Travis Thomas Experience: Perception Vs. Reality In Sports
Perception in sports is a funny, fickle thing. Last week we all watched two young quarterbacks act the fool right before our very eyes. Our perception on young quarterbacks especially this time of year, is and should be, head down in the playbook, constantly praising teammates, humble and meek.
This isn't the case for both Panthers QB Cam Newton and Jets QB Geno Smith. Let's start with Newton; the Panthers have showed him the commitment and security all players look for from franchises. Newton signed a 5 year $103 million dollar deal this offseason with the team. Now if that doesn't say "Franchise QB", nothing does. So what does Cam do? Cam gets into a fight with a no name teammate in training camp immediately. If Newton was truly conducting himself in a "Franchise QB" manner, he would have never put himself or those valuable $100 arms and hands in harms way. If his teammates truly believed he was the "Franchise QB", somebody would have punched the lesser named John Norman in the face on Cam's behalf. Then to make matters worse, Newton wears a Muhammad Ali shirt to camp the next day and brags about how the fight illustrates his leadership skills. How about the Jets young signal caller Geno Smith? Unlike Newton, he still has much to prove on the NFL level. Smith should be the prototypical example of keeping out of the headlines and working on his craft. Instead, Smith gets into a discrepancy with a teammate and ends up with a broken jaw. My point is, here are two examples of athletes we would perceive to be acting a certain way, but the reality is, they are far from it.
As a black man, I'm extremely disappointed because of the many black quarterbacks before these two who paved the way for Geno Smith, Cam Newton and many others. There are many more young black quarterbacks waiting in the wings for their opportunity as well, who surely look up to both of these fools. It's partly why I feel an obligation to point out these faults and also show the antithesis of that ignorant behavior.
Local Boxer, WBC Featherweight Champion of The World Gary Russel Jr. fits the perception that you want in a professional athlete. Gary is class personified and comes from a great, close knit family. His father trains he and his brothers in the sweet science, and they keep a very tight circle of trust. I had an opportunity to catch up with the champ and ask about family, his career, converting fans, and even shared my theory of why boxing is back in the forefront. If you love the fight game, you won't want to miss this great interview with a world champion.