They are entitled and spoiled. Hyper-critical and overly sensitive
Pro athletes?
No. Fans.
The spin following Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement on Saturday night is that the booing that followed him came from a small segment of fans and that Indianapolis really loves him.
Ok. Sure. And some of that small segment apparently thinks the Colts were using Luck to sell season tickets and have demanded refunds. And you can find plenty of stuff on social media – the great cesspool of our day – slamming Luck for quitting at 29 because his mind and body are worn down from the grind of football and that he wants to be able to live a normal life.
Fans. They begrudge the athletes their salaries but buy jerseys with the player names on them. They rip players for kneeling during the national anthem, but they themselves can’t be roused from their couches to stand at home for anything but a trip to the kitchen or the bathroom.
Fans. They second-guess, they call radio stations to torch players, they question their dedication to a brutal sport that inflicts lifelong damage, and then, at the end of a player’s career, have no sympathy for the mental and physical sufferings so many endure.
Junior Seau. Dave Duerson. Ray Easterling. These former NFL players killed themselves rather than live with mood swings, forgetfulness, headaches, and overall mental decline. Others have retired early rather than risk that sort of future.
The Colts could have and should have handled Luck’s situation more discretely. Luck? He made a decision right for him and his family, not some guy in Section 228, Row B, Seat 8.
Imagine how serious this must be for a potential all-time great who is the son of a former football player to walk away.
Fans. Appreciate what these players go through. Never believe you could do this yourself. You want to boo bad plays or bad teams? Go for it.
Don’t dog people making decisions to save their lives. Just don’t.
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman
-
The rookie player shot 8-under 64. At the 150th Open Championship in St. Andrews, Scotland, an up-and-coming golfer made...
-
The Browns will receive a draft pick in exchange. Today, the Cleveland Browns announced that they would be trading...
-
Williams was beaten by Harmony Tan after a lengthy match. Yesterday, tennis star Serena Williams took on Harmony Tan...
-
Cole’s streak lasted until the eighth inning. Last night saw the New York Yankees take on the Tampa Bay...
-
Mayweather called the induction one of the highlights of his career. Over the weekend, retired professional boxer Floyd Mayweather...
-
Brady will join up with Fox Sports when he retires. Earlier this year, superstar NFL player Tom Brady temporarily...
-
Zalatoris said watching Woods made him feel something akin to imposter syndrome. Last week saw the first few rounds...
-
The three will play in a featured group in the first two rounds. Since recovering from a severe car...
-
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic criticized the decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players. Recently, the organizers of this...
-
Owen Woodward has been removed from the college team after tackling a player. This week, the baseball teams of...
-
Coach Steve Nash wants to try integrating Ben Simmons into the lineup in the heat of the season. After...
-
Woods is planning on competing in this week’s tournament. The 2022 Masters Tournament is set to begin tomorrow, April...