Apparently, a multimillion dollar contract to play a sport is not enough. People idolize athletes, similar to the way they do celebrities. In fact, athletes are doing so many things other then playing their respective sport that it almost seems as if they would rather be celebrities. Athletes have fame, power, influence, and wealth. All of which are things that have become embedded in the wirings of our brains to stride for. We yearn for notoriety and adoration and athletes have that, they have that by
the truck load. Personally, sports have completely overrun my life. I have become so dedicated a fan to certain athletes and teams that I often let their performances dictate my mood and demeanor. Companies worldwide have been able to take advantage of the popularity of athletes by hiring them as spokespersons. Most recently Robert Griffin III, quarterback for the Washington Redskins, has been in all commercials for the popular food chain, “Subway”. It must be nice to receive royalties for saying two little words: “Eat fresh”. In Robert Griffin III’s case, endorsement deals are very beneficial, but that isn’t the case for all athletes. At least it is not the case when you go and do something like cheat on your wife or orchestrate a dog fighting ring or drag your unconscious wife out of an elevator. Athletes receive all of the endorsement deals in the first place for their outstanding performance in their profession and character, but by no means are the companies required to continue endorsing a player through atrocious scandals. The endorsement deal giveth and the endorsement deal taketh away, as it were. However, in the world of professional sports, these famous athletes are given much more leeway than your average Joe. I can’t go and get drunk, get behind the wheel of my car, and accidentally kill a couple people and then get off with a slap on the wrist. No, I don’t have influence so the judge would see to it that I was passed around the cell block like a peace pipe until the end of my days. These double standards that exist may be ridiculous, but they are reality. It’s just the way it is in this country, the actions of the “rich and famous” are justified while the actions of the “poor and irrelevant” are condemned.
