Some Carolina Panthers Players Wouldn't Speak With A 'Rivals' Reporter Because Of How They Were Ranked Coming Out Of High School

Some Carolina Panthers players refused to talk to me on camera because Rivals 'didn't have me ranked high enough in high school' #seriously

— Krysten (@KP_Rivals) February 2, 2016

I felt like reminding these guys YOU'RE PLAYING IN A SUPER BOWL! What do you care what you were ranked?!

— Krysten (@KP_Rivals) February 2, 2016

Also worth noting: #Panthers
5-stars - 5
4-stars - 10
3-stars - 8 #Broncos
5-stars - 1
4-stars - 6
3-stars - 17

— Krysten (@KP_Rivals) February 2, 2016

Hey, when you work for a company whose job it is to scrutinize teenagers this is the kind backlash you might encounter. Sure, these guys are grown men, but that doesn't mean they can't be petty. They should probably give this woman the time of day. After all, I highly doubt she was the one writing  detailed reports about their strengths and weaknesses while reducing them to a a rating on a 5-Star scale. However, that guy likely isn't there so Krysten (with a 'Y'? Already feeling less bad for her) is going to have to take the brunt of that hostility. Hostility that is well justified. Who cares that these guys are in the Super Bowl? You know what motivated them to get to the top of their craft? People constantly questioning them along the way. That doubt ultimately manifested itself in deep seated animosity. 

Think about all of the irrational grudges you still hold. What period of your life do a large majority of them correspond with? That's right, your childhood. I could write out a list of every person I hate and what event in between 1st grade and 12th grade caused that hatred. It's so much easier to look back on the insults -whether intended or not- from your youth. Likely because we generally don't care enough as we get older to let the opinions of others effect us. That's not so during your formative years. It's impossible to let criticism go in one ear and out the other when you're still maturing. I bet the Panthers players that said "thanks, but no thanks" refreshed 'Rivals' every single day during their senior season to check if some random guy behind a computer screen thought they improved  So Krysten can blow it out her ass, because she's likely never had someone diminish her to a number on a website. At least not to her knowledge anyway. Should these players let go of their bitterness considering they are about to play on the biggest stage their sport has to offer? Probably, but I can understand their inability to do so, because we all hold on to resentment formed during our adolescence. That resentment drives us to succeed so we can look back at the people responsible for it and tell them to go fuck themselves. On behalf of the Carolina Panthers, go fuck yourself 'Rivals'.