There have been many high-profile names in the world of sports, which have garnered the interests of sports fans throughout the years. Distinguished such as Lebron James, Ken Griffey Jr., Donovan McNabb, and Johan Cruyff are among favorites to many who follow their respective sport. Although all are exceptionally good athletes, the names of Kobe Bryant, Derek Jeter, Tom Brady, and Pele will forever a class above them. Yes for the most part, these sportsmen have demonstrated their strength, talent, and athleticism, but there is a huge gap between the first class of names I mentioned, and the second. The difference is that the later are champions. Winning is what takes very good athletes, and elevates them into the status of the “great ones”.
An athlete is one who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina. However, this alone does not justify and make one out to be a great athlete. Take for example the likes of Reggie Bush. Bush, a phenomenal college football player, was never able to correlate his talent for the USC Troja...
Williams, Peter. The sports immortals: deifying the American athlete. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 1994.. 30-31
You see sports everywhere, on your TV and even your local park. The value of sports in the average American is astronomical, sports is a major priority in people’s life. Sports teaches young kids how to be successful (and not successful) at life. There is so much that goes into sports that people who never have played will never understand. With each sport there is specific skill that one must master to be good, and with that takes hours and hours of hard work. You can talk about a certain individual’s skill and capabilities that make him great, but the real value of sports lies within a person. Sports creates determination and a competiveness that can be used in other areas of life, not just sports. There are millions of kids who attempt to become professional athletes but as the level of competition increases the number of athletes decreases, very few of them ever becoming a professional athlete but they are able to take what they have learned from sports into different professions in life. When a kid spends hours in the backyard perfecting his swing it can translate to the kid spending hours of hard work in his job. Companies and business like to hire ex-athletes because they already know what kind of person they are, hardworking and
well as the history of the game that keeps us interested as fans. These are the reasons why people, children especially, see these players as invincible, and perfect in every way, shape, and form. What would happen if after a century of inspiring stories, and incredible tales of heroism, the inconceivable notion that these players were not perfect, took prominence? Or that many of these superstars cheated their way to the top?
The student athlete is a term often used to describe a member of the student body at an institution as well as a member of one of the schools athletic teams. This is not a label that includes students who play recreational sports during their leisure time; this term is used for those students who split their time between athletics and academics.
When you think of an athlete, what comes to mind? The first things that probably come to mind are sports, entertainment, and physical abilities. If these are the first things you think of, then how would athletes significant? If you look at athletes from a different perspective, their significance can be seen. From this point of view one can see that athletes are significant because they provide role models, contribute to our business world, bring countries or groups of people together, and they provide sources of inspriration. Their prominence, which is enhanced by the media, can cause them to have a greater effect in these types of roles.
Michael Jordan. One of the most iconic athletes in NBA history, if not one of the most iconic athletes in the world. It would be easy to assume Michael Jordan has had quite the utopian lifestyle, with his 6 National Basketball titles, success in collegiate basketball, and of course his business “Air Jordan” which generated $2.6 billon in shoe sales in the U.S. alone (Forbes). However, after taking a look at Jordan’s many successes, his championship in 1996 has to be one of the more interesting, and emotional events in the basketball star’s legacy.
The sports culture produces some of the most revered and idolized figures in American society. Athletic achievements are glorified and the achievers are often elevated to an extraordinary, super-human status. The rewards, praise, honor, power, and privilege that come from exhibited athletic talent and ability can be enticing as well as addicting. Heroes emerge in our society when a line is crossed in record time, an unfathomable amount of points are scored, or beautifully placed, even lucky shots result in game-winning goals. For many athletes their sport defines them. They have participated in a sport their entire lives, modeled the moves and strategies of their predecessors in practice after practice, devoted to becoming the star that they dream of. For many young boys especially, sports are a way to gain acceptance within a peer group, identify with the male sex, and establish relationships. It is a context wherein boys learn how to be boys, to be masculine, to achieve status within our success-driven culture (Messner, 1).
Sports are extremely popular around the world and only get more popular as time goes on. Sports is on television (TV), in the news, in the newspaper, and online. It only makes sense that this is the case. A sporting event is the ultimate drama. The variability of a game is what gets people so into it. Sports can tell a story, and teach great life lessons as well as inspire people. If sports are that important to the people around the world who watch it, just think about how important sports are to the ones who actually play it and coach it. It is their passion, their persona, their life. With the media’s harsh expectations of teams today, unless a team wins a championship, they are deemed unsuccessful. Since expectations are so high, everyone wants to compete to be the best. If a team wants a chance to compete, they have to have the best players, or the best cohesive combination of players. In professional sports, this is an easy fix. In professional sports, athletes are paid to play and therefore are marketable. To get players, teams can sign players to contracts, there are drafts, or teams can trade with other teams. So, professional sports teams can buy good players, where in college it is not so easy.
Professional athletes are people with natural abilities to play sports, have stamina, and play to win. Usually professional athletes start as amateurs and work their way up to being great. Amateurs play for fun and the occasional medals, but professionals play for money (Professional Athlete). In order to to become a professional athlete, a college education is pretty vital. Athletes may become high profile before being scouted at college level. Athletes such as John Wall was scouted by college basketball teams and professional teams when he was only a junior in high school. Also, kids who are professional retire at a relatively young age so a college education is key to success off the playing field. Training to become a professional athlete requires playing at all levels such as community, school, and/or club teams.
Attention Getter: Mia Hamm. Peyton Manning. Steve Nash. Here are just a few great athletes that most of us have heard of. But what is it that makes us look up to them? What is it that makes them great? The truth is that sports are only a small part of what makes a person worthy of looking up to.
athletes are physically talented and train hard. But what separates the good athletes from the best is simply their mental strength (Gregoire 1). Someone could be the most talented at...
The side of athletes most commonly seen is when they are on the field. Athletes can be a very positive influence while on the playing field for many reasons. Teamwork is displayed in sports such as football, baseball, soccer, and hockey. It is where all the players working together and are all striving to reach the same goal. Anybody watching a game such as hockey or baseball can clearly see that the players must work together in both offense and defense to win the game.
...rning attention from the media, not only do they have to be the best in their sport but they must also the most attractive in order to get significant attention.
Sports stars exhibit their talent through winning and rank. However, through success many values are taught. Values such as personal responsibility, integrity and respect for one’s self and others are replaced with greed, selfishness and ‘I win-you lose’ mentality. It is sad to think that sport and brilliant sport stars will become emblems of greed and selfishness.
As Shannon indicates athletes are slowly taking in that role of building those key characteristics. For instance the role of being a leader and owning up to their responsibilities.