Students from the graduating class at Princeton University have expressed “disappointment” at the school’s choice of Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch as their class day speaker, citing the lack of a “clearly defined and transparent” selection process.
The group of senior class members, which included a number who chose to remain anonymous, made their discomfort public in an op-ed published in the student-run campus newspaper.
Lynch had been revealed last Tuesday as the keynote speaker for the annual pre-graduation ceremony, which is planned and presented by the members of the senior class, joining a roll of past invitees including US president Bill Clinton, New Jersey senator Cory Booker and Ellie Kemper, a Princeton alumna turned comedian and actress.
The class day co-chairs praised Lynch for always having “prioritized community engagement and empowerment by leveraging his prominence as a professional athlete to promote opportunities for civic engagement and social justice” in the announcement of his invitation.
Two days later, the commentary taking objection to both the choice and the process behind it ran in the Daily Princetonian.
“The thought process behind the selection of [Kemper and Booker] is apparent,” the students wrote. “In the selection of Marshawn Lynch, however, it is not evident what the set of criteria for nomination are.”
Jonathan Haynes, one of the three co-chairs, told NJ.com last week that the five-time Pro Bowl running back was a public figure who “moved beyond rhetoric in their personal and professional” life and put values into practice, emphasizing Lynch’s decorated NFL career and deep commitment to philanthropy, which has included a program to offer smartphones and mobile services to those facing homelessness.
“With those considerations, I could not think of a better speaker than Marshawn Lynch,” Haynes said.
But the op-ed, published in Thursday’s Princetonian ripped both the “opaque” selection process in addition to Lynch’s famous reticence in his dealings with the media during his playing days.
“[M]embers of the senior class who were not aware of Lynch tried to learn more about his identity and relevance to our Class Day ceremony,” they wrote. “Among articles that praised his NFL career and philanthropic contributions, we came across articles discussing Lynch’s reticence with the media and his terse responses at press conferences.
“In 2013 and 2014, for example, Lynch was fined $50,000 and $100,000 for refusing to speak to the media. During the 2015 Superbowl Media Day, Lynch famously responded to multiple questions with variants of ‘I’m just here so I won’t get fined.’ With no other frame of reference, such reports caused confusion over the set of criteria that led to his nomination.”
Lynch, 33, ended a 14-month retirement in December, scoring four touchdowns in three games for the Seahawks after injuries to running backs Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny prompted their emergency call to the long-time fan and team favorite known as ‘Beast Mode’, who played a major part in back-to-back Super Bowl appearances after the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
After a two-touchdown performance in a season-ending playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers, the former first-round draft pick deflected questions on his future in his own inimitable style, using his cameo at the podium deep inside Lambeau Field to encourage the young players in the league to be as smart as they can in a league where careers are often short-lived.
Marshawn Lynch in ... Marshawn Lynch out.
— Keith Jenkins (@MrKeithJenkins) January 13, 2020
(FYI: Chicken = money) pic.twitter.com/WxksSWOPJX
“Take care y’all bodies, take care y’all chicken, and take care y’all mentals,” Lynch said.
By chicken, he presumably meant money. Later, he used the word ‘bread’.
“I’ll tell y’all now while ya’ll re in it, take care of y’all bread, so when y’all done you go ahead and take care of yourself,” Lynch said.
