Does America Hate Their Pro Athletes?

[Vizi]

This is a question that has been brought up on many sports news shows.

With Latrell Sprewell saying that he cant feed his family on $7million, Terrell Owens dancing and celebrating in the end zone, and the USA Olympic Basketball team being booed by the USA after a poor showing in the big show. Is America tired of professional athletes?

[88jr]

This is a question that has been brought up on many sports news shows.

With Latrell Sprewell saying that he cant feed his family on $7million, Terrell Owens dancing and celebrating in the end zone, and the USA Olympic Basketball team being booed by the USA after a poor showing in the big show. Is America tired of professional athletes?

Certain athletes...yes. A lot of athletes egos are bigger than their skills. You're going to think I'm crazy but I think NASCAR drivers are the best roll models out there (with the exception that they drive fast) because they are so down to earth. What all sports need to do is pay athletes for accomplishments. Grant Hill has been on the bench for 3 years with the Magic and makes several million a year. A team could not win a game all season and yet they make millions! Pay according to success. You win...you get $100,000, you loose, you get $5,000. I think you would see REAL athletes with REAL skill come out and the egos would go WAY down!

[mcurtiss1970]

Certain athletes...yes. A lot of athletes egos are bigger than their skills. You're going to think I'm crazy but I think NASCAR drivers are the best roll models out there (with the exception that they drive fast) because they are so down to earth. What all sports need to do is pay athletes for accomplishments. Grant Hill has been on the bench for 3 years with the Magic and makes several million a year. A team could not win a game all season and yet they make millions! Pay according to success. You win...you get $100,000, you loose, you get $5,000. I think you would see REAL athletes with REAL skill come out and the egos would go WAY down!
what's up with jeff gordon and his divorce?

and the driver who punched a cop (or something like that)?

[imtravis]

what's up with jeff gordon and his divorce?

and the driver who punched a cop (or something like that)?

I think that the NASCAR drivers aren't egotistical, and suffer from normal stuff that all of us face/could face. I'm sorry, but how many of us are worried about not feeding their families on only $7 million, or how many are going or have gone through a divorce?

[mcurtiss1970]

I think that the NASCAR drivers aren't egotistical, and suffer from normal stuff that all of us face/could face. I'm sorry, but how many of us are worried about not feeding their families on only $7 million, or how many are going or have gone through a divorce?
i'm sure all pro athletes have life issues. i just don't think nascar drivers are immune from the pro athlete deal and aren't good role models by default just because they're "good ol' boys"

[Nugo]

I don't hate any athletes, but the spirit of playing from the heart is gone. You want to see a good movie--watch "Miracle." It's just a movie remake of the actual story of the U.S. Hockey Team (a bunch of college guys) taking on the Soviet Union, theretofore the most feared hockey team in the world. Those kids obviously played from the heart; great movie. But, you can find this in any sport that does not pay the players, or only pays them a marginal amount.

I don't know what my point is, other than the greater glory of the game is gone, and capitalism thrives.

[Cheatachu72]

I don't hate any athletes, but the spirit of playing from the heart is gone. You want to see a good movie--watch "Miracle." It's just a movie remake of the actual story of the U.S. Hockey Team (a bunch of college guys) taking on the Soviet Union, theretofore the most feared hockey team in the world. Those kids obviously played from the heart; great movie. But, you can find this in any sport that does not pay the players, or only pays them a marginal amount.

I don't know what my point is, other than the greater glory of the game is gone, and capitalism thrives.

agreed...amazing movie. saw it on opening night, one of the few occasions i have seen an entire theatre applaud at the end of a film. Of course it was in a movie theatre on the UW-Madison campus, and a majority of the players from that team have ties to the UW program (including the current girls hockey coach being on that team).

other than that yes...i hate most the pro athletes.

[Noodle]

agreed...amazing movie. saw it on opening night, one of the few occasions i have seen an entire theatre applaud at the end of a film (http://www.adsrve.com/linkredirect.php?h=20,37049240,sprintusers.com,0). Of course it was in a movie theatre on the UW-Madison campus, and a majority of the players from that team have ties to the UW program (including the current girls hockey coach being on that team).

other than that yes...i hate most the pro athletes.
I think the three different fights that broke out this weekend are a bad blemish for the amreican sports teams. Come on now if a fan is heckling you suck it up and deal with it don't jump into the stands and beat the crap out of them.

[Guy]

Pistons/Pacers, S. Carolina/Clemson...what was the third??

[Vizi]

I hate the American "Fan".

Very fickle and jealous.

The best fans are those that actually played the game that they are a fan of. Its one thing to know the rules, it is another thing to know the game. Most people that watch football dont have any idea what it is like to get punched in the ribs at the bottom of a pile up. Most people that watch basketball have no idea what its like to get an elbow in the jaw after a rebound. And most people that watch boxing have no idea what it is like to get punched in the kidney and lose all control of your legs.

What I find interesting is that people complain about basketball and football for the on court on field antics. But Hockey gets a free pass to what ever they want. If a fight breaks out in a hockey game, it was a good game. I'm sorry to say this but I really feal it has something to do with Americas fear of aggressive black men. I'm sure I will get denials of this fact. But I have played sports since childhood and I know the look on others faces when they see my emotion. It is pure fear. And I am far from a violent person. It is just the perseption. IMHO

[Cheatachu72]

I hate the American "Fan".

Very fickle and jealous.

The best fans are those that actually played the game that they are a fan of. Its one thing to know the rules, it is another thing to know the game. Most people that watch football dont have any idea what it is like to get punched in the ribs at the bottom of a pile up. Most people that watch basketball have no idea what its like to get an elbow in the jaw after a rebound. And most people that watch boxing have no idea what it is like to get punched in the kidney and lose all control of your legs.

What I find interesting is that people complain about basketball and football for the on court on field antics. But Hockey gets a free pass to what ever they want. If a fight breaks out in a hockey game, it was a good game. I'm sorry to say this but I really feal it has something to do with Americas fear of aggressive black men. I'm sure I will get denials of this fact. But I have played sports since childhood and I know the look on others faces when they see my emotion. It is pure fear. And I am far from a violent person. It is just the perseption. IMHO

hockey is a violent sport compared to basketball. In hockey you practically have to take somebody's head off to get a penalty where as in basketball if you look at a guy wrong they call a foul on you. This is a little bit of an overexageration but since i played hockey and never basketball, when i watch basketball on TV i dont understand why they call half the fouls they do.

Football is the same way somewhat. Nearly every game there are small pushing matches after many of the plays. It just doesnt get that big. Hockey rarely has bench clearing brawls.

What about baseball? remember 2 years ago when all those brawls happened in yankee stadium...even the fan coming over the wall into the bull-pen.

How about boxing? If americans feared the aggressive black man i dont understand how this sport constantly draws as many people as it does.

[ken_vs_ryu]

people are jealous beeotches. just like how everyone hates gates. anyone who has more is easily loathed.

[Nailin'M]

The whole problem stems from athletes receiving not even a slap on the wrist but, a gentle nudge because of the things they do. And, I'm not saying the fans are OK, either but, fans have been the way they are for years. Hell, when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in MLB, he went thru more than what these players imagine----from fans, players and his own teammates. The only difference was the fact that he couldn't fight back. Now, you have players running into the stands, throwing chairs at fans (hecklers) and beating their asses like they stole something. I don't know where this is going but a lot of damn people need anger management because this is ridiculously out of hand.

[Vizi]

How about boxing? If americans feared the aggressive black man i dont understand how this sport constantly draws as many people as it does.

I dont even know how to respond to that. Except that I don't think you understand the point I was making.

[MsRandall]

I dont hate, idolize, etc sport personalities...Funny T.O. has such a bad guy image but in person he is soo nice and is very personable. When you dont know people personally your opinions are slated by the media and the coverage their antics get. The couple of minutes I had a conversation with TO told me he is just a big kid having fun and really dont care what people think of him personally. I am sure Ron Attrest is likeable just dont throw no damn beer on him. It all comes down to ratings, crazied fans, etc .... I dont hate on the personalities they play a sport and Corporate America allows them to make 20 million dollars for playing a game.....and a teacher makes 38,000.00 thats where most of our priorities are...FUN

[Vizi]

I dont hate, idolize, etc sport personalities...Funny T.O. has such a bad guy image but in person he is soo nice and is very personable. When you dont know people personally your opinions are slated by the media and the coverage their antics get. The couple of minutes I had a conversation with TO told me he is just a big kids having fun and really dont care what people think of him personally. I am sure Ron Attrest is likeable just dont throw no damn beer on him. It all comes down to ratings, crazied fans, etc .... I dont hate on the personalities they play a sport and Corporate America allows them to make 20 million dollars for playing a game.....and a teacher makes 38,000.00 thats where most of our priorities are...FUN

I completely agree.

[Cheatachu72]

I dont even know how to respond to that. Except that I don't think you understand the point I was making.


maybe i did miss your point then...i responded before 7:00 am so it is definately possible. as i re-read your post i dont think i did. I am not trying to be a jerk here, but could you explain your point better to me? I took it as you saying america was afraid of the aggressive black man, and I responded with an example of a sport that rewards aggression. If i am off base here somehow let me know......

[LoDown3]

I dont hate, idolize, etc sport personalities...Funny T.O. has such a bad guy image but in person he is soo nice and is very personable. When you dont know people personally your opinions are slated by the media and the coverage their antics get. The couple of minutes I had a conversation with TO told me he is just a big kid having fun and really dont care what people think of him personally. I am sure Ron Attrest is likeable just dont throw no damn beer on him. It all comes down to ratings, crazied fans, etc .... I dont hate on the personalities they play a sport and Corporate America allows them to make 20 million dollars for playing a game.....and a teacher makes 38,000.00 thats where most of our priorities are...FUN
beautiful!...
by the way, that definetly xplained TO, but i still dont like him ...wait till the eagles lose the nfc title game...or just lose :D

also, artest has been misunderstood for so long, not that i understand him, but i think the nba doesnt help him and so sh+t goes on...
kinda like how tyson got taken off meds before his fights, so he could go nuts and "eat children"

[Nugo]

I don't care if Artest is Mother Theresa; if that hooded nun came back from the dead and stormed the stands, I'd toss her stinkin self out of the game for life, too. I think the season penalty is too mild. Examples need to be made; if not, anybody that wants a year off will just take out the drunkest guy in the third row. Where will we draw the line? Or will we?

[LoDown3]

I don't care if Artest is Mother Theresa; if that hooded nun came back from the dead and stormed the stands, I'd toss her stinkin self out of the game for life, too. I think the season penalty is too mild. Examples need to be made; if not, anybody that wants a year off will just take out the drunkest guy in the third row. Where will we draw the line? Or will we?
pllllease, i think the yaer off is fine, especially since hes losing $5mil out of a $6.5mil contract...
and now i hear commentary attriubuting every lil foul call as taken lightly now in the wake of those players punishments.
its annoying, as if on every foul call, a brawl would insue, but now every play keeps artest in the back of their minds...yeah right
let em play, we all kno it aint gonna happen again and if any1 thinks it'll happen tomorrow, then like elf says, "thats ridiculous!" :rolleyes: