It’s a lesson I learned as a kid and one that all young sports fans like I once was will be forced to accept: athletes aren’t heroes.
In our American society, we’ve regarded athletes as being “superhuman” or perfect, and judging by many recent events, it’s evident that they aren’t. For me, it was the scandal surrounding Penn State and Jerry Sandusky that rendered these tenets clear.
I was just into my teens when the news broke of the scandal, and when I heard the punishment, I was shocked. “4 years?” “They’re going to fire Paterno?” I was oblivious to the fact that these sanctions paled in comparison to the horrific events of this case.
Keep in mind that I was not and am not a Penn State fan, and I had no rooting interest whatsoever. Yet, it shocked me that such events could occur in a locale as consecrated as a sports campus, and even though I didn’t truly understand those events and their significance at the time, I remember suddenly losing all interest in worshiping my favorite athletes as Gods.
As a young child, it was far too easy to cast aside those negative aspects of the players and still have the belief that these athletes were inherently unworldly. However, the Sandusky case allowed me to see more clearly on the role of sports and other athletes in our society.
The situations regarding Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson bring this case back up once again. Athletes aren’t perfect, and they certainly aren’t unworldly. This isn’t meant to be about the athletes though, because it’s evident that these stars have their imperfections, it’s about the society we have created. In the United States, we are guilty of consecrating those who do not deserve these honors.
We have Halls of Fame for each of North America’s four major sports, and we glorify these athletes as if they have done great services to the American people. These players are “immortalized” for their accomplishments. Ironically, all those who have received the honor of being inducted have their fair shares of imperfections as well.
There are a plethora of racists, cheaters and criminals worthy of nothing but our hatred in the various Halls of Fame today. Meanwhile, we still believe that this “Hall” is the home of legends.
The event that really allowed me to understand our faults was the “Derek Jeter Day” ceremony at Yankee Stadium.
Jeter is one of the most skilled and classiest players to ever put on the Pinstripes, but consecrating someone who hadn’t even retired yet? Too much.
Many athletes don’t contribute anything back to society while receiving exorbitant sums of money in exchange for their ability to play a sport. Yet, we revere them as if they sacrificed everything to give back to the community or as if they selflessly went to fight in a war.
Now, that it is not to say that athletes are the bastion of evil. There are many examples of former and current athletes giving back to his/her community.
Peyton Manning is a major donor to a hospital in Indianapolis, Pat Tillman sacrificed his NFL career to join the military and even LeBron James’ much maligned “Decision” raised an abundant amount of money for the Boys and Girls Club.
But that’s my point here. Just like among us “common folk”, there are people who do and say the right things and those who do not. Athletes deserve our respect because they are skilled at something that we aren’t.
However, let’s just not get to the point of reverence where we believe that these humans are heroes worthy of our glorification.
[Photo Credit: US Presswire]
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