 |
 |
|
|
HOT TOPIC
December, 1997
By Guest Contributor Michael J. Fresina
Latrell Sprewell: No Sell? Oh, Well.
You know those people who go to church twice a year - Easter and Christmas? They're the same folks who order a Diet Coke to accompany their Double Whopper with Cheese believing it acts as the great caloric eraser. In modern sports, there is no more magical Diet Coke than the Army - Navy game.
As a fan, I endure and strangely enjoy 364 days of greasy, fat-laden sports every year, but look forward to the purity of our service academies' clash for its purgative qualities. As I prepared for this year's battle, my attention was diverted from my television and the beauty of a most powerful rendition of our National Anthem by an article on the cover of the Sports section peeking through the nachos, pretzels and drinks that littered my coffee table. There he was, staring back at me, like the special sauce in my beard and latest reminder of why Army - Navy is so special: Latrell Sprewell.
There is a very simple reason why people go to church, consume Diet Cokes or watch Army-Navy: these things make them feel good. In a society that grants us fewer opportunities for happiness every day, there is a growing premium on reminders of what is good. Latrell Sprewell's choking and punching of his coach P.J. Carlesimo is only the most recent contributor to what is a growing trend toward the unappealing in sports today. There is hope, however. The Warriors' termination of Sprewell's contract, the NBA's one-year ban and Converse's decision to dump him as a spokesman send a very clear and overdue message. Athletes are unwitting role models. Their fame sells tickets and merchandise. What one team, a league office, and a major corporation admitted by separating themselves from the volatile Sprewell is that there is a lot to be said for the marketability of character. Latrell Sprewell, whose actions are being defended by many of his fellow millionaires, is being made an example.
What can we learn from this? The NBA and Converse have finally recognized something that most of us have known forever. Fans want to associate themselves with athletes and teams that make them feel good. It is no coincidence that good-guys like Grant Hill and Reggie White are being asked to endorse products at an increasing rate. With more at stake than ever before, it is most often an athlete's image that draws fans and dollars. As being controversial becomes less attractive to a society of sports fans who've had enough of the bad boys, image management is a new priority. There is no telling how the Latrell Sprewell debacle will shake itself out. His case against the league will undoubtedly find a voice in arbitration. What is clear, however, is that all athletes, leagues, and corporations must recognize the growing fan-base of Diet Coke drinking, Army - Navy loving folks searching for the purity that seems missing in sports today. Incredibly loyal, we'll support our favorites in the stadiums, at the malls and at our ATMs.