Christina Gaudino
MSS 340 Blog: Sports Scandals & Controversies:
The media loves to pass judgment on athletes. This comes from our instincts to make our favorite athletes into prized perfected possessions. In chapters 30 and 31 of the Handbook, sports scandal and controversy is discussed and magnified from every angle. The handbook suggests that as fans and commenter’s we hold athletes to unrealistic standards, “awards them with special attention and privileges, which may give them a sense of entitlement and freedom from accountability.”
It is also important to consider the role that race plays in sports scandal reporting. The handbook suggests that many commenters are white males passing judgment on the actions of black athletes. Are we providing whites “with the chance to talk about athletes in a way that reinforces these stereotypes? The handbook also talks about the relationship between images of black athletes and black criminals. “Throughout history black male bodies have come to rep that which is deviant criminal and threatening.”Blacks are seen as more violent, prone to drug use and inclined toward violence against women. Clearly, this issue steams out from a much larger society problem. “I believe that at least part of the systematic coupling of athletes and crime revolves around racial stereotyping.”
The role of race is discussed further in the article from the New York Times; McNabb Says He Can Relate To Obama, by Judy Battista. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb is infamous for his 2003 quote in which he suggested he’d be treated differently if he was not black. The media ripped him apart for his remarks, but was he lying? Mc Nabb went on to relate his public scrutiny to that in which president Obama experienced while running. ''I think it was similar in his process and the things that he went through, of the criticism that he received, people going back into his past and trying to characterize him and figure out what type of person he was,'' said McNabb, who added, ''Obviously, it's on a different level with him because he's the president of the United States, but I just watched the way he handled it, standing strong up there, continuing not to get rattled.'' Mc Nabb also stated that prior to his incident he become reluctant to discuss race and sports.
I think a lot of African American athletes may look at the problem with racism and sports as unchangeable and it’s better to keep quiet and make money then to stir up controversy. The Handbook points out America’s views on black entertainers, “Americans love their black entertainers when they behave “properly,” and stay in their place.
In an older article printed in the New York Times entitled Unfair Play written by Warren Goldstein, Goldstein suggests the existing attempts of white officalsto market black athletes. Goldstein states, “white people’s denial of black business ability while they continue to profit from black athletic skill; black athletes’ training in high school, college and the pros (what he calls the “Conveyor Belt”) to think only about individual success, never about a system that distributes power unequally.”
So is the problem the way we report on athletes? Or the expectations we hold them to? Or do these men and women really feel they are above the law because of their positions in sports? Do you believe athletes are judged entirely differently based on their race?
Reference: http://www.nytimes.com/
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I think that the blame can be placed on both the athletes and the media. While neither side is really doing that much wrong, scandal and over exposure in media is just the nature of the beast that is media and professional sports. Athletes can potentially market themselves in any way shape or form if they are aware of the media coverage that they are receiving and have a good pr person to help manage their image. Even though athletes are people just like everyone else, they are held to a higher standard and they need to be aware that their lives are under the microscope. Athletes should stay away from considering themselves to be above the law since the courts may hold them as an example. And If they do something bad, most likely people will find out about it. Athletes will always be judged differently depending on race until race is no longer a dividing issue in our society as a whole since the media is a reflection of society.
ReplyDeleteThe media does tend to be over invasive these days, but by reporting scandal and the negative side to the athlete’s image, they are getting people’s attention and are making lots of money. Media is a business, if an outlet decides to not cover a scandal or another issue and another outlet does, then they are losing money. I think that Wenner sums up the athlete/media relationship nicely: “The media have their own agenda and privileged codes of content for sport, however athletes could play a much bigger role...” 114.
I feel that today’s professional athletes are placed under an incredible microscope by both fans and the media alike. The Handbook addresses this very mindset; “Listen to the radio or turn on the computer and there’s an endless array of commentary on the misbehavior of today’s athletes” (523). I completely agree with this assessment as I feel that most people and media view athletes guilty until proven innocent when they are accused of various crimes. I feel that this is the case for athletes of all races and ages, not just one in particular. Everyone and I mean everyone considered Kobe Bryant guilty of raping that girl in Colorado just as everyone viewed those Duke lacrosse players (all white) guilty of raping that African American stripper. To me this proves that athletes of all kinds and from all sports are viewed extremely negatively by society and thus are never given the benefit of the doubt when accused of various crimes.
ReplyDeleteI feel that this growing negative attitude towards athletes really began when they started to sign inconceivable contracts, sometimes making over $20 million a year. Fans began to feel more and more separated from their favorite players as they had become larger than life figures who in some cases were more like celebrities than ballplayers. I would say beginning in the early 90’s and extending to today fans and the media began to look at athletes as “extremely spoiled” and not as tough and hard working as players used to be “back in the day”. I know a lot of people, including myself, hear their grandfather constantly tell them that players today are so soft and how back in the 50’s and 60’s players would go out and play despite any injury they might have had. Of course people like my grandfather are exaggerating the difference between the two generations of players however many fans do share in this feeling that today’s players only do it for the money and lack the same passion for the game that players back in the day had.
All of these stereotypes and built up negative attitudes toward today’s players I feel really has a lot to do with why they never receive the benefit of the doubt when incriminating rumors arise about them. Many fans are not even the least bit surprised when they hear of athletes accused of committing terrible crimes ranging from gun possession to rape. When rumors come out about baseball players possibly having taken steroids in the past, the majority of fans and media members immediately believe it to be true without waiting to hear any further facts or proof. I think this current attitude that society has towards professional athletes is very unfortunate and probably won’t change any time soon.