Trekgeekscott
Posts: 39668
Joined: 7/16/2007
From: United Federation of Planets
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Jeff Jesser PTSD is a really bad thing, no doubt about it. What I was trying to say (not well, admittedly) was this: These athletes (and I won't say today. I'm sure it's been going on forever but it's reported now so we hear of it) are coddled thier whole lives by parents/coaches/teammates/fans. They get a sense of entitlement early and think they are untouchable. It starts out 'somewhat' innocent (like a simple temper tantrum cheapshot in Pop Warner). Coach says "no big deal he's still a good kid". Parents say "he won't do it again". Nothing happens and kids entitlement grows. Years and years of this go on. Kid turns out to be a top recruit, guys want to be him and girls want to be with him. All the accolades and praise leak in to his head. Buddies are telling him how great he is and coaches/parents would NEVER do anything to jeopardize him becoming a star and the chance at making big money/stardom. Suddenly no girl can say no to him and he can take whatever the hell he wants. Who are we to tell him no for the first time in his life at age 18? Harrington is essentially saying the same thing and "because of this, we can't blame the young man/women. They were trained this way". It's not 100% thier problem. We need to hold the people in thier lives accountable for letting them get this way but THEY still need to be held accountable as well. It's not just the families either. It's entire communities in many cases. Kids get in to trouble and the law "looks the other way". Coaches defend their behavior and help subvert the trouble in schools, In college they are considered "gods" and they get away with everything. Then they get to the NFL and are supposed to be angels off the field. Their whole lives people have been letting them get away with essentially murder, have people cover for and make excuses for them etc and once they are "professionals" they are just supposed to turn it off. I get what Harrington is saying.
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I'd like to thank my arms for always being beside me, My legs for supporting me and my fingers. I can always count on them.
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