By Beaker
Just wanted to impart my words of pseudo-wisdom on a couple of stories plaguing the sports world.
One is the plot where Reggie Bush has given back the Heisman Trophy. This decision has the media questioning his motives. I think the debate about whether or not it’s genuine misses the overall point. When he committed his faux pas he was 17.
Seventeen.
Old enough to tell the difference between right and wrong but not old enough to have developed his own sense of wisdom. Seriously, what sort of life experience did he (or any athlete in that position for that matter) have when faced with the greedy, cut throat world of sports? It’s well established that the cognitive development of a person where reasoning is secure doesn’t happen until their 20 years old.
Teenagers are just that: Impressionable babies in transition into adulthood. He was vulnerable to those who held influence over him. If the people he love and trust steered him in a certain direction, what did you expect him to do?
Now we play the morality game? Sure, part of the problem was the cover up and lie when confronted with the facts but it’s easier said than done.
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Never heard of this Ines Sainz chick but I’m a little tired of hot girls marketing themselves as such crying foul when they’re treated shabbily.
Not condoning misogyny here. No sir. Leave that to ESPN and it’s obsession with rappers. Everybody must be treated with respect.
Just saying spare me when you go around feeling biceps and expecting to be treated with total professionalism. THIS IS PRO SPORTS. These are not guys who are going to discuss Cicero’s political philosophy or offer insights into how to solve an economic recession.
Athletes are men with lotsa, you know, raw energy. They’re going to cross lines sometimes. Asking them to continue the cherade, half naked after a football practice or hockey game only begs that from time to time they’ll bust out with some less than flattering comments.
Time for sports media to get real.
When you blur sexy girls with journalism you’re only leaving yourself open to problems. I think the NFL and the New York Jets acted appropriately and indeed we shouldn’t tolerate any maltreatment of journalists of any gender (I include aliens here) or race but sometimes…sometimes it’s not the athlete’s fault.
They’re too easy a target.
