Most Disappointed in an Athlete

[WaldSkins]

I think ESPN and all it's coverage of every athletes mistake/misfortune makes it that much worse.



I'll admit I was at the Bills game after Sean Taylors death and that video they put together to honor him was probaly one of the saddest things i've ever seen. I cried,just like the other 95,000 people that were there that day.

[GMScud]

Dexter Manley and Gary Clark come into one of our restaurants pretty frequently. The other day I was up at the hostess stand of our Bethesda location checking something on Open Table, and this bimbo looking chick comes strutting in and says "Gary Clark and Ricky Sanders are on their way in for drinks, so I need you clear three spaces at the bar for us right away." Well, the bar was totally full at the time, so I told her we'd be glad to give them the next three spots that open up, but they'll have to wait to get a seat. She gave me this "WTF" kind of look and said, "well, then Gary and Ricky won't be coming in here." I just shrugged my shoulders, and she left. Granted that wasn't coming out of Gary or Ricky's mouth, but the fact that they'd send one of their tramps in ahead of time to clear out the bar shows that kind of entitlement. Sorry fellas, you're no different than John Doe when you're in my bar. Not a huge deal, but just an example.

I met AJ Pierzynski in Gainesville a few times. He's totally a dude's dude. Very cool, very talkative, and even did a few shots with me at the bar. (He's a huge Gator fan and his little brother goes to school at UF).

Yeah, I'm disappointed in Tiger only because I admired him for who he is as a person as well as a golfer. To couple the kind of success he has on the course with being a good father and husband is admirable. Obviously that's not the case anymore. But his transgressions haven't diminished how I feel about him as a golfer.

[GMScud]

On the flip side, most people around here aren't too high on Clinton Portis. I think the dude is a diva with regard to the Redskins, but one of my closest friends ran into him and Santana at a Wizards game two years ago. He talked with CP for a good 5 minutes or so, and said he was totally cool, didn't act like big shit at all, and even let him get a few pictures. That kind of surprised me in a good way.

[Trample the Elderly]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Whether we want to admit it, and whether it's right, we put pro athletes at a higher pedestal than we put even ourselves and expect them to be beyond reproach.

I have, I think, a bit of a unique perspective having been around pro athletes for much of the past decade on a daily basis. And I've told here about my personal experiences with Darrell Green and finding him to be less than the person I thought he was (still doesn't take away from what I think of him as a player or what he meant to Redskins fans). It was very disappointing, but in a way it was good because it was so early in my career that it prepared me moving forward. I should say I've been pleasantly surprised as well.

Anyway, my question is when have you been most disappointed with an athlete. And I'm not really talking about on-field performance. I'm talking about their actions off the field. Though if you want to include something like Palmeiro using steroids, that would count.

Was it finding out Mickey Mantle was an alcoholic who allegedly beat his kids, was it finding out Kirby Puckett was a womanizer who allegedly beat his wife, was it finding out Agassi was a druggie in his prime, was it finding out about Tiger, was it something else? Has it never happened? And maybe it was a college player, not necessarily an NFL player.

I don't.

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by GMScud

I met AJ Pierzynski in Gainesville a few times. He's totally a dude's dude. Very cool, very talkative, and even did a few shots with me at the bar. (He's a huge Gator fan and his little brother goes to school at UF).

Kinda funny AJ is universally hated in MLB because he's a giant ass supposedly. Like he is the most hated player in the league.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

Kinda funny AJ is universally hated in MLB because he's a giant ass supposedly. Like he is the most hated player in the league.

I know. That's why it was such a pleasant surprise. Maybe he's just a dick on the field. Maybe that's his thing. I haven't met too many pro athletes, but he was by far the coolest.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

I've got issues with the premise. Fine thread, because a lot of people do put athletes on a pedastal, and do somehow get disappointed by athletes (or other celebrities) on a personal level.

I personally can't understand that, but that's just me. I want the Redskins to win desperately, and I do like when they're good guys. But I only care about their character and their actions to the extent that they disrupt the team's ability to win games.

When I learned John Riggins was out drinking before big games, I didn't care. Why? Because he was awesome, and the 'Skins won with him. If they had lost because of that stuff, I'd care.

But if Tiger Woods cheats on his wife, or Jason Campbell decides to smoke pot, Jimmy cracked corn and I don't care. I appreciate them for what they do on the field. That's where it ends, I don't know them as a person. And for me to pretend like I do or should is somewhat silly.

Excellent post schneed.
I agree with everything, and would like to add, I think most people that do put athletes on a pedastal are a tad bit delusional and don't see them as actual people. Being an athlete is their job and performing well has absolutely nothing to do with who you are. You could be the biggest prick on the planet and play a great game. See Ty Cobb. I had the benefit of knowing several celebrities as a child (and being related to some), and grew up with a close friend (Mike Glavine) with a big time brother (Tom) that we hung out with all the time and played wiffle ball etc. I like Tom, don't get me wrong, but he is not what people think he is. He is an every day guy with every day issues. He loses his temper like all of us, he makes mistakes like all of us. He's done things that you would have NEVER expected, and don't need to be mentioned. He, like the rest of us, have done dumb things, he is after all human!

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Excellent post schneed.
I agree with everything, and would like to add, I think most people that do put athletes on a pedastal are a tad bit delusional and don't see them as actual people. Being an athlete is their job and performing well has absolutely nothing to do with who you are. You could be the biggest prick on the planet and play a great game. See Ty Cobb. I had the benefit of knowing several celebrities as a child (and being related to some), and grew up with a close friend (Mike Glavine) with a big time brother (Tom) that we hung out with all the time and played wiffle ball etc. I like Tom, don't get me wrong, but he is not what people think he is. He is an every day guy with every day issues. He loses his temper like all of us, he makes mistakes like all of us. He's done things that you would have NEVER expected, and don't need to be mentioned. He, like the rest of us, have done dumb things, he is after all human!

So, with all that being said, the disappointment in athletes that I have, are the ones that squander their gifts. Being someone that could have made it pro had it not been for a devastating shoulder injury, I hate to see these players throwing their hard earned careers away for dumb actions. Aka, Plaxico Burress. It's one thing to lose your career due to injury, it's TOTALLY another to lose it because you are just too high and mighty to think rules apply to you. Even so, I'm not "disappointed" per se, I shake my head that these people throw away the greatest opportunities of their lives. And for what?
Tiger having affairs has not changed my opinion of him at all. The man is human, and he has the most beautiful women in the world thowing themselves at him...we can't imagine how hard it is to say no. Tiger isn't throwing anything away other than money / endorsements, he's still a missively skilled golf player, the best this world has EVER seen, he will continue to be so.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Excellent post schneed.
I agree with everything, and would like to add, I think most people that do put athletes on a pedastal are a tad bit delusional and don't see them as actual people. Being an athlete is their job and performing well has absolutely nothing to do with who you are. You could be the biggest prick on the planet and play a great game. See Ty Cobb. I had the benefit of knowing several celebrities as a child (and being related to some), and grew up with a close friend (Mike Glavine) with a big time brother (Tom) that we hung out with all the time and played wiffle ball etc. I like Tom, don't get me wrong, but he is not what people think he is. He is an every day guy with every day issues. He loses his temper like all of us, he makes mistakes like all of us. He's done things that you would have NEVER expected, and don't need to be mentioned. He, like the rest of us, have done dumb things, he is after all human!

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

What part are you confused about?

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by jsarno

So, with all that being said, the disappointment in athletes that I have, are the ones that squander their gifts. Being someone that could have made it pro had it not been for a devastating shoulder injury, I hate to see these players throwing their hard earned careers away for dumb actions. Aka, Plaxico Burress. It's one thing to lose your career due to injury, it's TOTALLY another to lose it because you are just too high and mighty to think rules apply to you. Even so, I'm not "disappointed" per se, I shake my head that these people throw away the greatest opportunities of their lives. And for what?
Tiger having affairs has not changed my opinion of him at all. The man is human, and he has the most beautiful women in the world thowing themselves at him...we can't imagine how hard it is to say no. Tiger isn't throwing anything away other than money / endorsements, he's still a missively skilled golf player, the best this world has EVER seen, he will continue to be so.

SQUAWK!

[MTK]

I can't think of any specific example right now but generally what disappoints me is when someone doesn't admit to what they did wrong, whatever it is. As a society I think we're very forgiving if that person just admits to what they did and apologizes as soon as possible.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

SQUAWK!

lol I like the stars, very patriotic

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

I can't think of any specific example right now but generally what disappoints me is when someone doesn't admit to what they did wrong, whatever it is. As a society I think we're very forgiving if that person just admits to what they did and apologizes as soon as possible.

That's a fair point. I do get irked when people cover things up.

In the case of Tiger, I don't think he owes us an apology. I think he owes Elin an apology. That said, he did publicly apologize to her and his family for transgressions, and I think everyone knows what that means. So maybe Elin will forgive him.

I dunno, all I know is I can't wait to watch him when the US Open comes to my hometown at Merion in 2013.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

That's a fair point. I do get irked when people cover things up.

In the case of Tiger, I don't think he owes us an apology. I think he owes Elin an apology. That said, he did publicly apologize to her and his family for transgressions, and I think everyone knows what that means. So maybe Elin will forgive him.

I dunno, all I know is I can't wait to watch him when the US Open comes to my hometown at Merion in 2013.

Yeah I agree about Tiger, he doesn't owe anybody anything expect his family. I do find it an amazing story to follow though. I mean who would have expected Tiger Woods of all people to be living this double life? It's fascinating.