I know I probably shouldn't feel this way - but I'm oddly at peace with his actions after game 2 in Miami. Perhaps if I was a Knicks fan (God forbid) my feelings would differ, but I'm not and they don't.
Here's where I would write out the painfully long list of tragic events that have plagued Amar'e this year, but most (all) of you are already quite aware. Long story short: This dude has had a ROUGH year.
The most frustrating thing that a professional athlete can do is not care. There is nothing more upsetting to me personally than watching an elite talent waste his or her skills due to pure apathy. It's sickening. Therefore, one would assume, I should value an athlete that cares so much about an embarrassing playoff loss that sometimes he makes emotion-driven (terrible) heat-of-the-moment (foolish/regrettable) choices. AND I DO!
Again. I'm just going here. I'm totally aware that I probably should not condone an NBA All-Star striking up a boxing match with a fire-extinguisher because his team lost. All I'm trying to say is that there are far worse decisions he could have made. He is battling through one of the hardest years of his life and wants to succeed so badly that he let his emotions get the better of him. It happens to the best of us. Hell, I've done stupid things to myself just WATCHING sports.
However...I cannot excuse that haircut.
I'm not buying what you're selling.
ReplyDeleteThe hardest year of his life? The dude grew up in poverty, his parents divorced when he was young, and his mom was in an out of prison often (thank you, wikipedia). Regardless, I hope the hardest year in my life comes when I'm being paid millions of dollars to play a game for a living.
You can belittle his incredibly ignorant behavior all you want by pointing out how it could be worse, but that doesn't make the act any less ignorant.
He messed up, and now he is getting shit for it because he deserves it and because he plays in a large market. Of course people are overreacting, that's what our country does.
Would you feel better about people overreacting to this if I reminded you that there is a highly rated tv show called Keeping up with the Kardashians that garners far less warranted attention? I mean, it could be worse, right? See how silly the logic you are asking me to accept is?
I can totally understand where you're coming from. As I mentioned, whether you choose to view it as a cop out or not, I am completely aware that I probably shouldn't feel the way that I do. The way the media jumped all over this story and Amar'e just really rubbed me the wrong way, and I wanted to voice some semblance of defense of his behalf. I feel like he's been inappropriately vilified for making one heat of the moment choice that he realizes and admits was a colossal mistake.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm an NBA coach - give me players who don't take kindly to losing. We can work on managing tempers, but it's much harder to motivate those who embrace mediocrity.