Cam and "adversity"

Ed Reed's brother missing and presumed dead isn't a tragedy?

 

Ed Reed's brother running from the cops and jumping in the river to elude police ... not sure that qualifies as a tragedy.

/willing to admit that it's maybe just me

 

This brings up an interesting argument: Michael Vick may not be MVP, but is he the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year? I say yes, because he has had to "come back" from something... yes they were his actions, but it's more than, say, a roethlisberger-type situation where he misses four weeks when he was otherwise healthy. Vick lost his whole career. It was self inflicted, but the events were more than just his poor action. He actually had to "build something back" over the last two years since being released from Prison... And now he'll start in the Pro Bowl in two weeks... interesting argument either way...

(i'm not advocating that we worship Vick; to the contrary, the Vick-loving has made me slightly queesy; but just posing the argument)

 

All the hataz.

edit: Did you say with a straight face? Sorry. I got nothing.

 

you're not the only one... i'd certainly call it a 'personal hardship' or i suppose a 'personal tragedy,' but it sure isn't a 'tragedy' the way most of us define it. if reed's brother was murdered? a tragedy. believed dead after jumping in a river in an attempt to flee police? um, no.

this does make for part of a terrific piece on how many of our star athletes have escaped from a world most of us couldn't imagine by making the most of the advantages their athletic gifts have given them...

but how the star athlete breaking free from the world he was raised in doesn't mean his entire family has been saved. we've heard many similar tales, haven't we? sobering...

 

It's a family tragedy, and if we knew a family in similar circumstances, all of us would offer them the sympathy accorded the victims of tragedy.
I agree about "adversity" as a sports weasel word. It has come to mean anything from "had a groin pull this week" to "indicted for second-degree murder on Tuesday." Why not just say "Newton was the subject of an NCAA investigation for taking money to come to Auburn, but was cleared to play?" It's accurate and it's not judgmental.

 

Gosh.

You guys are saying that no suicide, no drug overdose, nothing where the deceased can be termed "at fault" qualifies as a tragedy. That is harsh. Also, it's very much a tragedy for the people left behind.

 

People who said that have no idea how insulated college football players are. You'd be surprised how little these guys know about that doesn't happen inside their school's football building.

 

no argument there. but 'tragedy' in the context of what we're talking about are not viewed as 'tragedies' by the general public; in the case of ed reed's brother, it's surely tragic to his loved ones. but my reaction upon hearing a story like this is not. 'oh, how tragic,' like his brother was some kind of victim.

again, it's semantics, to a large extent... but when broadcasters or print journos communicate in code to conceal the whole story, it's going to be ridiculed by many.

it's all about the words. words are supposed to be important in the communications business. when the wrong is attached to an event it matters.

 

ok this threadjack has probably gone on too long. let me just say, in reference to the original post comparing cam newton and ed reed, the analogy is way off. One is real life and one is silly little sports jabber.

 

I have to think that Auburn officials went through a lot more adversity -- sweating NCAA rulings, hiding evidence in sock drawers, etc. -- than Cam Newton did this season.

 

Some cruel cruel people have been forcing thousands of dollars on poor Cam Newton.