Might be an unpopular opinion, but I believe we have a huge problem with putting these athletes on a pedestal. The amount of people that have been saying, “I told my kids they could look up to Ja Morant and now I’m offended” is insane. Like athletes ARE NOT perfect. Idc how rich or talented you are, it doesn’t make you a good influence by default. Some are, and those guys may deserve to be the “face” of the league. Ja didn’t ask for that title and it’s damn near not true anyway.
Second unpopular opinion: America is (reasonably so) obsessed with anti-gun rhetoric, and they’re really taking it out in the wrong person. You should watch the JJ Reddick take on the incident, as I find it’s been the most reasonable. Ja didn’t break any laws, and he didn’t hurt anyone. A lot of these people just hate 2A and won’t admit it. How about instead of censoring him, you get your kids off his IG and Twitter? The same way you would freak out if your kid started listening to/behaving like Youngboy or any other rapper. Get your own house in order.
That being said, here’s a Twitter thread of 9 times athletes have PROVED they are not your kids’ heroes:
(Thread) Admiring Athletes: A Reality Check ⚠️🏀🏈⚾️
In light of the backlash involving #JaMorant, let's examine ten incidents that challenge the notion that athletes are suitable role models. They're flawed humans too. #AthletesAreNotPerfect
— ᛕꪖꪶꪮꪀ (@47kGOLD) May 16, 2023
by kdamemphis
6 Comments
Because we watch them and root for them. It’s natural. Same reason musicians are role models and celebrities. It’s part of the job.
Athletes shouldn’t be role models, true. But the fact is kids glorify and idolize them. I did when I was a kid, and I assume most kids did too. Hopefully, by around the age of 12 or so, we grew out of it.
But try explaining this logically to a kid 12 or younger looking up to a “cool” athlete. The fact is kids do look up to these guys. It’s natural and it’s not going to stop. And the players either care about that or they don’t.
The athletes don’t have an obligation to care in my mind. But if they don’t care and don’t handle themselves accordingly in public, I also have the right to think they’re kind of a dick for it.
I was watching sports since 10 years old, never once was even curious about the personal lives of athletes. But i assume now that we live in a panopticon with digitized social media, things are different. If 10 year olds or their older siblings have smartphones and are scrolling Instagram seeing Ja chug liquor, that’s a problem.
you cant tell kids what not to look up to lol give me a break. if youre famous and making money and doing cool things, kids will want to be that. we really shitting on kids for looking up to athletes now?
I mean me and my friends used to shit talk and make fun of dumbass athletes and never tried to do whatever some famous person did, but then again we’re not bottom of the barrel stupid. You don’t even have to be the smartest person to realize that, just not repeating 4th grade four times bottom of the barrel.
Athletes being role models goes back centuries. Mankind has always been inspired by the heroic feats of other men(and women). Seeing athletes push the boundaries of human potential is awe inspiring. Look at the ancient myths, they almost always feature humans performing incredible feats of skill or strength. The realm of sports is where those myths get to come to life in the real world. Athletes can also break down barriers and unite people. Look at Jackie Robinson and what he was able to accomplish. Saying athletes shouldn’t be role models is like saying the sky should be the ground. You can wish it all you want, but it will never be so.