By: Nick Kapetan (@KapN93)
Most athletes utilize the platform they are handed, thanks
to their ability to master the craft of playing a professional sport, for their
own benefit.
As humans begin to worship them for the athletic successes and follow their every move, they take the opportunity to sell any product that a company is willing to pay them to talk about. These individuals get paid millions of dollars to speak out about how a certain insurance is on their side or how a particular soup is so delicious that you have to get your hands on it right away. They want the money, and they will do whatever it takes to get it.
Nowadays, we rarely see an athlete use the stage given, as a forum to discuss an important issue that plagues our nation.
As humans begin to worship them for the athletic successes and follow their every move, they take the opportunity to sell any product that a company is willing to pay them to talk about. These individuals get paid millions of dollars to speak out about how a certain insurance is on their side or how a particular soup is so delicious that you have to get your hands on it right away. They want the money, and they will do whatever it takes to get it.
Due to the recent events surrounding the Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Greg Hardy, Ray McDonald, and Jonathan Dwyer sagas, the issue of abuse has made its way to the forefront of society’s minds.
Abuse has always been there. It is not like men started beating women and children just last week. However, due to the increase in media outlets, it becomes more prevalent when athletes that are idolized, undertake in the action. Dirt that has been dusted on the rug is brought out. It does not matter if it has been six days, six weeks, or two years since the incident, the allegations will see the light of day.
Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall has had a
troubled past. This is not news. When the team traded for the elite talent,
people questioned whether he had put his past behind him.
To Marshall’s credit
he has always been ahead of the issues that have plagued his past. Naturally,
with the media spotlight now focused on football players who have a history of
allegedly abusing others, Marshall’s name was brought up.
Marshall addressed these people that accused the NFL of mishandling
the investigation over the Pro Bowler beating his girlfriend, in a lengthy
forum he held in front of the media on Thursday. Say what you want about how Marshall may have been rambling on towards the end. The important part of what went down was that Marshall did what others have not done: admit that there is a problem.
The most compelling piece from the press conference was that Marshall pointed out what we all know but never mention. Marshall spoke about culture, not just the NFL culture, the overall culture of our society. As much as we do not like to admit it at times, abuse has become all too common in today’s society. Endless stories about men placing their hands on others go unreported. Whether it be a future Hall of Fame running back or the local barbershop owner, abuse crosses every social and economic line.
“I’m not going to raise my kids the way 90% of the players in the NFL were raised.”
Sit back and think about that for a second.
That was not some outlandish claim that a pundit, who has no experience in an NFL locker room, made. That was not a quote from some racist fan who does not comprehend what happens when the pads come off and the gladiators turn back into regular people. That is coming from someone who has gone to battle, as well as hung out outside the locker room, with these individuals. He knows firsthand what these guys are like and how they were raised.
Marshall has given us a peak behind the curtain. He was telling us something we all have seemed to forget the past few weeks; these athletes that we praise, are regular people too.
Marshall did not throw anyone underneath the bus or break
the all holy “code of the locker room”. He
did what no football player has done since the Ray Rice news broke. Marshall
did not hide behind a statement written by his attorney while hiding from the
same news cameras that have made him famous. Instead, he confronted the issue
head on and utilized his very public image to bring light to an issue that
continues to fade into the darkness. That was not some outlandish claim that a pundit, who has no experience in an NFL locker room, made. That was not a quote from some racist fan who does not comprehend what happens when the pads come off and the gladiators turn back into regular people. That is coming from someone who has gone to battle, as well as hung out outside the locker room, with these individuals. He knows firsthand what these guys are like and how they were raised.
Marshall has given us a peak behind the curtain. He was telling us something we all have seemed to forget the past few weeks; these athletes that we praise, are regular people too.
Nick Kapetan hosts The Sports ReKap with his co-host DJ Vogt. The show airs every Tuesday from 6:00PM-7:30PM CT on MarquetteWire.org
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