People in Athletics
This was part of a twofer from FB where CL mentioned this and another category – but I’ll save his comment for the other one (although he mentioned it for both). Instead, I’ll post a video that I found in a recent story about a Deion Sanders moment.
This is how all of this started, I really Pray for all of us because this was something so minimal that was hilarious to me that you allowed a FOOLISH media outlet and person to play on your Preconceived notions. I’m all about Peace,Love,Work,Commitment,Sacrifice & Forgiveness. pic.twitter.com/ZjZPMVJVfj
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) July 21, 2021
I don’t think Deion was wrong for going on about his day after he made it clear he preferred to not be called his first name in interviews. I get it. This falls into the same territory as when someone insists on not calling someone by their preferred prefix, especially one that they worked to earn (especially ‘Doctor’), as far as I’m concerned. But… I do think that in THIS particular situation, Deion was a little out of sorts for pressing that he not be called by his first name in the first place. I don’t know… It’s your name and you’re the coach of a sports team in what I normally perceive as a somewhat casual setting of comradery? And he also started off by stating that the interviewer was a good guy.
And then the interviewer did the “Ok, Deion” (which felt a little flippant at that moment). And the walkout happened.
I’ll admit that this is me making an outsider comment. I don’t really follow or participate in team sports (although I do love combat sports), so I don’t fully grasp the prestige around calling a coach “coach” vs. their full name, first name, nickname, etc. But yeah… that high horse… come off it a little.
As far as athletes PLAYING, and not coaches, I actually get why some of them are ultra-serious if they’re good. I fully get why, in Basketball, Micheal Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James are as “on it” as they are professionally because there’s an intimidation factor there for their opponents and – honestly – if I made millions of dollars to play a sport, I’d take my conditioning seriously, too. I’d say that as time progresses, these athletic millionaires are lightening up a little – but I actually get their portrayals of “this IS life”-level sincerity for their craft on display.