I’ve never cared much for the braying exuberance with which most athletes now celebrate their goals or hits or victories. I didn’t like Bautista’s bat flip. I don’t like football (real football) players acting like they just raised someone from the dead every time they score a goal. Why? Simple: humility is a good thing. You are not that great. You performed an exceptional athletic feat: that’s all. It’s just a physical ability. It gives pleasure to your fans but not to the fans of the other 30 teams. You achieved the ability to perform this feat by focusing all of your energy and passion into an extremely limited range of physical activity thereby depriving you of the opportunity to develop your mind, or your other physical skills. It is not that great.
In American cities, in the South especially, football heroes– even at the high school level– are treated like gods. They get the best seats in the local restaurants and never have to wait in line. They get all the love. They are treated like Disney Princesses: entitled, privileged, spoiled. They are Disney Princesses.
I get arguments about this. The bat flip was wonderful. It was so much fun. Why shouldn’t he celebrate a great moment in sports?
Well, let’s turn it around. How about if someone reads and understands a difficult book on economics? How would you feel if he jumped up and down and screamed and shook his fist and yelled, “I know how capital accumulates! I’m smarter than you!”? You would despise him for his arrogance. How about if he ridiculed one of your favorite movies, like “Shawshank Redemption”, as mediocre, unimaginative, and uninteresting, and recommended, instead “The White Ribbon”? You asshole! What if he looked at you with a slight sneer and said, “Really? Neil Diamond? You like Neil Diamond?”
Imagine. In those Southern American cities: here’s a student with an A average: he gets the best table. He gets the girls. Strange people recognize him and slap him on the back. You’ve made us all proud: you are smart. You are a Princess.
You athletes will just have to wait your turn.
[whohit]Humility[/whohit]