Today, the words "athlete" and "baby" are almost
synonymous. Some athletes today make more money than some countries'
national incomes, and yet they want more. Athletes used to play because they
loved the game. They used to have a desire to play hard, a drive to do the
best they could in each and every game. Today, sports have become a show:
who can have the most spectacular dunk, the hardest hit, the most points. I
read in the March 24 issue of Sports Illustrated that Cleveland Cavaliers'
Ricky Davis intentionally missed a shot. So? His reasons for doing so are
what shocked me. For those who may not know, a triple double in basketball
is having double-digit figures in three statistical categories. Ricky Davis
had twenty-eight points, twelve assists, and nine rebounds (one short of
achieving a triple double). He purposely missed his shot, hoping he would
get the rebound and the triple double. You've got to be kidding me!
A few months ago, I watched a documentary on Allen Iverson, a guard
for the Philadelphia 76ers. Let me first say that I think he is a great
player, one of the best in the league; however, that does not excuse the man
from acting immature. The program showed clips of his games, his dazzling
dunks, ankle breaking moves, and great defensive play. It then switched from
his sports life to his personal life. It showed him riding down the road in
a Cadillac Escalade, a vehicle that starts at around $50,000, and I can
assure you that he had a few more options than just a CD player and cup
holders. He was sitting there in the leather seats wearing designer clothes
and a diamond earring big enough to steal any woman's heart. Then the man,
if he can be considered a man, had the audacity to say, "People don't know
how hard my life is." Hold on. Allen Iverson makes over $11 million a year
and he claims he has it hard? What happened to playing for the love of the
game?
Today's athletes have become nothing but a bunch of greedy babies.
Where did all the Wilt Chamberlins, Larry Birds, Cal Ripkens, Joe Montanas,
and Wayne Gretzkys go, who suited up for every game because they loved to
play? Arbitration? Holdouts? Strikes? These are terms that the above listing
of athletes never heard until their last few years in the league when
eighteen-year-old kids began demanding millions. Sure, there are still
players such as Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, Sammy Sosa, Jason Sehorn, and
Darrel Green. But these athletes are suddenly finding their kind becoming
extinct. It is not uncommon to hear that a football player is going to miss
the game due to turf toe. If I was the owner of a team and was paying a kid
a muti-million dollar contract and he told me his foot was sore so he
couldn't play, I guarantee you he would either play or start packing. Turf
toe. You've got to be joking. You've got the flu? Too bad! A blister? Are
you kidding me?
Athletes used to be role models, people you encouraged your kids to
be like. Now, if your kids turn out to be like pro-athletes they are likely
to either be on the cover of High Times or in a state penitentiary. Athletes
used to take pride in being in the pros. Now, they see it as their right and
think that the team owes them. If a team is paying you a contract with more
zeros than any other digit, they don't owe you a darn thing except, perhaps,
a wake-up call. There are hundreds of thousands of kids who would die to
play for a professional team for free. And yet, we have these immature,
spoiled brats demanding more and more money. Am I the only one that thinks
this has gotten a little out of hand?
----
Jesse McBride: "I write articles."
Responses:
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Name: Nick
Comments:
Awesome article Jesse, its great to have you back!
Name: Mr. Met
Comments:
I don't think Jason Sehorn's name should EVER be used in the same sentence as Darrell Green and Michael Jordan. That's just plain sacrilegious. Good stuff, though.
Name: Shag-Himself
Comments:
I completely agree. Its bad enough this baby crap is in the pros. Now its leaking into college level and it really is ridiculous.
Name: Mike Flick
Major: Poly Sci
Comments:
Great article, Jesse. You're totally right--athletes are coming across as total babies, and it's ridiculous (don't get me started on rockstars!). At least we have the satisfaction of knowing that the athletes that will most likely be sent to prison will be playing a different type of "ball." haha so crazy...
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Jesse McBride | Staff Writer