Every Tuesday, Clinton Portis goes on the Mike Wise Show on 106.7, for a scheduled weekly interview. It was in that time he made those controversial comments about the Jets' locker room situation, which he would later have to apologize for.
But that doesn't mean he's a different guy. He's still going to be the same old Clinton Portis we have come to know and love. He's still the same guy we expect and hope him to be when he gets on the radio, even if it creates a few new gray hairs on Roger Goodell's head every Tuesday morning. When he made his appearance on Tuesday, Portis didn't disappoint when talking about his recently injured groin.
it's not all on Portis, mind you. Mike Wise and Holden Kushner always do a good job of creating an atmosphere that causes Clinton Portis to say something to make our morning. Just to be clear, I'm not trying to say that they are unfairly leading Portis into these responses, like I fear that may be interpreted. They just know who they are interviewing and how to get the best responses out of him; it's their job to create those moments.
After they started talking about Portis' groin injury and the extent to which it is limiting him, it didn't take long for Wise and Kushner to ask what his injury meant to his social life. They wondered to what degree the women of Washington should worry about his, ummm, availability. Portis responded:
"They out of commission unless they've got a backup plan."
I don't think these are the type of comments that will end up on the commissioner's desk. But I can guarantee you it is not something the league wants a player who has recently gotten in trouble for an offense of similar nature to be saying. Especially now that the audience is tuning in just waiting to hear what he says next. But this was the funny response, and we can always count on Clinton to come through with that.
You can file these comments about what other sports he is paying attention to, in the same place.
"I need to start paying attention to that lingerie football league. I need to figure out how to coach and buy one of them teams."
Again, this is not me condemning these comments, or calling them inappropriate. These were some of the many times that I've laughed at what Clinton Portis has to say during these interviews. I love his schtick. I just know that when he says these things, he is not being the ambassador for the league that Roger Goodell wants him to be.
Even if it doesn't seem like a huge deal, the league office doesn't want anything that causes a player to draw focus away from the team they play for and onto themselves. Remember the socks? They are always watching.
But apparently, that doesn't mean anything to Clinton Portis. He is always going to be Clinton Portis, and that doesn't change when he gets on the radio. And that is why I keep listening.