Thursday, November 13, 2014
Stereotyping of Athletes
Recently in class we have been talking about the minstrelsy dynamic in class, and the stereotyping of athletes, as people who should just “shut up and play”. To me, this reminded me of Kevin Durant’s MVP speech last year, where he thanked all the people who helped him get to where he was. He was most emotional when talking about his mom, at one point telling her that she was the real MVP. This line has been made fun of so many times, and while many people acknowledge it as a touching speech, others discount it, saying he shouldn’t be crying the day before a game, that he is soft for being emotional, and that he should just focus on beating the other team. This instance really helps illustrate the dynamic that athletes in pro sports experience. Kevin Durant has had to alter his personality and appearance in order to be more marketable, and this is simply not right. The image that all athletes have to be well-trained, focused, machines who play hard and be tough isn’t a fair stereotype to push all athletes into.
Another example of KD receiving criticism for acting “soft” was when with the playoff series tied 2-2, and his teammate Russell Westbrook shooting 3 free throws with the Thunder down by 2, he sat down on the court and looked away. Apparently, this is wrong, and as an athlete he should be able to stand there and watch. He needs to be able to cope with the tension of the situation because that’s what is expected of him as a superstar in the NBA. If he wants to have fans, get endorsements, and be liked, he doesn’t have a choice but to adopt a persona; he is just another performer who does what the crowd wants him to do.
Kevin Durant has been forced to change his personality simply because of the media and the fans. After criticism following the 2012 NBA finals that he was too much of a “nice guy”, and didn’t have the killer instinct needed to win the title, he responded. During his 2010-11 season, Durant had 3 technical fouls, in 2011-12 he had 5 technical fouls. In 2012-13, after the criticism, he had 12 technicals, and last year he tied for the league lead with 16 technicals. This drastic increase didn’t happen by random chance; Durant was told that he had to be more fiery on the court, and he doesn’t have a choice but to please the crowd, at the core, he is an entertainer and nothing more, his actual personality is rendered meaningless because the fans and media, most of whom have never even met Durant, deem it unfit for an athlete.
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Taking into consideration the countless factors that weigh on an athlete's reputation, factors that often force them to sacrifice their health or judgement, I really don't know how I could ever deal with the pressure of organized sports. Not only are they obligated to maintain a hard exterior by tolerating deleterious injuries, they are also expected to maintain hard interiors by being able to withstand varying degrees of stress, as you mentioned. Why do we have such high expectations for their mental strength -- were they trained in this discipline? I think one crowd assumption that is especially counterproductive is that since they are paid so handsomely in the highest level of their field, we almost belittle their specialized skill and end up thinking "well, if that's the only ability you have, you damn well better invest everything you have in it!" Unfortunately that means suffering physical traumas and playing through them in order to prove to his employers and supporters -- to whom he has already sold his soul -- that he will die performing for them.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting example, since Durant's comments would seem to be so thoroughly *un*controversial--being moved emotionally while acknowledging his mother's sacrifices to get him where he is: what could be more quintessentially wholesome and nonthreatening? But you draw out how this same dynamic rears its head, where commentators feel especially free to mock or criticize the athlete's emotional affect (when they might not approach an actor at an awards show, or a political figure--like John Boehner, who cries at the drop of a hat--the same way). But things get really sticky when an athlete has the gall to question US foreign policy in Iraq, for example, or make a statement in support of Trayvon Martin, or speaks out on Ferguson, or even mentions the racial dynamics of pro sports at all. Then the "shut up and play" chorus becomes even more strenuous.
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