Let’s talk about the race in sports, I know it’s a touchy subject but the recent events of Gronkowski partying after a Superbowl lost, Kevin Love foot stomp on Luis Scola, Dirk coming to camp out of shape, and Josh Hamilton recent alcohol relapse the media has seemed to give these guys a pass. Anytime a black athlete behaves badly, they are criminalized known as a bad apples, team killers, selfish divas, and terrible role models. Lets take a look at recent events.
If LeBron James was out partying after his last year Finals lost, the media would kill him, absolutely destroy him. James was treated like criminal after he left Cleveland, James has always been a model citizen and a charity first guy, but the media would have crucified him if he had been seen with his shirt off at a party after a Finals lost. We don’t even have to go the LeBron level when Vince Young photoed out in a strip club, shirt off drinking Patron, there were all of sudden questions about his character, his will to win was questioned, but when Gronkowski does it on bad ankle after a Superbowl lost he just blowing off steam. I want all players to held to the same standard it ok for Gronk than it should be ok for Vince Young.
Kevin Love, pulled an Ndamukong Suh on Luis Scola during a game. Not only did Love get off really easy with only a two game suspension for stepping on somebody face, he hasn’t been called a dirty player. There aren’t any people calling for him to be psychoanalyzed. I understand that Suh had a bit of past with his play, but it is never ever ok for anyone to step on another person’s face, arm, etc. But everyone is treating Love as if he just got frustrated he didn’t really mean to do it, Suh was frustrated it too. It doesn’t matter they were both wrong, just because you get frustrated doesn’t mean you can step on someone.
Dirk Nowitzki came to camp out of shape during a lock out season, plenty of time to work your body into at least playing shape. Could just imagine the media storm if Kobe Bryant came 20lbs out of shape because he won a championship. I like Dirk, and I understand the idea of finally accomplishing a goal and relaxing a little bit. But no one held Dirk accountable for how he may have hurt his team, how selfish it was for him not to be ready to play during this season. I highly doubt the media would’ve been so forgiving for a Kobe Bryant or a Kevin Durant in the same situation.
Josh Hamilton recent relapse is sad, I really do wish him the best, but would America be rally around Hamilton if he were black? Or would he just be a criminal that needed to be in jail. Would the America be so forgiving or would our minds already be made up.
It is time to look into the mirror as fans. Everyone makes mistakes, black, white, etc. There are some players that bad apples, and they come in all colors. Lets not be so quick judge and put labels on people because they are human. Or if we are going to judge let’s make sure everyone is judge by the same scale.
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