One thing is to report news, to try to find out about this or that, to try to get the tiniest statement and twist it in all possible ways to get them clicks, etc. Another entirely different thing is to go guns blazing asking entirely nonsensical, damaging, and personal questions to, well, human beings who just happen to play sports professionally.
This is what a Ravens reporter did on Friday following the last practice of the team ahead of the Week 2 divisional matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium.
The journalist in question was identified as Jamison Hensley, according to multiple people pointing to the Ravens beat reporter of ESPN as the man asking Odell Beckham the question. You can watch the clip below, with Hensley stepping over other reporters trying to ask OBJ more reasonable and nicer things.
Was this Jamison Hensley asking this question to OBJ? What a weird thing to bring up to a player… some of the media around the Ravens will do literally anything for clicks. pic.twitter.com/7TqR6taqpJ
— #BrohmSquad (@CardsAndRavens) September 14, 2023
For context, it's well known that the last time Beckham was on a football field before joining the Ravens was during Super Bowl LVI as a member of the Los Angeles Rams and going against the Bengals in the final game of the 2021 season.
Beckham grabbed two passes for 52 yards and scored a touchdown on his way to winning his first Super Bowl. However, OBJ sustained a torn ACL and had to exit the game during the second quarter.
Earlier in his career, also facing the Bengals (this time playing for the Cleveland Browns) in 2020, Beckham tore his ACL during the first quarter of that matchup and was ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Beckham didn't have a chance to get a single reception then after going for 74 yards and one touchdown on four receptions the first time both teams met earlier that year.
Instead of asking Beckham how excited he was to face the Bengals once again after beating them to win the Super Bowl a year and a half ago, Hensley thought it would be much better to ask him if he is "superstitious about things like that," reminding him his back-to-back injuries in his last two meetings with Cincy.
Hell, Hensley could have asked him about his little word fight and feud with Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd, and nobody would have batted an eye. In fact, that might have been a fun question to ask if only to add some heat to Sunday's already-hot affair.
Of course, every single Ravens fan (and reasonable human being with a minimal IQ), wanted and still wants Hensley fired on the spot by ESPN, removing him from covering the Baltimore Ravens.
What a terrible question?!
— The Athletes Plug (@TheAthletesPlug) September 15, 2023
Are you kidding?
Much love and respect to OBJ for keeping amazing composure.
Smh, what terrible journalists.
They gotta stop letting Jamison in the building
— PT sports talk (@PTsportstalker) September 14, 2023
there was just no need for him to bring that up.. Hoping for a full healthy game for both teams!
— Cincy Stripes (@StripesCincy) September 15, 2023
@jamisonhensley could ask a litany of questions on the offense, his first AFCN rivalry game, ask how's he's feeling after playing ball for the first time in 2 years. Yet he chooses to ask if he's superstitious... what was he even fishing for? Lowering the bar every time he speaks pic.twitter.com/IRDWxfKmcv
— Jacoby Alton (@Alton0135) September 14, 2023
The few messages shown above is a tiny sample compared to the whole lot of backlash Hensley received across the X-phere on Friday, and he simply deserved that and then some more.
Knowing ESPN will do nothing to remove Hensley from his duties as a beat reporter, here's to hope OBJ puts on a show on Sunday if only to keep Hensley quiet the next time he faces Odell in the Ravens locker room.