We've all seen it at one time or another, Brooks and Torts, Andy Sutton, or more recently Miller and Sullivan, and less recently, Hasek. What does it mean? Is it indicative of immaturity on the part of the player, douchebaggery on the part of the media, does it signify intensity or a lack of ability to keep one's cool?

or the inability to understand there is a honor code in journalism...

What do you mean by that?

sports writers (especially national ones) tend to forget they are talking by people and they say nasty things and get pissed when those players won't give them interviews or stuff. when i say there is an honor code, i mean there once was. it's not right to just say "player x sucks." but that's how our culture has evolved, mostly via internet tough guy. "player x is having a bad game, an awful game, a bad season, isn't a playmaker..." all better ways of expressing the actual issue without sounding like an asshole and using fallacies like the ad hominem. really, it's just assholes who are good writers. and athletes are certainly not perfect but i'm just answering your question.

Yeah I definitely agree. There is a lack of respect. People assume all because these guys make a lot of money they can't mess up or can't dish it back when reporters are running their mouths.

The sports media, in general, feel more important than they actually are.

They're there to tell us what happened, and what they observed. I get that they need to provide their opinions as well, but they get this crazy idea that they actually have some kind of influence over the team.

Except in rare cases, they do not.