I'm all about that golf cart, boss

February 17, 2016 7:11 PM

ESPN's oral history of Marshawn Lynch's post-game celebratory trip in the injury cart after his Cal Bears knocked off the University of Washington Huskies in overtime.

Get your Beast Mode fix:

E60: Marshawn Lynch

Best Lynch Interviews, Compiled

Beast Quake Run (1:36 mark)

Beast Quake 2

Jay Smooth: Marshawn Lynch and the theater of disobedience

Beast Mode Opens Up

Marshawn Lynch and Roger Goodell: Compare and Contrast

Marshawn Lynch doesn't need to talk to anybody

The subversive brilliance of Marshawn Lynch

Beast Mode Evolved

A Marshawn kind of way

Beauty in the Beast

Panicking Marshawn Lynch Unable to Deactivate Beast Mode

posted by MoonOrb (14 comments total)

It's interesting how many people incorrectly say he was ghost riding. I can't tell if their memories of the event have gotten fuzzy, or if the term has become more diffuse over the years to now mean "driving in an unexpected or ostentatious way."
posted by Ian A.T. at 7:51 PM on February 17, 2016

Marshawn Lynch and Rob Gronkowski Play "Mortal Kombat X" With Conan O'Brien.


Conan O'Brien's Clueless Gamer, Super Bowl Edition: "Doom" with Von Miller, Josh Norman & a special guest.
posted by The Hamms Bear at 7:52 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

That Cart ride points to the reason I much prefer college football to pro...the players are much more passionate. They may only get to play that other team 2 or 3 times, and the fans never forget who won the game. When they win a close game to a rival, it's a big deal.

Pro games are pretty meh in comparison, "We'll get em next time, guys."
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 7:59 PM on February 17, 2016

oh my God thank you. I needed this.

Anne Helen Petersen on Beast Mode and sports stardom
posted by thetortoise at 9:24 PM on February 17, 2016

There were so many just weird and unique things with Marshawn. The skittles, an actually good nick name, his late-career refusal to talk to the media, a playoff run that caused fans to move the Richter scale, his retirement announcement just being a picture of hung-up cleats on Twitter. And none of that gets into his ridiculous "run right over the other guy" running style. He's been a pleasure to watch these last five years.
posted by john-a-dreams at 9:28 PM on February 17, 2016 [8 favorites]

I have owned exactly one football jersey in my life, #24 Marshawn Lynch. He is amazing to watch, just pure power. The only other running back that comes to mind finding holes and shaking off tackles is maybe Jon Riggins. There's so much to respect about the guy. Not to blow off his hit and run and weapons charges, they absolutely should be part of the story, but I appreciate the hell out of a guy that knows he has nothing interesting to say to reporters and therefore keeps his mouth shut.

But the classiest thing about Lynch was when he was asked about the final play of Super Bowl 49, when Seattle had the ball on the one and had three downs in which to hand the ball to Lynch to drive it in and become world champions and Russell Wilson promptly threw an interception. "Marshawn, do you have any bad feeling toward Wilson or Coach Pete Carroll for that play call?"

"We play football. It's a team sport."

Good luck Marshawn. We know you need to return to Oakland, but we'll miss the hell out of you in Seattle. I hope to see you in the public eye every once in a while. You're a great role model to my kids and no one has ever played the game like you.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 11:10 PM on February 17, 2016 [5 favorites]

Supposedly, Lynch is also the best teammate in the NFL. I've read stories of him literally giving teammates the shirt off his back. Guys say he'll do anything for them.

Also, he seems not to have spent a single dollar from any of his NFL pay checks.

NFL players tend to be either clowns or robots. Lunch is more interesting: an actual person.
posted by kevinbelt at 4:48 AM on February 18, 2016 [3 favorites]

I'm just commenting so I don't get fined.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 4:55 AM on February 18, 2016 [6 favorites]

Here's Key & Peele as Sherman and Lynch. "Biscuits... and gravy."
posted by thetortoise at 5:01 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

There's a simple explanation for the Beast Quake run.

Marshawn Lynch is a motherfucking Jedi, and he just force pushed those defenders away.

No, this isn't cheating -- the NFL rulebook does not say force sensitives cannot play.
posted by eriko at 5:40 AM on February 18, 2016 [3 favorites]

Watson: The best line of the day, Barry Tompkins, who was calling the game for us, throws out when Lynch gets out of the golf cart, "That was the final drive of the game."

I don't like to use the word 'hero' lightly, but...
posted by Mayor West at 5:40 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

Just lots of snot and crying and ugly howling laughter at the Skittles interview.

You don't feel 'in Beast Mode.' ... It feels you.
posted by carsonb at 11:20 AM on February 18, 2016

Under Goodell the league continues to put players like Marshawn Lynch in a position to be mocked by the media, which seems to get a kick out of seeing people struggle on camera. As teammates we’re angry because we know what certain people do well and we know what they struggle with. Marshawn’s talking to the press is the equivalent of putting a reporter on a football field and telling him to tackle Adrian Peterson.

Some of the same people slamming Marshawn for not talking are just as likely to condemn the Browns’ Andrew Hawkins and Johnson Bademosi for protesting police brutality with T-shirts. They want to hear us speak, but only if we’re saying something they want to hear.

--Teammate Richard Sherman, on Lynch, among other things.
posted by lkc at 3:30 PM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

"We play football. It's a team sport."

I wonder if it's ok to steal this for use around the house.
"We play Family. It's a team sport."
"We play Spouses. It's a team sport."
"We play Patience and Grace. It's a team sport"
And so on.
posted by nickjadlowe at 1:38 PM on February 19, 2016