It's funny sometimes how we are all used/served/manipulated by the media. It is no accident that there have been a lot of rumors recently that a pro athlete in one of the four major sports was going to come out as gay. I recently wrote a post about a story in the NY Times that described an NHL program in anticipation of the big event, even though the NHL denied that was the reason for their program.
Just last night, Heitor and I were watching a baseball game between Atlanta and Detroit. We jokingly agreed that we both hoped the first pro athlete to come out wouldn't be Prince Fielder (yes, it is a very superficial observation; Fielder is probably a beautiful person inside that un-athletic-looking body).
And today, we find out there is nothing to worry about. It is Jason Collins. Everyone should want to read his cover-story essay in Sports Illustrated. What an articulate young man! And a hell of a lot cuter than Prince Fielder.
5 comments:
I am no connoisseur, but you might be damning with faint praise to label somebody "cuter than Prince Fielder."
Saw all the headlines, read a bit, will try to get to know a bit more, and glad he is a fine, articulate person. We have enough coverage of the jerks in sports.
Bob-Sorry, but once again we have to disagree.
I don't think "a hell of a lot cuter" than Prince Fielder is faint praise.
The weaker "better looking" than Prince Fielder might qualify as faint praise.
I stand corrected. Sorry for the transgression.
Although I am not sure exactly what was meant by the "...used/served/manipulated by the media..." comment as it applies to this situation, and I am sure I have just missed something (or a lot), but we also totally agree that the media does not always do right by us.
Another athlete may be tagged for his off-the-field opinions. The punter for the Vikings, who we have both admired, supports marriage equality and Ray Guy for the Hall of Fame. Both of those were called "distractions" so the Vikings used a draft pick to get a punter.
With regard to "used/served/manipulated by the media," I think there was a thought in there somewhere that had to do with this story, but it is pretty hard to find it, I readily admit.
I think I was getting at the way in which the media allows itself to be used to pass on rumors, almost as if they were preparing the public for the story before the story is actually released. We have been fed a number of stories in the last couple of months that a pro athlete in one of the major sports was going to come out. In a sense were "used, served and manipulated" all at the same time.
Nevermind. It's not very profound.
Actually, when applied to the way politics is played today, it is profound. Leaks and rumors, particularly involving potential appointments, are used for just the sort of preparation and gauging of the public attitude that you reference.
I'm sure Prince Fielder is a very nice man and loves his dogs.
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