What the F%#k is up with the media's Jared Hayne obsession

He's an Australian league player who's trying to play NFL. He has a slight connection to NZ through his father but he's getting Dan Carter or SBW level attention from the media, more even. TVNZ went as far as to run a popup channel on freeview for him.

I get that its an interesting story but the level of coverage is insane. Plenty of Kiwis are in the top echelons of their sports that hardly ever get a mention of. There were even previously Kiwi's playing in the NFL and one that was trialling at the same time as Haynes. We hardly here about Winston Reid, never from Tommy Smith, and only from Woods if he does something spectacular. Never about Ryan Thomas, Marco Rojas, etc. We never hear about Mitch Evans, hardly ever about Scott Dixon, etc.

Why can't TVNZ run a Phoenix popup channel on freeview seeing as the rights are so cheap?

I think it is a couple of things, there is a BIG NRL following in NZ, so a lot of people will be interested in how he does in the NFL. TVNZ didn't do the pop up channel because of Hayne's, that channel was already there and has been running other sports on it, they just now have the rights to the NFL as well.

There is actually a big following of NFL in New Zealand and you just have to look at how pack pubs are around NZ when Superbowl comes along too, so not surprised TVNZ went for the rights as they probably got them at a resonable prices as America tries to break into new markets.

That all said, I agree that it is a shame that it gets more TV time than actual kiwis doing well in their sports.

As I said there were previously Kiwi's playing in the NFL and a Kiwi got to the final knock-out stage of the draft, or whatever its called at the same as Hayne's.

I think its kind of a self fulfilling prophecy, the Paris Hilton effect, the media gives someone so much exposure that they think the public has an interest in it and therefore they should give more exposure. They could do it with almost anyone.

Yeah but this will be them trying to capture a bigger market. Most people that actually follow the NFL knew there where kiwis already in it and knew about Paul Lasike so I think this isn't so much catering to the people that already follow but the new fans they can make.

I wish other kiwis got more exposure as well.

But Hayne was more or less a legend in the NRL, and had a big following here in NZ and Aus.  It looked like for all money Hayne wasn't going to do well, because its such a radically different sport.  He has done amazingly to get game time already.

So its good to see him get the coverage he deserves.  But I wish there was more time for Kiwis also doing amazingly in other sports internationally.

Its as simple as the NRL's fan base here.  If we had a bigger football fanbase then I'm sure the kiwis in the foriegn leagues would get more coverage too.

the fact that he only took up the sport a few months ago makes it a cool story too. Agree the media (particularly in Australia) are over hyping his performances etc, but it's still a massive achievement. 

Yeah I can the story getting mentioned once or twice, but the amount of coverage that it has is disproportionate IMHO.

It's distracting from the flag debate and TTPA too. Actually it is a massive achievement and makes a nice change from yet another friggen rugby story. Andrew Saville and Hamish McKay are having serious wankfests at the moment.

Speaking of Paul Lasike, he is on Stuff today.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/72293673...

I won't be surprised if more make the switch and do ok, it's not a hugely technical sport and most union/league players have the right skill set. Just have to come to terms with rules and tactics.

And the temptations of Cheerleaders.

yes and no.  Id say league and union are more alike and Benji had issues making the switch between them.

There is also the physicality in that NFL requires short bursts of higher intensity.  Whereas Union and League you have the grind.

Also things like the gear wouldn't be easy to change to, working with different levels of vision, body movement etc.  Sure a large number of athletes could adapt, but I doubt they could do it in such a short space of time.

Hayne looks really slow in NFL - some of those guys (especially running backs) are so explosive it's mental

Trying to concentrate for for 3 hours might be a challenge.

Not read any of the posts but agree with the original poster.

I have no idea who this guy  or edit what he is going on about but I support any post that is sharkty.

It';s all about the training, in the NFL it is about those short bursts, I guess a league player better for that than a Rugby player as is more endurance involved. So the Running Backs generally only run 5-10yds at a time (If you watch if they do a 20+yd run the next play is normally their back-up lined up)

I think the tough thing is that a rugby/league player has to be versatile, where as in the NFL each player is a true specialist, even at the Running Back position now they have guys who are just bruisers, and guys who catch passes, and some who are speed runners (Quite often the pass catchers)

Sav Rocca >>> Jared Hayne

It's just another way of filling in the off-season!

Why is the fact that Jared Hayne had a fumble on the front page of stuff whereas the Phoenix having a win in Perth is buried in the football section?

Is Tony Veitch the editor?

Because Clicks. From a discussion with people involved with fairfax it appears Jarrad Hayne stories are getting more clicks than anything sports related except for the All Blacks at the moment, hence a story about him every week. I would have no problem with the story if it also included a rundown of the results in the league and some small commentary about it, but even the 49ers results are just a single sentence after thought.

Hayne gets so many clicks because of the exposure and profile the media gives him. It's the Kardashian effect, and its a vicious circle that defies the laws of thermal dynamics. The more exposure he gets the more people are interested in following his story, the more people are interested in following his story the more exposure the media gives him.

Plus they hype the sh*t out of it. "HAYNE IS AN NFL SUPERSTAR" - which isn't even close to the truth, but it gets the clicks. 

I agree with you, but the media seem to live on clicks now...

Hayne cut by 49ers.

Ruthless.

Wonder if another team will pick him up? You'd think someone might take a punt. 

but I've been following media headlines very closely and they said he was an NFL superstar and one of the best players in the league. Don't understand why they've cut him, 49ers will regret it. Someone will sign him up and he'll go on to win the superbowl. 

/sarcasm

Everyone on the Hayne to the Seahawks bandwagon!

he didn't really get much of a chance

When they pay players as much as they do and they have heaps of players waiting in the wings that can do the same job, they don't give players a lot of time in the NFL to get ready. You either make it or you don't! There is a lot of players that have done well in College Football that couldn't make the step up to the NFL who get cut.

dropped the ball 2 or 3 times right? Unlucky, but this is the nature of these big countries we don't really see here as much. There is so much pressure and always someone else if you screw up.

Really? He got more than half the Punt Returns in his first two games, made 3 fumbles on them, and averaged the normal ~10yds.

He got carries in regular games, averaged well below the league average yards per carry.

And remember his coaches see him at practice every day. Having watched the NFL for years he is just NOT very good at the sport, he can't run straight ahead through blockers, he isn't quick enough to get outside, so he needs tacklers to miss. That meant the only place he was of use was on Special Teams, and it is VERY hard to keep a spot when only playing Special Teams, and even harder when you fumble 3 times. 

Oh and leave aside the fact that his team already has 2 capable RBs, a young Rookie, and a specialist Return guy (Bruce Ellington)...

I would be surprised if any team in the league takes a chance on him now.

can he play centreback for us?

Or Right Back or Not a Striker?

marquee - just think of the media coverage

Also if we're after ratings we could go after SBW. Actually apparently Dan Carter used to play a bit of football.

Sounds like the Cowboys and Bears are both after him.

49ers have also now got 3 running back injuries - Hyde has a broken foot and Bush and Davis both picked up injuries in the last game. 

Sounds like the Cowboys and Bears are both after him.

49ers have also now got 3 running back injuries - Hyde has a broken foot and Bush and Davis both picked up injuries in the last game.