It’s amazing what you learn when you open your mind to the unfamiliar.
For instance, I have absolutely no interest in sports – none whatsoever. Not only do I not have an interest in sports, but I’m also incredibly unknowledgeable about most sports. While I’ve tried repeatedly over the years to enhance my knowledge of the industry, nothing, with the exception of boxing sticks – it is as if I have a sports education block.
While I can watch various games in a group setting for the fun of it, I never opt to watch sports on my own. If I see a game on television or ESPN on the lower right hand corner of the screen, I immediately turn the channel.
That all changed last weekend.
On Sunday, I stumbled upon “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.” It wasn’t my naiveté in sports that compelled me to keep watching the program, but more my interest and respect for the show’s host, Bryant Gumbel. Gumbel is a highly respected journalist who has done it all – whether it was his professional beginnings as sports anchor for a local Los Angeles television station, his multiple award-winning broadcasts from the Soviet Union, or his 15 years on the “Today Show,” – Gumbel has done it. As a journalist, I have a considerable amount of respect for Gumbel’s professional ascend over the years. I remember when I was younger watching him on the “Today Show” and being very impressed with his delivery of the news.
As I was watching HBO Sports and admiring Gumbel’s acumen, I began to take an interest in the stories…before I knew it, my attention was completely transfixed to the television and the program was over – unbelievable.
One of the features that were particularly interesting was the profile of DeMaurice Smith, a 45-year-old African-American.
Unlike many individuals who are profiled on the program, Smith is not an athlete. Rather, he’s a Washington-based criminal defense lawyer who was elected executive director of the NFL’s Players Association (NFLPA) last March. The NFLPA is known to favor former players as its executive director, but this election was different as Smith defeated former NFL players Trace Armstrong and Troy Vincent as well as lawyer David Cornwell.
The great thing about Smith’s story is not only that he beat the odds by winning the election, but also his previous accomplishments as well as his plans for the NFLPA.
Smith has strong ties to President Barack Obama and previously served under current Attorney General Eric Holder Jr.
Smith will need his prowess as he works to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement and the battle between the owners and players is sure to be fierce. The 2009 season will be the final one played with a salary cap unless a deal is made prior to the beginning of the 2010 league year next spring.
If a salary cap doesn’t exist, wealthier teams could sign higher-paid and more skilled athletes. The problem this presents is that the competitiveness of sports will be lost. The teams with rosters full of the best athletes would probably win most games, thus decreasing a fan’s interest. Lack of consumer interest means fewer endorsements and less money to be made by other teams.
As things stand now, the salary cap allows teams to have a relatively equal number of top performers on individual teams. This means that there are economic benefits to the league, the individual teams as well as the players.
Although I’m not a sports fan, the stories behind the actual sports element are quite interesting. Now, watching “Real Sports” might essentially be a part of my weekly schedule. And just think…had I not been open-minded enough to watch “Real Sports,” I wouldn’t have learned as much information as I did regarding Smith, the player’s union, or the collective bargaining process. Nor would I have been compelled to conduct further research regarding the topics on my own.
The underlying message of this editorial is that it’s important to open your mind to all things and all people – even if there isn’t an initial interest. In doing so, you will gain a better understanding of those outside of your comfort zone, thus making you a more informed and well-rounded person.
