I'm not sure if Prior is a jerk or a good guy. Really, there's no way to know, sitting at home online or in front of the Cubs game on TV. When someone says this guy or that guy is a bad teammate, or a bad guy, it must be taken with a grain of salt. Is the person creating the impression that Prior is a jerk a Tribune employee paving the road out of town for Prior (to save the company money)? Is it a reporter who just doesn't like him as a person, or who has a grudge because Prior wouldn't give him some time or an interview at some point? Is it a teammate who is popular with his peers but is not as talented as Prior? (That could be any of them!)
As fans who never met these players, I don't think it is OK for us to base our judgments of their personalities without any firsthand knowledge because then we are empowering the people who spread rumors and damage reputations for ulterior motives. When we do that, the Cubs suffer on the whole as well.
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4 comments:
I understand what you are saying but...
Professional athletes are public figures and having their lives scrutinized by the media, right or wrong, comes with the territory. Their image, part of which is their personality, lands them contracts endorsing the latest widget for a nice sum of money.
I personally cannot chalk up everything I read or hear as hearsay. The media has a responsibility to report facts. Can they use their power to sway an athlete's image one way or another? They sure can but I think the facts are always present.
I don't hold a grudge against professional athletes like Mark Prior but I do have an opinion on the guy. My opinion should be taken with a grain of salt. I'm a diehard Cubs fan and I enjoy learning about the players on the team I root for (and other teams).
Dear Three Finger,
For what it's worth here's one vote in favor of Prior. I think the press has been giving him a bum rap for the last two or three years. It'd be interesting to take a trip down memory lane to see what the Chicago press had to say about the departure of Greg Maddux in '93. I honestly can't remember! Still, it seems to me that someone like Maddux or Prior could never quite do enough to get the critics off their back. I'm sorry to see Mark go, but in a way I'm glad because I think the change will do him good.
I found this link (it's safe) regarding the maddox/prior comparison.
http://www.topix.com/forum/baseball-players/mark-prior/TG4SACUINTTR4AL8B
Oops.. lemme try that link again
Click Here!
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