The Participation Trophy Athlete
*Update:
SOURCE “Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open on Monday and wrote on Twitter that she would be taking a break from competition, a dramatic turn of events for a four-time Grand Slam champion who said she has “suffered long bouts of depression.”
The latest response from Naomi was really weel stated and clears up a lot of where she coming from before the weekend started. Which out of the context in which she boycotted the press lead to my initial response below. I still stand by my initial response and believe there are athletes that still act entitled. I don’t believe this is where Naomi is coming from. She is coming from a place of depression which is a nightmare and I truly hope she can get whatever help she needs to defeat it. With drawing was the right move and this statement is fucking stellar.
Look, There is a lot of pressure that comes with the ability to earn FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS a year. That understandably is not something that just anybody can handle. No shame in that. You just don’t blame other people and try to reshape an entire industry based on your personal motives. I’m glad Naomi touched on that and apologized for it.
Lets hope Naomi can get back soon and who knows, maybe she does have a better way for media, fans, and athletes to co -exist. Until then the hard truth remains, the opportunity to earn that kind of wealth comes with the highest level of scrutiny in addition to skill and commitment it. If it didn’t it wouldn’t be the same opportunity. Just Sayin’.
*End of Update
Naomi Osaka, four time Grand Slam champion, has made the headlines ironically for refusing to speak to media and coincidentally getting fined $15,000. Let’s get this out there. Ms. Osaka makes *Cough* FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS a year on and off the court.
These were her initial comments when discussing her decision to boycott the media for the French Open.
“I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athletes mental health and this rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one,” Osaka wrote at the time. “We’re often sat there and asked questions that we’ve been asked multiple times before or asked questions that bring doubt into our minds and I’m just not going to subject myself to people that doubt me.”
Namoi is pledging that this decision is to bring “change” and hopes that her fine goes towards mental health awareness.
This was here response after being fined the $15,000 and warned that if she continued the boycott she may be disqualified from the the tournament.
So, I’m still not sure what the “change” she is trying to actually make because…. she hasn’t spoken to the media. See how that works? You make FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS a year because of the attention your sport is awarded by TV and its media affiliates all so that your fans can enjoy the sport and competition. Yes, pressure comes along with that. A lot of pressure. And like all things in life when you find success there will be people trying to tear you down.
I’ll be the first guy to tell you that the sports media has certainly become sensationalized and dramatized like mostly everything these days. I’d rather be poked in the eye with a stick than watch another fucking Lebron segment on Sport Center, but come on. In Naomi statement she says she doesn’t want to talk to reporters because they make her feel doubt? And she just cant subject herself to that type of behavior? What the actual fuck?! How do you become the #2 tennis player in the world with the fragility.
You make FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS a year. The fans and media pay that “salary” for you. If the media steps over a line they should be held in check by your union and the organizations that run the sport and hold the TV deals. Also, the fans understand when a story is a hit piece or not. Sports is the Entertainment business. This is your job. And again we aren’t talking about abuse. Or I guess we are if you ask Naomi. Mental health abuse by making athletes feel bad after they lose. She has said this is not just about here, but she is trying to issue a “change” for all professional athletes. Again, we are not sure what that change looks like. Should we give some of those sponsorship deals to the volunteer fire department Jamokes and make them answer some questions from the local Gazette?
It’s just all too much. These spoiled, entitled, participation trophy, multi millionaires like Kyrie Irving not taking 10 minutes to speak to reports, most of which grind and make not even a morsel of what these athletes do so that said athletes have the opportunity to amass generational kind of wealth. It’s so short sited and ass backwards it drives me up a wall. And guess what? There is a pretty simple solution. Quit. Or titty up, face the music, and collect your checks.
Billie Jean King in the most PC and polite way possible basically said the same thing.
Take care of Y’all Chicken
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