Aaron Rodgers is obsessed with handling the message…”I’ll speak for myself” – The Denver Post

As an organization, the Jets have had their share of media circuses dating back to the summer of 1969 and Joe (Willie) Namath’s tearful “retirement” press conference over the Bachelors III controversy.

There was also madness about the appearance of Bret Favre, Tim Tebow, Rex Ryan and others. Now, if a deal can be reached between the Jets and Packers, Aaron Rodgers will not only become Gang Green’s next quarterback, but also his microphone potent.

Rodgers doesn’t need any of Jets PR consultants or in-house spin-docs. In his mind, he is the de facto boss of his own media shop. After 18 years with Green Bay, Rodgers has become a master at controlling his own content. It can be football, retreats in the dark, vaccinations or the effect of ayahuasca. There’s enough evidence to say he’s obsessed with managing the message.

Rodgers figured out how to put a variety of media platforms to work for him. The way he orchestrated the timing of his reveal Wednesday (on Pat McAfee’s YouTube show) of his intention to quarterback for the Jets was just the latest example of his savvy.

As the free world waited while it was literally in the dark, Rodgers created suspense before finally providing his own timeline of what happened with the Packers and how he arrived at his decision.

The build worked. Nearly 500,000 viewers watched McAfee’s interview – on a national platform – with Rodgers. It’s unlikely he would have had the same number of listeners had he decided to limit his reach and spread the word on one of New York’s local sports talk stations. He also wouldn’t get the one-hour commercial-free interview that McAfee had given him.

While McAfee has respect for Rodgers, the former punter asked the right questions. It wasn’t a Twinkie Munch. At least until one of McAfee’s colleagues, near the end of the interview, paid her respects by verbally kissing Rodgers’ tuchis.

Yet Rodgers’ Wednesday styles also reinforced his desire to control the media. Rodgers bristled when a “rumor” about him asking the Jets to acquire certain players was raised by McAfee. Rodgers called the rumor “ridiculous” before chastising two ESPN NFL reporters, Adam Schefter and Dianna Russini, for texting him seeking confirmation.

Rodgers said he responded (sort of) to Schefter but not Russini because he didn’t know her. He said he would have told Russini the same thing he had texted Schefter: “Lose my number. Good try. I will speak for myself.

That’s not to say Rodgers will have an adversarial relationship with local media, including the Jets boss’ scribes if he comes here. They have provided plenty of evidence that stirring the pot for free is not a priority. And Rodgers’ story suggests he’s more than willing to meet the NFL’s media demands.

Considering how well it works for both parties, there’s every reason to expect Rodgers to continue doing his weekly McAfee spot. That would likely mean he won’t appear on ESPN-98.7 or WFAN to take part in a weekly paid interview where Gasbags seeks to improve his own reputation by playing the “gotcha” game.

It’s definitely not part of Rodgers’ media plan.

HATE THE ‘CLASSIC’

On Twitter, two generally righteous commenters had some selfish moments, I told you, after Edwin Diaz suffered a season-ending injury Wednesday night to celebrate a Puerto Rico win at the World Baseball Classic.

Both voices are harsh critics of WBC. Howie Rose, the Mets’ play-by-play radio veteran, tweeted: “Thank you, WBC.” The other mouth, WFAN/SNY’s Sal Licata, posted a video calling the WBC “a stupid, worthless exhibition tournament” and blaming Diaz for “injuring himself while celebrating.”

Not once did either man express sympathy for Diaz, the Mets closer, or show concern for him and his well-being after the injury he suffered.

They were blinded by their hatred of the WBC and, in Licata’s case, Diaz’s injury marred the Mets’ “World Series or bust” aspirations.

FORGET THE FREAKOUT

James (Guitar Jimmy) Dolan is busy with facial recognition, the Sphere, the State Liquor Authority and the Garden’s annual property tax relief, but he can take comfort in knowing that his MSG network still has his Knicks covered.

It happened last Saturday in the Knicks’ 106-95 loss to the Clippers in Los Angeles. Late in the third quarter, Julius Randle was called for a technical foul after elbowing Mason Plumlee in the face. Then Randle collapsed on the bench, yelling at coaches and team security as Tom Thibodeau tried to restrain him.

On the show, Randle’s incident was re-enacted. Yet on the post-game show, featuring Ed Cohen, Alan Hahn and Bill Pidto, it was not discussed or replayed. The only time Randle’s freakout was even mentioned on the postgame show was by Thibodeau during his press conference.

TIERNEY TIRADE

Would it be all hours waiting and talking about the possibility – and the machinations surrounding it – of Aaron Rodgers being traded to the Jets in Brandon Tierney?

Because there’s no other reason (at least one we can manufacture) why he would – out of the blue – launch into a WFAN Monday rip-job on self-deprecating Cooper Manning, Eli’s older brother and Peyton.

“Why so much Cooper [Manning]?” Tierney, on the air, asked. “Those [comedy] the songs he does are already painful enough!

Tierney would never be known as Mr. Laughs, but on this occasion at least his Manning riff was semi-funny.

But why?

AROUND THE DIAL

Steve Cohen, senior vice president of sports programming for SiriusXM, is heading for more charitable pastures. He will focus on ‘Shaina’s Wish’, a charity he and his wife founded after their daughter Shaina died in 2017. The charity caters to people with mental health and mental health issues. substance addiction. Cohen will also serve as a consultant for SXM. Cohen’s longtime colleague Eric Spitz will serve as senior vice president. … As expected, Michael Kay on his radio show Thursday said he would stay at ESPN-98.7 after agreeing to a new deal. Kay was unconvincing as she dangled the possibility of ‘retirement’ on the radio… MSG is back in the diamond business airing 10 Fordham women’s softball games and 10 men’s baseball tournaments this spring. …I actually thought Adam Schein was going to break down and cry while paying tribute to the recently “retired” Jim Boeheim on CBS Sports Network’s “Time to Schein.” He tried to inject some poise into his soliloquy, but with lines like “I absolutely love him” and “From every Syracuse fan, coach, thank you,” we thought the next move of Schein would introduce the unwashed masses into his Boeheim explosion. doll.

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GUY OF THE WEEK: ROB MANFRED

Hold the confetti. We don’t get carried away and we organize a parade for the commish. Still, give him credit for driving baseball’s new home rule changes that reinvigorate MLB play.

DWEEB OF THE WEEK: GALAXY MEDIA

For firing veteran ESPN Syracuse walkie-talkie Brent Ax last Sunday. Listeners say he played it straight while talking about Syracuse Univ. sports, but management says Ax has recently become too negative, calling his tone “gloomy.” I just wonder if recently “retired” SU hoops coach Jim Boeheim, who owns 21% of Galaxy Media, is a collaborator in Axe’s demise?

DOUBLE SPEECH

What Rick Pitino said: “In terms of coaching, I probably have the same passion I had when I was 30.”

What Rick Pitino meant, “I still have what it takes to leave Iona for a bigger school and a bigger paycheck.”

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