Crying is thought to be a feminine emotion. Yet you see male athletes crying after they lose big games or receiving an individual award. Some times these athletes are ridiculed for showing their emotions and some times these athletes are not. When Adam Morrison cried after missing a shot that lost the game in the NCAA tournament the media went after him for showing his emotions. When Tim Tebow cried after losing to Alabama in the SEC championship the media did not look down on Tebow as they had done to Morrison. Why the difference in reaction? I believe that, because Adam Morrison was in the spotlight for a two years at most. Where as Tebow has been in the spotlight all four years his has been at Florida. To go along with that, Tebow is seen as "perfect" through the media. Adam Morrison was a good a college athlete, but never had the reputation in the media that Tebow. When it comes down to it no other college athlete that has accomplished what Tebow has, had the reputation in the media that he has. His reputation in the media as being "perfect" has allowed some people to look the other and move on by saying Tebow is an emotional player and that was just another example of his emotions. That's all fine and dandy, but when Adam Morrison played the same way (with his emotions) and he is ridiculed for crying it does not seem fair.
I think that crying is not as big a deal as some people make it out to be. It is just that persons emotions pouring out. You did not hear people saying that Mark Ingram should not have cried when he won the Heisman trophy. No you heard how "real" his speech was and that he gave his speech with "raw" emotions. So why is it so different to cry when you win and cry when you lose? Personally I do not think there is any difference. If an athlete plays the game with their emotions then they will win and lose with their emotions. The same goes for athletes who do not play with emotions, will not win and lose with their emotions.
Tim Tebow is truly a great competitor. But I think he needs to settle it down a bit. I think that his emotions are more of an act that anything else. He is a tremendous athlete, and thrives in big moments. I think he has got a little bit caught up in how the rest of the media and society view him as this gift from God who refuses to lose. In reality, he is just another college football player caught up in the way media perceives him, and I am sure that sometime soon, at some point, just as it does with all athletes (Tiger Woods) his true colors will come out.
ReplyDeleteChris, I completely agree with you. It should not make a difference whether or not an athlete shows emotions during a game. When an athlete scores a touchdown in football, fans do not criticise one another for cheering for that player; therefore, it should be the same for athletes.
ReplyDeleteSome people are more emotinal that others and express their emotions in different ways. Society needs to get over setting standards for others.
You make a good contrast between each of these scenarios. I saw Mark Ingram's acceptance speech and it seemed that the people behind him were offering encouragement when they saw how overcome with emotion he was. As for Tebow, he seems to be one of those players that people either love or hate. I am not sure about Adam Morrison.
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