
Dumb.
Idiotic.
He has a point, frankly.
I’ve known since they wrapped up work in Chattanooga after a week in early May that Manning worked there with Dallas Clark, Curtis Painter, Jacob Tamme, Anthony Gonzalez, Austin Collie, and Blair White. I had no reason to mention it until now.
What horrors will befall Manning and the Colts offense now that I have revealed it?
Control is a vital ingredient to Manning; it’s a big part of what makes him great at what he does. I know fans generally do not care about media access. But there is a built-in contradiction there, because I also know they do care about what Manning is doing and saying.
If he was taking questions anytime between now and the first time he has to once the lockout is over and he’s obligated to, I’d ask him these:
Why is it so important to be so clandestine?
Why won’t a guy whose name is on the lawsuit determining what happens to football not up for commenting on it?
What would it hurt to, at infrequent times convenient for you, talk with the local media and let your fans hear from you?
Don’t you think the media has respected your privacy in a way that deserves you throw it a bone a bit more often in exchange?
I think, honestly, Manning’s secret ops are more habit and routine than anything. He works under Bill Polian who takes a similar tact on many things. And he’s entrenched enough in the way things unfold that if he feels it works for him, why change them?
It's hardly a federal issue.
But if it’s whining to wonder the things I am wondering here, then group me with Kravitz. I’ve been grouped with worse.