We, in the sports media, myself included, often forget exactly what it is we’re doing.
We cover sports, part of the entertainment industry, and, in the grand scheme of things, sports simply are not that important. Unfortunately, it takes a tragedy to jerk us back to reality.
In the moments leading up to the first pitch of Game 5 of the World Series, the news of the death of Oscar Taveras, a 22-year old baseball player in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, began making its way over Twitter.
The news created a strange juxtaposition in a way only sports can. Baseball fans on Twitter were stunned by the news, as the fans at AT&T Park roared as Robin Williams’ son threw out the first pitch. As some moved on from tragedy, others began the first stages of grief.
Taveras, who died in a car accident alongside his girlfriend, Edilia Arvelo, in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, split time between the Memphis Redbirds and the Cardinals this season, making several postseason appearances for the major league club.
He was as close to a sure thing as any player could ever be – the next in a long line of can’t-misses the Cardinals have made a name for themselves by acquiring. It’s heartbreaking that we will never see what he could have been, but it’s even more devastating for his friends and family, which by all account he was eager to help with the wealth he earned from playing professional baseball.
It can be easy to forget athletes have families, and aren’t just emotionless beings that run fast and jump high.
Injuries receive the label of “tragedies,” and, don’t get me wrong, I hate injuries. They have cheated us of some of the greatest athletes to ever play – Larry Bird, Bill Walton, Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, Bo Jackson, Sandy Koufax and Ralph Sampson to name a few. However, the loss of a son, wife, husband, daughter, brother or sister is a true tragedy.
We live in a world where “hot takes” generate the most clicks, and many pundits will say anything to get a reaction from people. Athletes deal with criticisms for decisions made on and off the field – fair and reasonable or not.
Before winning back-to-back titles, LeBron James was heavily criticized for decisions he made late in games – often passing to wide-open teammates. All the while, the critics were missing out on enjoying one of the greatest basketball players of all time in the prime of his career.
We have been blessed with so many unbelievable athletes in sports today. James’ name comes up in discussions about the greatest basketball of all time. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady may be two of the top-three quarterbacks of all times. Tiger Woods just finished his historic run at the top of golf, and the MLB boasts one of the best lineups of pitchers it has ever had.
Enjoy the greats while we have them because you never know when one could be taken away.
