The past few years in American society has seen a lot of division, strife, conflict and turmoil.
It started long before the current president took office and it has been building to what appears to be a kind of critical mass.
Political realities are a result of cultural ones. A societies' culture goes a long towards shaping how people think, how they will act and conduct themselves and how they value what they value.
Sports are a facet of society. What takes place among the different aspects of social interaction will turn up in the sporting world, eventually. It is hard to seek to strengthen traditional American values of hard work, honesty, cooperation, self sacrifice, and dedication when those same values are denigrated in so many aspects of current societal norms.
It was so refreshing to read the recent high school football guide for the 2019 season. In the Pea Ridge section of that guide, the Blackhawk head coach remarked the goal of the local football program was to prepare the athletes to be good and productive students off the field. That was nothing new as the standard at Pea Ridge has been that athletes be good citizens, good family family members, and good students in order to set the stage for success in the athletics realm.
Yesterday, I read a poll on the sports website 24/7 that listed the 25 most hated NFL players of all time. The players they listed and the ones they didn't were more than a bit disturbing.
Now there are quite a few NFL players I wouldn't want to have drop by for dinner owing to their character and attitude. Players who beat children, abuse wives, commit acts of violence on and off the field or who routinely break laws would not be someone you would want around your kids.
At the top of the list of the "most hated" was Michael Vick, who played for Atlanta and ran an illegal dog fighting ring. While I concur that animal abuse is a vile thing, former players like Rae Carruth and Aaron Hernandez did not make the list even though they are in prison for murder. Player Ray Rice was filmed beating his wife and was pilloried all over the sporting world for his actions, and he did not make the list. Neither did famous felon O.J. Simpson.
One player who did make the "hated" list was former player Tim Tebow. His crime? Being a Christian. His avowal of a Christian life really galled the voters who were polled for this list. To a lot of Americans, being as Christian is worse than murder? Whoa Nellie.
Tebow was a different kind of football player in the pro ranks. His college years saw him lead Florida to a national title while earning Heisman honors. He was successful as a pro, leading Denver to a surprising turnaround in his one season as the field general. Tebow was more than anything, a winner. His unorthodox style was maligned by many, but his greatest attribute was his ability to compete. There are some athletes in the sporting world who just know how to win. They can do what it takes to get things done.
Tebow did not drink, did not swear, did not abuse drugs, did not abuse women, did not demand more money come contract time and was courteous and respectful of all whom he encountered. These character attributes infuriated a lot of players and fans to the point that no team would give him a chance to play in the NFL. Rather than complain and attack, Tebow accepted it, opting to the live his life the way he thought he ought no matter the consequence.
Miami Dolphin Kenny Stills recently went off on Dolphin owner Stephen Ross because Ross was a Trump backer. In Stills' inflated view of himself, he thought the owner had to disavow his support of the president and fund raising for Trump 2020 because Ross was committed to use sports to improve race relations. Somehow, Stills thought this was incompatible. Somehow Stills thought he should have veto power over his boss.
Not all major well known athletes are thus afflicted, however. On the college level, I am definitely NOT an Alabama fan and I have not been a fan of now former quarterback Jalen Hurts, at least 'til now.
Hurts was the starter for the national champion Tide, but his ride at the top took a turn when he lost his job to younger, bigger Tua Tagovailoa. Rather than demand a transfer or sulk, Burks played the last two seasons off the bench without complaint, completing 70% of his passes when he got to play. He cited the importance of team over himself and was committed to Tide excellence over his own success. This past spring, he received his degree from the University of Alabama this fulfilling his commitment to the university that he began as a freshman.
As he has one year of eligibility left, he enrolled at Oklahoma for graduate work and will lead the Sooners this fall. Following in the footsteps of the past two Heisman Trophy winners, Burks has his sights on bringing the Sooners a national title. You will not find him say one thing negative about Alabama and he only has praise for his former team.
I am a Razorback fan first and last, but this fall, I am rooting for Oklahoma to win them all. I hope the kind of character Hurts has displayed gets rewarded.
Character should be the ultimate goal of any successful athlete.
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Editor's note: John McGee, an award-winning columnist, sports writer and art teacher at Pea Ridge elementary schools, writes a regular sports column for The Times. The opinions expressed are those of the writer. He can be contacted through The Times at [email protected].
Sports on 09/04/2019