Blog Post 2: Men in Sport
Bullying, Harassment, and Hazing in Professional Sports
Many times when we look at professional athletes, we see them as someone who does not have emotion or does not have lives outside of their sports. In fact, there are many relationships that are upheld by these players. Some of the relationships that these players must maintain are not only with their girlfriends or wives or kids, but also with the others on the team. A situation became very public when a relationship between two teammates blew up in harassment charges and sexual slurs that pushed a player to quit the team and the NFLPA (National Football League Player's Association) to step in and take action. Johnathan Martin and Richie Incognito were involved in a number of phone conversations that had sexual slurs, vulgar language, and threats. After Martin had left the Miami Dolphins, Incognito came out with saying that the comments were not meant to be taken literally and that all of the other teammates spoke to each other in this manner. Incognito went on to say that Martin and himself had been friends and very close in an interview. Bullying is something that we do not usually looked at in a manly sport like football. this goes to show that the gender of men and their masculinity is something that many may have a wrong interpretation of. Men involved in the NFL are seen as emotionless, rough, tough meatheads, when a story like this comes out it becomes evident to the rest of the world how serious this may be. All that goes on in the locker, especially the rookies, can be seen by outsiders as very wrong and hurtful. What if the rookie turns out to be homosexual? How would the hazing be effected? Would it come to physical harm? Does the NFLPA and other organizations need to step in more and put their foot down inside the locker rooms and outside the locker room before it is too late and a life is lost due to this hazing?
Devan Marry
This post does a great job at asking the question, where is the line drawn between 'friendly argument' and racial bullying. I think you are right, sports is a great example of this. This reminds me of the conversations we have in class about certain people in society, like athletes, who get overlooked when they say things that are under the category of racial slurs, only because they are famous athletes. Also, it makes a good point that we say mean things to our friends as jokes, when really it is a form of bullying and could effect someone more then we think. This was a great post and a great point!
ReplyDelete-Abbie Minsker
It is really sad when a player has to quit the NFL over being teased by someone on the team. I would think that nothing like that would ever happen because they seem to talk naughty and bad all the time, they are men. But to answer your question, if a player on the team was gay I think the men would distance themselves from that person and probably not want to play with them. I dont 100% think that it would be physical harm included but who knows people are known for doing crazy things. But I so agree with you, the organization does need to put their foot down and stop the players from hazing the others so much.
ReplyDelete-Tayler Thornton
I think that most people forget the fact that professional athletes are still people at the end of the day. Just as a slur could hurt a person on the street it could hurt an athlete male or not. Its sad that he quit the team, but I believe I would also have to remove myself from a negative situation. Guys joke around with each other all the time but there is a line that could be crossed.
ReplyDelete-Dyamone Clark
Hazing or harassing of any kind should never be tolerated. Professional athletes have so many people looking up to them and if children see these men and women hurting one another then they are not setting very good examples. I think its good that the men and women who are being hurt are speaking up to stop the violent taunts and threats. the only way issues can be stopped is if they are addressed.
ReplyDelete-Midori Harrison
This is a very eye-opening post. I think it's true that people see professional athletes and tough and that they can take anything. It's good for us to realize that they have feelings and can be hurt too. I think that other players or even the coach should have stepped in sooner if they saw some kind of bullying going on. If they did nothing about it, I think it is the responsibility of the NFLPA to step in and take action.
ReplyDelete-Aidan Munn