Athletes, and their sense of entitlement

[Shi Guy]

On my way home from work in the morning I usually listen to ESPN radio. This morning I listened to Chris McKendry share her thoughts on the ESPN Radio:Extra Point. Now before this devolves into another argument just about Randy Moss' character and the potential lack thereof, what I'm really curious about is how this might apply to the rest of the professional athlete population. Here's the transcript:

"Last Sunday’s postgame rant was Randy Moss’ latest and greatest public outburst, arguably his most costly, and most direct display of insubordination. Born out of the sense of entitlement or lack of self-control, or a combination of both, whatever Moss thinks, he feels he has the right to share with the rest of us. At best it’s funny, at worst it’s embarrassing and hurtful. Now, he’s not the only professional athlete, or person for that matter, who feels above common courtesy or simple manners, but in the arena of professional sports, poor behavior is only tolerated if the athlete is good, productive, and useful. With 70+ receivers having better production on the field then Moss this year, he’s not exactly a commodity worth tolerating, excusing, or protecting. The Patriots unbeaten without him, the Vikings 1 and 3 with him. He’ll be on his third team in a month. Moss has some explaining to do, and yet I hear silence."

Your thoughts?

 

[CollectorsCorner]

I'm sure Benmoss has something to say

 

[Shi Guy]

Noooo, I don't want this to devolve into another "Randy Moss blah blah blah" thread. I think this applies to a number of other athletes throughout sports, and I'm just curious what others think of it.

 

[mstng99tim]

You're going to have athletes that have this type of mentality in every level, from college football, to high school baseball, to AAU basketball, to international hockey...it's just they way some people are wired. When athletes are good at a young age, they begin to see how they are treated differently from the rest of his/her teammates. As they go from level to level, it only seems to get worse. High school all americans think they rule their school because they are getting a full ride to a D1 school. College all americans are the big men on campus. NFL players get paid millions of dollars and with that comes a new mindset that they can do whatever they want, whenever they want.

 

[Shi Guy]

Agreed. I'd be curious to see what the sociological difference is between some of the extreme players, such as Moss, Ocho Cinco, Owens, etc. to some of the less extreme, yet just as successful players, such as Rice, Manning, Sanders, etc.

 

[mstng99tim]

Agreed. I'd be curious to see what the sociological difference is between some of the extreme players, such as Moss, Ocho Cinco, Owens, etc. to some of the less extreme, yet just as successful players, such as Rice, Manning, Sanders, etc.

I think it's more the society we live in today. Could you see Ocho Cinco doing the river dance in the endzone back in the 70's?? I can't, he would've paid for it either right there on the spot or the next time he got on the field. I was born in '79, so I don't know of many "divas" from back then, but I don't recall seeing or hearing about players like that back then like I do now.

 

[KandKCards]

Agreed. I'd be curious to see what the sociological difference is between some of the extreme players, such as Moss, Ocho Cinco, Owens, etc. to some of the less extreme, yet just as successful players, such as Rice, Manning, Sanders, etc.

I hope you aren't referring to Deion Sanders; he's the original diva. Not that he's a bad guy or anything, but he was one of the original showboaters.

 

[mstng99tim]

Agreed. I'd be curious to see what the sociological difference is between some of the extreme players, such as Moss, Ocho Cinco, Owens, etc. to some of the less extreme, yet just as successful players, such as Rice, Manning, Sanders, etc.

I hope you aren't referring to Deion Sanders; he's the original diva. Not that he's a bad guy or anything, but he was one of the original showboaters.

I assume he's talking about Barry Sanders.

 

[RITM]

but in the arena of professional sports, poor behavior is only tolerated if the athlete is good, productive, and useful."

This is the quote that stuck out most to me. The fans in Nashville that currently hate Moss will be his biggest fan as long as he is helping them win games.

 

[nbailey]

This has nothing to do with entitlement, or even being a professional athlete. Some people are raised right and some aren't.

Randy Moss berated a catering employee because he didn't like the food...I've seen homeless people soaked in urine, ladies soaked in ice and fur, and people of all stripes doing the same thing. Behavior can't be linked to one's profession.

"Professional athletes are jerks" is such a played-out topic, it holds no water when you look at it. Professional athletes are also some of the most generous, kind-hearted pillars of their community.

 

[kdailey4315]

but in the arena of professional sports, poor behavior is only tolerated if the athlete is good, productive, and useful."

This is the quote that stuck out most to me. The fans in Nashville that currently hate Moss will be his biggest fan as long as he is helping them win games.

You can hate the athlete and still root for them. I despised Barry Bonds but still rooted for him since he was on the Giants.
A lot of it comes from the amount of money they make, which I have nothing against. Do you really think that Moss or any big time athlete blinks at a 25K 50K fine? When you have no fear of the punishment you're going to do what you want when you want.

 

[JimmyD]

Moss dis Moss dat Moss dis Moss dat.. Did i say anything stupid today?? One Clap!


anyways, Randy wanted Childress fired and was vocal about it, can't say i disagree. It is hard for me to say he is selfish, he wants to win! and win bad. I think in the Vikings case, he didn't want to be there once they were not winning. He let his emotions get the best of him. I have never once heard a team mate say he isn't a good guy or great in the dressing room.

Now on the other side of the coin.. Randy STFU and "take the top of the defense and stretch the field"... you get paid big money to catch a ball, shut up and do it! CJ needs to get me some points!

 

[Shi Guy]

This has nothing to do with entitlement, or even being a professional athlete. Some people are raised right and some aren't.

Randy Moss berated a catering employee because he didn't like the food...I've seen homeless people soaked in urine, ladies soaked in ice and fur, and people of all stripes doing the same thing. Behavior can't be linked to one's profession.

"Professional athletes are jerks" is such a played-out topic, it holds no water when you look at it. Professional athletes are also some of the most generous, kind-hearted pillars of their community.

I think you have a point, this certainly doesn't apply solely to athletes and there are definitely a number of prime examples of the opposite behavior in the athlete community. The list of athletes who set up foundations and donate frequently is long and after watching several episodes of Keeping up with the Kardashians with the GF, athletes are not alone in their disrespect. Is this a sort of "absolute power corrupts absolutely" situation? Where instead of power we have privilege, or money?

 

[seahawks4ever]

my personal opinion, there are jack...rabbits in all walks of life who feel they are entitled or supreme.

When I played semi-pro football, there were guys on the team who walked around like they were somebody special. News flash, you are playing semi-pro football! You had to pay the same amount I did to play, you are no better or worse than anyone else. At the end of the day, there are no press conferences or endorsement deals, just battle scars from playing as hard as you could while you could still play.

The same can be said for running your mouth in both semi-pro and NFL. Some people are like that, some aren't. Some people talk crap before and during the game. I guess it pumps them up? Something like that I guess. I was the opposite and barely said anything. I let my play talk for me. We run 40 offensive plays and I put you on you butt, side, face, and any other body part for 39 of them...then you get ONE play where you tackle the RB for a loss, celebrate all you want...it shows how pathetic you are.

To every athlete out there from pop warner to the NFL: Shut up, play the game, act like you've done this crap before. Don't showboat, get your butt back in the huddle and do it again. If you are lucky enough to have some kind of media attention at the end of the game...be humble. If you had a good day act like you do when your day isn't as productive.

I rambled here...I guess what I saying is.... SHUT THE **** UP AND DO YOUR FACKING JOB, WHILE YOU STILL HAVE ONE!