Not ticked about Beckham being ticked

By STEVE KING
Full disclosure here in that I have not liked some — or perhaps even more than just some — of the actions of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. since he came to the Browns last season.
But what can’t be denied is that he’s a tremendous talent and wants desperately to win, and I am not about to criticize him for his actions of anger and disgust on the sideline in Pittsburgh last Sunday during the waning stages of the Browns’ 38-7 loss to the Steelers. If I had been a player on that sideline, then I might have been slamming, kicking and punching stuff, too.
Let’s be clear about this in that the object of the game, in the NFL more so than at any other level of competition in football, is to win. That’s why these guys are paid millions of dollars, so as to win games. A lot of money has been spent to help facilitate that in Cleveland and every other city in the league.
When it doesn’t happen — when a team loses a game — its players and coaches should be upset. They should be mad, disappointed, frustrated, embarrassed and, in the case of a loss like the one in Pittsburgh, humiliated. The Browns were publicly humiliated. They looked like outclassed dolts. So, then, yes, Beckham has a right and even a responsibility to be ticked off, and if he decides to exhibit his emotions on the sideline, in full view of everyone, then so be it.
I am sick and tired of players — not just with the Browns but throughout the NFL — walking off the field after a loss with smiles on their faces and acting as if it’s no big deal. Yes, it is a really big deal, and I can guarantee that there were no Browns fans smiling at about 4 p.m. last Sunday. Is it that the fans sometimes care more than the players throughout this league? I wonder. I truly wonder.
There are a whole heckuva lot of real issues facing the Browns. Odell Beckham’s behavior in this instance isn’t one of them, In fact, it should be applauded. I wish more of his teammates had followed his lead.