That is today's question.
We have nearly limitless freedoms in this country. Sometimes I think we may have too much freedom in some areas, but that's a more serious discussion than I intend to have today. What I'm specifically concerned with today are the personal freedom's athletes and celebrities are allowed to have and whether or not that's a good thing...and me being a sports nut, specifically personal freedoms in team sports.
Being a celebrity or athlete grants you something few of us normal people ever get to experience. They are afforded ample opportunities to air their thoughts and feelings in settings where many, many people will hear them. My question to you is...is this really a good thing? Now the immediate argument in favor would state that we normal people have just as much freedom to tune them out as we do to actually listen to what they have to say. Something akin to a jury being told to disregard something they've seen or heard in a courtroom. They are told they have a duty to disregard it, but do you think that ever really happens? I don't think it does and I don't see how I could not take that information into account when trying to form a verdict. So when a famous person stands in front of a camera with a microphone and starts pushing a personal agenda, doesn't it stand to reason that it will have at least a degree of impact on a good number of us?
Will there be people who just tune it out or disregard it? Sure. Will there be even more who consider it gospel simply because of the source? Most definitely. Finally, as information flows more and more freely, doesn't it stand to reason that more of us are thinking much less often for ourselves and instead allow famous people whom we don't even know to dictate our beliefs to us?
Alright, so now that I've gotten the serious stuff out of the way and maybe given you food for thought there...let's move on to the athletes and their culture.
Most athletes don't live in the real world. They make more money in a year than some of us will in our lifetimes. Their existence is on a completely different plane from most of us. They have huge homes, fancy cars, and a set of problems completely different from the rest of us. So, when athletes do something outside of normal gameplay to distinguish themselves, is that a good thing or a bad thing?
When Terrell Owens once upon a time scored a touchdown in Dallas and proceeded to run to midfield and start celebrating on the big star, was that harmless fun, juvenile showboating, just plain wrong, or all of the above? When the first basketball player started the throat slashing gesture or extremely loud yell after a dunk, was that spur of the moment jubilation that was poorly executed or maliciously exclaming thier superiority? When a baseball player hits what he knows is a homerun and stands at homeplate eyeballing the pitcher and soaking it all in, is that reveling in the moment or making themselves look good at someone else's expense?
When does it all get to be too much? When does personal freedom go to far?
The NFL is cracking down again on celebrations because they've turned into planned happenings complete with props and non-team member participants. The NBA long ago outlawed the throat slash because it's just plain wrong (shame the players didn't understand that for themselves, isn't it?), and has even determined that players are not allowed to wear tights on court because it singles them out against the other players. Are these measures too harsh? Is it harmless fun or is it crossing moral and/or societal lines?
Personally, I don't think you should go out of your way to call attention to yourself when playing a team game. I don't think you should ever single yourself out over someone else in a way that is hurtful or malicious. I think it's great to celebrate when you do something worth celebrating (ie. hitting the winning shot or scoring the touchdown to put your team in the playoffs). I also think it's pretty cool when megastars like Barry Sanders or Marvin Harrison simply toss the ball to the official. I think it's neat when the fans are allowed to be a part of the celebration like the do with the Lambeau Leap in Green Bay. To me, you cross the line when you celebrate in the face of your opponent, call attention to their failure, or go out of your way to show the world how special you think you are.
I want to hear what you think...which side of the line do you fall on? Am I right on the money or am I just too old school and set in my ways when it comes to matters of personal freedom?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I would have to say that some spontaneous celebrating, pumping your fist in the air, high-fives or a group hug with your teammates, even dropping to your knees for a quick prayer or raising your hand to God, those are all well within the bounds of "good sportsmanship". It is the planned, choreographed, canned celebrations that have shown up in recent years, where someone is obviously trying to call attention to themselves that bother me. It is nothing but egotistical showboating and has no place in a team game.
ReplyDeleteWhat do I think that the coolest thing any player can do? Act like it's something he does everyday....
I've got to admit, when i read the title of the blog, i thought it was going to be more about personal freedoms, not how athletes celebrate.
ReplyDeleteOk, to tackle some of the questions you possed. Yes, celebrities (actors and athletes) have the right to say what they want, where they want, and when they want. Just like you or I. But that doesnt mean that they SHOULD and by no means do I have to listen. Sometimes you hear things that famous actors/actresses say and you just shake your head wondering how they got to that position in life. Yet with others, it leaves you thinking about your own stance on a topic.
As for athletes and there celebration, i think most of them are way over the top and uncalled for. There is no reason to 'show-boat' or try to humiliate your opponent. i believe it sends a bad message to youth athletes.