No Place for Coddling in Sport
The dawn of the new generation of ‘sports fans’ seems to have brought about a mentality that athletes must be petted and worshipped, even in mediocrity.
One of the most loved things in the world is sport. In Jamaica, it would be difficult to find something more appreciated.
With that said, our appetite for international sporting achievements has grown considerably over the past two decades – simply because we have achieved a lot with not so much in terms of resources. New achievements mean new fans. It is the simple fact of human nature. We like winning. Perhaps, though, these new fans might not have heard of the saying ‘There’s no crying in baseball’.
Popularised by the 1992 Tom Hanks film A League of Their Own, this saying does not mean that there is no emotion in sport.
If you watched the World Championships last week at work or with a group of people, you will agree Jamaicans get emotional about sports. Let us all admit: We were angry, upset or sad when we realised that the number two ranked 100 metre sprinter this season, Asafa Powell, finished seventh out of nine participants in the Men’s 100 metres final. You either felt one of two things: flat out disappointment with Powell’s performance (or lack thereof), or expectations were fulfilled, but there was still dissatisfaction with his constant failures.
Similarly, seldom will purer elation be witnessed than Chinese athletes running to a surprise silver in front of their nationals. And we’ve all heard the stories of how the Mexicans react to their football. It is not just Jamaicans. The emotion of sport is the enjoyment of sport.
What ‘there’s no crying in baseball’ recognises is that sport is serious business. It recognises that a certain level of mental strength is required of athletes.
But, one cannot forget that these sportsmen and women are playing for the fans, more than they are for themselves. Parents carry their young children to the stadium to support the players, who they dream of emulating. Fans cry in the stands when their athletes lose. But they will cry and applaud at the same time if their athletes lost valiantly. Fans expect athletes to perform on the biggest stages. At the end of the day, that is what your career will be judged on. And it ought not be otherwise.
The role of the fan in sport must not be forgotten by those perhaps new to sports. We reject any new notion that non-athletes aren’t in a position to criticise. We reject any notion that athletes must perpetually be hugged and cheered for when they do not meet expectations. This doesn’t mean that we support abuse and we understand that emotion sometimes goes overboard. There is never an excuse for racism, rancour, threats against lives or anything of that extreme nature.
Still, any notion that fans must not criticise athletes because they cannot do what the athletes do is a new notion. There is no logic in it. And any attempt to change the very backbone of sport – the fan-athlete symbiosis – must be gobbled up and ejected into the bowels of perpetual obscurity.
Allen Iverson won nothing for all his awe-inspiring talent. But the fans remember the way he carried his team on his back and fought endlessly to win. He did not require, nor would he have accepted coddling. Allen Iverson is down as a great of the game because he performed in the big matches. He turned up on the biggest stage. And he only matters now, because the fans made it so.
Lamar Odom had talent like few scouts will ever find. Above-average height, ball-handling ability of a guard, strength of a big man… but he seldom performed when it mattered. Lamar Odom is now mostly known for once being with Khloe Kardashian. Ten years from now, few will know the name Lamar Odom. Remember Derrick Coleman? Exactly.
Journalists, commentators, and ‘analysts’ are all paid to make predictions and cast judgement on the performances of these athletes. It is just how the sporting world works. These fans (what they all are at heart), have a major say in who is considered a great and who is not. The true gladiators take what they can from the doubters and use it to motivate themselves.
Quite frankly, there is no space for the coddling of poorly performing athletes. Fans expect you to turn up when it matters. There is no crying in sport.