For Who? For What?
Why do we want our athletes to act differently than we’d
advise our friends to?
Ah,
I remember it like it was yesterday. Blake Griffin, an NBA star, was drafted by
the Los Angeles Clippers in 2009 and was approaching his first real opportunity
at free agency in the summer of 2017. He was in his athletic prime and had
plenty of suitors ready to open up their checkbooks for a talent like Blake's.
On the first day of free agency, Blake gave the only team he had ever played
for, the first attempt to pitch their vision. Oh, and they made a pitch of all
pitches! The Clippers brass brought Blake into the Staples Center, pumped in
crowd noise, lowered the lights, and forecasted the future as his jersey was being hung from the
rafters. The PA announcer said: "Tonight, we’re honoring a
lifelong Clipper". Amazing, right? How cool. Blake decided shortly
thereafter that Los Angeles was the place for him to retire. Let's stop it
there for a moment. We’ll get back to that shortly.
I cannot say it loud enough; loyalty in business is
almost non-existent and like it or not, sports are a business. For some reason
fans only submit to that premise when the owners make the decisions, but when
the players are deciding it becomes personal. Fans: You sound crazy!!! Let’s go
through a few examples.
Leading up to the 2018 NBA draft Villanova’s Mikal
Bridges was projected to be drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers. The same
organization that his mother works for in the Human Resources department. As
expected, they draft the hometown kid and he and his mother have a very public emotional
moment. She keeps her son in their hometown (What mother wouldn’t
want that?!) and he gets an opportunity to play for the team he rooted for as a
kid. And while Mikal is doing press, donning his new Sixers hat, it is reported
on Twitter that he’s just been traded across the country to Phoenix. Across the
country (Chris Rock’s voice)! The reporters in the press room knew before he
was even notified! Anger from the fans?
Nope not a peep just chalked up to the cost of doing business.
Deon currently resides in Louisiana. Home of the New Orleans
Saints, an organization that was so bad their fans showed up to the games
wearing paper bags on their heads. Sean Payton and Drew Brees arrive and all
that changes with several playoff appearances and a Super Bowl win. A few years
ago, they begin to struggle a bit and the fans here commence to call for the coaches’
head and recommend they move on from their quarterback. Loyalty you say? Those
same fans would have been up in arms had Drew said he didn’t want to play here
anymore.
When Ricky Waters said “For
who? For what?” is this what he meant?
Most recently Demar Derozan was traded from Toronto to
San Antonio after he was assured by Toronto that the team was moving forward
with him at the helm. Now the same media and fans harping on Kawhi Leonard for
being a so-called diva for wanting out of San Antonio have been largely silent
or on the side of Toronto for acquiring an upgrade. So, you are approving a
team making a clear upgrade because it makes sense, but you’re upset at
Demarcus Cousins for making a clear upgrade to a better team? Again, you sound
crazy!
Back to Blake Griffin and last summer’s free agency. At
this time Blake could have left the team and signed elsewhere, taking control
of his destiny. Instead he bought into this vision and re-signs with the
Clippers… who then traded him six months later! Where are the snake emojis,
where are the trader chants, where’s the vitriol?
There was none from you so-called fans there was not a
wave; not a dang on ripple. Save that crap when we’re talking about the players
choosing to play where they want to play. What about the less heralded players
getting traded in the middle of a road trip being denied entry onto the team
plane or players on minimum contracts being cut the day before their salary is
guaranteed? Then again, you probably do hear but just don’t care.
We, as a society, talk about being anti-establishment, but we actually are the opposite. That's no knock to anyone, it's the only way our society works. If we all were fighting the system, there would be no system. We talk trash about our bosses about being underappreciated and the moment that we can leave and (seemingly) improve our situation, we do. Most of us will just complain with no action, but a great number will take action; like ask for a raise, go after a promotion, or change employers completely. Then we celebrate these moves.
We toast to taking our life into our own hands and
seeking a happier and overall more fulfilling situation. We should do these things, but why are we
so against our favorite athletes doing the same thing? We should celebrate all
employees empowering themselves and doing what makes them happy. Because if
given the chance, many of you would do the exact same things that you complain
about.
