I realize that this might seem like an odd topic for Christian blog, but... I was watching an interview of Kevin Hart and realized that I'm not sure I have a favorite basketball player. I think, for me the bar is too high of what I consider respectable. Let me continue.
Now, Kevin said in his interview "Michael Jordan is my favorite player." That's great, as far as it goes. The thing is, for me, if I know anything about a person, their character is at least as important as their ability to perform. Michael Jordan... he... he's not really cool about how he treats other people. I watched "The Last Dance," and I learned from that that Jordan was easily offended, and his favorite way to channel that anger was by destroying and humiliating his opponents. That kind of anger... he has an unhealthy obsession with destroying anyone that offends him. Sure, he did it on the court. But I can't respect someone like that. He wasn't fun to be around when he was on your team at practice, either. You are only as good as you treat the people around you. If you treat the people around you like shit, even if it "works," it's not cool. I could never look up to someone like that. That's not a model I want for anyone. The "win at all costs" model of life stinks. I can't call Michael Jordan my favorite basketball player, because he sucks as a human being.
So who then? I've thought about Magic Johnson. He played for my favorite team, the Lakers. I think Magic is alright. Is he my favorite though? That's hard. I THINK Magic had sex with women when he was on the road, and while he may not have been married to Cookie at that time, he was in a long term relationship with her. I don't know. Maybe my bar is too high for favorite player. I know I enjoy interviews of Magic, and I know Magic is a classier guy than Michael Jordan. Maybe it seems a bit unrealistic for me to expect my favorite basketball player to be chaste while in a long-term relationship, but to me... being faithful to the woman you love is like the minimum requirement to being a decent human being. I want the minimum. I'm not sure Magic qualifies.
I could pick Kobe. Kobe was actually caught cheating, and had to admit to it to the press. The sad part is, I HOPE that it wasn't a rape too- but enough garbage has been thrown at Kobe over what happened in Colorado. Kobe has gone to meet his maker, and I really hope that meeting went well. I do have a lot of respect for how hard Kobe worked on his basketball game, and I think Kobe honestly tried to be a man of integrity. Kobe was intense, but I didn't sense in him quite the degree of ruthlessness that you saw in Michael Jordan. Honestly though. When I say I want a FAVORITE basketball player, I want someone I can really respect- someone who not only was a good player and a hard worker, but conducted their personal life beyond reproach and genuinely cared about the needs of others and really was righteous. Maybe my bar is too high, but... I'm not sure I want Kobe as my favorite player either.
I have thought of a player that might fit the bill. AC Green. AC Green actually has several things going for him- he is a serious Christian who was involved in a church I used to attend. He even played at Oregon State, my alma mater, and was a Laker. He stayed a virgin throughout his playing days, so that's commendable. I haven't seen any interviews of AC to really know what to think. For some reason, I think he's too easy a pick. Maybe I should pick him. I just... I want someone to be my favorite basketball player who I could consider a real-life hero. Maybe that bar is too high. I think I want too much. I want to see a player that is good because they work hard, like Kobe, but also conduct their personal life beyond reproach and really are an awesome person. Maybe I just can't handle having a favorite basketball player. We have too few genuine heroes in life I think. Hopefully, some day, someone will step up and be truly awesome in every way. Maybe it's too much to ask, but here's hoping.
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