Professional Atheletes are People Too
I love sports. I love watching sports. I love talking about sports. I love writing about sports. I love arguing about sports. But the thing I love most is RANTING about sports. I love to blow off steam by yelling about a stupid trade, bad refereeing, terrible coaching moves, front office dumpster fires (I'm looking at you White Sox and Bulls), overrated players and flopping. Oh my god to I love to rant about LeBronning... I mean flopping.But in all of this, I try never to get personal. It is just sports.
I even love heckling at a ball game. But when I do, I try to be funny not mean. I won't talk about players' families or other real, sensitive issues. I stick to their play on the field. But this week, I was reminded that not everyone knows this players are human. And in some cases, they are just kids. Kids that are about my own kids' ages.
This week, after the NBA draft, a ton of people jumped all over 18 year old kid Ace Bailey for daring to have a preference to where he would live for the next five years. You see, Bailey was probably the 3rd or 4th best player in this draft but he really wanted to play on the East coast, specifically Washington... for some unknown reason. This makes sense as he chose to go to Rutgers for his one year of college. In an effort to try to work and live where he preferred, he decided not to go and visit any of the top drafting teams including the team that drafted him, the Utah Jazz. Many people were up in arms that this "spoiled brat" would dare to try and decide his own future. He was "lucky just to be able to play in the NBA". First of all, I don't think there is a lot of luck involved. He has natural talent and worked hard to hone his skills. He did so well at this that at the age of 18 he is considered one of the best 384 people in the world at a VERY marketable skill. In fact, at least 25 billion dollar businesses wanted him to work for them. Imagine that. When you were 18, if 25 billion dollar businesses wanted you so badly they would give you millions of dollars, would you just throw their names in a hat and pick one? Would you just go to whichever one got to the phone first? Or would you weigh the pros and cons of each and make an informed decision on what was the best for you and your family? Well if it were my kid, I hope they would do the latter. In fact, my kids just did this. They CHOSE what college they wanted to attend. Why can't this kid choose as well? Well it is against the rules of the NBA. Ok fine. But that is only because professional sports is exempt from the law that protects this from happening in every business. Ace Bailey has a VERY scarce resource: basketball talent. He's not a spoiled brat for trying to control that resource. And in the end, he's going to report to Utah. He gave it his best shot to stay where he was comfortable and it didn't work. No harm no foul.
That was small potatoes compared to the next one. This week a Chicago White Sox fan (I didn't know those still exist... and I used to be one) decided to berate Arizona Diamondbacks player Ketel Marte. And he got very personal. In fact at one point this guy decided to yell, "I texted your mom last night". Funny right? Well one problem. Ketel Marte's mother died in a car accident in 2017. Do you know where he was when he found out? Chicago. So Marte did what anyone with a soul and a love for their mother would do... he cried. And I applaud him for that. Kids need to see that it is OK to show emotion. Don't bottle it up and then take it out on someone. Let it out in a healthy way.
Luckily this "fan" was immediately removed and banned from ever attending a home White Sox game again (although maybe a better punishment would be forcing him to go to every home White Sox game). He has also been banned by Major League Baseball in general. Good.
“Although maybe a better punishment would be forcing him to go to every home White Sox game.”
So, hell does exist? 🤔
It's just like when we love any sport, we watch every match, we see everything, but if our team is constantly losing and we see the flaws in the team but the coaches don't change the guy who is constantly losing, then there is a lot of sadness and worry.
This was such a needed read you poured your heart out and I felt every word I’m a huge sports fan too and I live for the debates the rants the drama and the passion but what you said here goes deeper it’s about remembering the humanity behind the jerseys
Ace Bailey is 18 and people forget that quick just because a player makes money doesn’t mean they’re not allowed to feel things or want better for themselves what you said about your kids choosing their colleges hit hard because we’d never shame a young adult for making choices unless they’re wearing a team’s logo
And that Marte part crushed me I didn’t know that about his mom and the Chicago connection That’s not just heckling that’s cruelty no one deserves that kind of attack and I respect that he showed emotion that’s strength not weakness
Thanks for standing up and using your voice this way This post reminds me why I love sports for more than the wins and losses it’s the stories the people and yeah even the rants
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Not really a popular sport for us down under, just wondering, have you ever seen an Aussie rules football game? It's quite an experience.
I used to watch it all the time when I was younger. When ESPN first started in the 80s, they were desperate for content so they would play Australian rules football. I was a sports junkie so I watched anything I could!
Good to hear, it's very popular right now, but September is when all the finals are being played. hey I notice you haven't voted any hive witnesses, would be awesome if your first one was for me!
I just watch the games if i bet friends on them. I can watch Hockey or MMA.
!PIZZA !LOL
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@sirsmokesalot96(8/10) tipped @hanshotfirst
Come get MOONed!
People definitely take it a bit too far. That guy crying actually reminds me of the Simpson's episode where they were heckling Strawberry on the field and I think he shed a tear in a similar manner. Have you seen the commercials lately where they have to remind people that attacking a player because you lost a bet isn't an okay way to handle things? How sad we have come to this...
Darryl, Darryl, Darryl. That entire episode was amazing! "Strawberry, hit a home run." "Ok Skip".
Yeah I didn't want to get too serious with this. It is infuriating that people threaten a player their kids and their families because they lost a bet. It is a sad commentary on our world. Common decency is flat out dead.
That was a great episode. Right up there with the soccer one which is one of my favorites of all time. I couldn't believe we actually had to have a commercial for something like that. So sad...
This should not happen to players at all because they are stars and we see that after losing a match or any similar reason, they are harassed a lot and their respect is damaged
Even if we pay an entry fee, it doesn't give us the right to insult anyone because, as you say, they are people who suffer and feel just like us, they have their problems. You only have to refer to their game, never to the person. As for Ace Bailey, it's a very curious case because anyone in his place would be happy to be drafted so high, but on the contrary, his face says it all: he doesn't want to play in Utah, and I think his decision should be respected, so he should do it where he feels most comfortable and develop all the potential he has.
I can actually see both sides of the argument on Bailey. I just think it is so weird that in no other business would this be allowed. If you are the best at what you do, and businesses want you, they compete for you.