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Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud
What's messed up to me is that a conservative, white 43 year-old teacher and father of four-plus children living in South Dakota thinks he can understand a 27 year-old black multi-millionaire that hangs out with Jay-Z and Beyonce (among others) in his spare time. You can't and quite frankly, you never will.
Carter asked LJ a simple question and LJ responded in kind. What did all you people expect LJ to do? Answer it like YOU would answer it (or better yet, how you *wanted* him to answer it) or answer it truthfully?
The bottom line is that so many of the *fans* want to like their hometown atheletes but in reality, they have very, very, very little common ground between them. The atheletes "struggles", real or imagined are very different from that of the "common" man. That doesn't make the struggles any more or less important than those of the fans. It's just their experience.
I don't watch NFL Football because I want to *like* the players or want to hang out with them or worship them. I watch the NFL for the entertainment factor. I'd love for my team to win every game and I'll travel all over the country to watch them do so, but liking them or hanging out with them is not even a factor in whether or not I'll watch *my* team.
I appreciate LJ's honesty in the interview but I really don't care what he thinks about DV or Herm or whatever. If he runs well and the Chiefs win, I'm a fan. If he runs out of steam, get injured or doesn't play well, bring on the next guy. It's that simple.
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First, just because I'm who I am
now...doesn't mean I can't relate to LJ. The first 27 years of my life? You know what....minus the money and the NFL career, I'd bet he and I had a WHOLE lot of other things in common. While those are big differences, any psychologist will discuss with you ad nauseam the bonds of common human experience. Suffice it to say, we have a lot more in common as people--than we have real differences. So you are just FOS on your first point.
Secondly, I understand Carter asked the question. LJ was not smart enough--or mature enough--to give a more reasonable and diplomatic answer. Maybe this, in a twisted way, gives him more street cred. Either way, that's too bad.
Third, maybe the reason you seem to imagine such a large expanse between athletes and "their fans" is your Hollywood experience. I don't know, but you are just wrong about that to a large extent. Sure there are differences, but most are based in how we are brought up.... and our socio-economic and educational backgrounds. And not nearly as much in the "star factor" as you seem to be suggesting.
Fourth, you and I may watch the games for entertainment. However, there should be an element of pride....in representing a community, or having the good fortune to be who one is....that makes one more responsible in the way they represent themselves to the public. Marcus Allen, Joe Montana, Trent Green, Eddie Kennison.....hell, even John Elway (later in his career) understood this. Terrrel Owens, Ray Lewis, Jake Plummer, and Bill Romanowski don't. LJ has time to figure it out, but this ain't a good indicator.
Fifth, honesty is important. But so is perspective, tact, and diplomacy. Like it or not, stars and athletes are role models--especially for kids. Sure, I want LJ to perform well, and run for 2,000 yards every year. However, it's a helluva lot easier to like the guy/be proud of the guy when he's not being a pansy and pulling the race card crap....and claiming "victim" status that a guy, with HIS background, is not really entitled to by any stretch of the imagination.
What can we do about it? Not much. But that doesn't mean we have to like it....isn't that alright Mr. "Agree to Disagree?"
