Tracy McGrady having personal crisis

[Eugene]

I can't understand the mental process that occurs in your minds when you joke about stuff like this.

A man expresses to the public that he's going through some tough times. You can call it an excuse or a cop-out (Charles Barkley's words), but there are bigger things in life than basketball, and whatever he needs to take care of, that's all on him. He is beholden to no one (see, most fans have this mentality that athletes owe them something, that's just pompous and arrogant to think that way. If anything, they deserve our respect for being as good as they are.), at the end of the day, but to himself and his family.

A part of this seems to come from the media's portrayal. We see these guys on TV, and they become commodities (essentially like any product, goods for sale) and in the process become dehumanized. Their personalities and characteristics are no longer identify the individual athlete, but become symbolic of other things. For example, Kobe Bryant's infidelity was not a personal weakness but what's wrong with athletes in general, or even in a positive sense, Jordan's performances became idyllic of what a player should be. The problem with this is that we start separating their actions from their motives and mistakes that any human can make at any given time, for these athletes, become unredeemable flaws.

And you guys eat it all up. You find it amusing to criticize these players, and slander them and insult them (behind their backs), and talk about them in ways you would never talk about a friend or even a stranger. You say things that you'd never say to another person.

AIDS? Homosexuality? These issues are punchlines now?

"i think hes realising his kid is looking more asian each day"

You write these things and say things with no awareness of the repercussions.

Of course, this is not the only example. Somehow, on these boards, rape became a joke...

Look, I don't feel sorry for Tracy McGrady. It's hard to feel sorry for someone who makes ungodly sums of money for playing a sport. But what seems unbelievably crass to me is that you so disassociate the player from his human side that you crack these jokes and think it's funny.

Seriously, you guys are idiots.

And I'm not even a fan of Tracy McGrady.

[Laxation]

great post, extremely true

on a less serious note, homosexuality has been a punchline for a long time, it just doesnt really fit in here

[Andrew]

I honestly don't think it's his child. If it were, why wouldn't he come out and tell us? Wouldn't you expect him to ask people for their prayers or something?

Not necessarily. It's not the public's business. It's not an athlete or celebrity's obligation to inform the public of the intimate details of what's going on in their personal lives.

[J@3]

And you guys eat it all up. You find it amusing to criticize these players, and slander them and insult them (behind their backs)

Well if we could do it to their faces I'm sure some of us would. Set me up a meeting and I'll let him know exactly what I think of him.

You write these things and say things with no awareness of the repercussions.

Apart from your whining, what repercussions are there exactly?

Look, I don't feel sorry for Tracy McGrady. It's hard to feel sorry for someone who makes ungodly sums of money for playing a sport.

What was that about disasociating a player from his human side? So you chastise people for making jokes about McGrady's unfortunate situation (whatever that is), but you can't feel sorry for him because he makes more money than you. I'm guessing if his baby dies or something, you'll be back making a "well I don't feel sorry for him, he makes ungodly amounts of money" post? Since that is exactly what you've just said...

[ultimateplaya]

true.......i fell sorry for the guy

[Axel]

You find it amusing to criticize these players, and slander them and insult them (behind their backs), and talk about them in ways you would never talk about a friend or even a stranger.

I'm glad you know me so well to say such a thing. I would be more direct if I could be, but I don't have that luxury. If T-Mac is going to go out and tell us that he is going through all these horrible things, yet doesn't tell what it is, he leaves the door open to speculation.

The "ungodly amounts of money" he makes is due to the fans. His personal life is affecting his on court performance, so I'd say the fans who have payed for the games he will likely miss deserve to know why.

My inference is as good as any. I think it fits the intimate details of the case. What else would he be unwilling to tell, but is worse than people in his life dying? If someone were going to die, we would find out. We found out when Quentin Richardson's brother was killed... so this is something I assume this is something that's being kept secret and wont be found out till he tells it.

[Andrew]

Quentin Richardson's brother being killed didn't exactly happen behind closed doors though. The health of Tracy McGrady's child - if that is indeed the issue - is not the public's business. He's well within his rights to choose not to reveal intimate details of his personal life if that's what he wants.

[Nel]

The problem though he can't keep his feelings to himself and the organization. This is why a lot of people is speculating like he has aids this and that. He let himself open and now hes an open target for criticisms. It is what i don't like about being honest. If he just kept it with his family, maybe there won't be any story about it. No one is questioning about his poor performance lately so why talk about it with the media. Its stupid of him to do that.

[KIG1]

maybe he got aids

WTF? You think that's something to joke about? :shake:

no i was just sayen maybe hes got it because it might be a possibility
i wasnt joking

[Matthew]

I can't understand the mental process that occurs in your minds when you joke about stuff like this.

A man expresses to the public that he's going through some tough times. You can call it an excuse or a cop-out (Charles Barkley's words), but there are bigger things in life than basketball, and whatever he needs to take care of, that's all on him. He is beholden to no one (see, most fans have this mentality that athletes owe them something, that's just pompous and arrogant to think that way. If anything, they deserve our respect for being as good as they are.), at the end of the day, but to himself and his family.

A part of this seems to come from the media's portrayal. We see these guys on TV, and they become commodities (essentially like any product, goods for sale) and in the process become dehumanized. Their personalities and characteristics are no longer identify the individual athlete, but become symbolic of other things. For example, Kobe Bryant's infidelity was not a personal weakness but what's wrong with athletes in general, or even in a positive sense, Jordan's performances became idyllic of what a player should be. The problem with this is that we start separating their actions from their motives and mistakes that any human can make at any given time, for these athletes, become unredeemable flaws.

And you guys eat it all up. You find it amusing to criticize these players, and slander them and insult them (behind their backs), and talk about them in ways you would never talk about a friend or even a stranger. You say things that you'd never say to another person.

AIDS? Homosexuality? These issues are punchlines now?

"i think hes realising his kid is looking more asian each day"

You write these things and say things with no awareness of the repercussions.

Of course, this is not the only example. Somehow, on these boards, rape became a joke...

Look, I don't feel sorry for Tracy McGrady. It's hard to feel sorry for someone who makes ungodly sums of money for playing a sport. But what seems unbelievably crass to me is that you so disassociate the player from his human side that you crack these jokes and think it's funny.

Seriously, you guys are idiots.

And I'm not even a fan of Tracy McGrady.

Egune, great post man. Great post. One day these motherfuckers will realise how little respect they show will come back to them. Khama is a bitch.

[air gordon]

i agree- good post Eugene