As Spiderman knows only too well, with great power comes great responsibility.
Although fictional, Spider-man possesses superhuman abilities. In the comic book world, superheroes are the figureheads of society, beacons of light in whom everyone places their hopes and dreams. In the real world we do not have superheroes; we have superstar athletes who become super villains and acquire a sense of entitlement.
In the modern era of sports, greatness is bestowed upon athletes prematurely. Athletes who have great games suddenly become great athletes overnight. There is a distinct difference between being a good athlete and being a great athlete. Great ath-letes can perform under pressure, in the big games, time and time again–and find themselves on the front on Sports Illustrated or in a Gatorade commercial.
However, there is a point when so-called great athletes transform into comic-book villains. There is a grey area when certain athletes reach the status of greatness and suddenly believe they are more than an athlete. Somewhere in that grey area athletes become super villains. Somewhere in that grey area athletes gain great power. Somewhere in that grey area athletes acquire a sense of entitlement and the ability to make decisions.
Fame and fortune can often be a recipe for disaster, throw in an oversized ego and it suddenly becomes a volatile cocktail–as a certain Mr. Woods can testify. Woods recently announced his divorce from Elin Nordegren after nine months of controversy and speculation. Woods used to be the poster-child for everything that was positive in sports; he was a figurehead, he was that beacon of light. Since his indiscretions, he has become the epitome of everything negative with sports. In his first press conference after the infamous car crash, Woods, said “I convinced myself that normal rules didn’t apply.”
Woods is one of the few athletes who deserve the “great” title for his performances on the course, but he is the prime example of an athlete losing themselves in the grey area of superstardom. Woods has found himself in a bunker and no matter how many shots he takes to get out, it is going to be sometime before he returns to his pedestal.
Some athletic super villains believe that the right carry and wield firearms in intimidation, come along with greatness and a sense of entitlement. Similarly, in the comic-book world the villains carry firearms because it gives them power, it becomes a status-symbol and they do so because of an unwavering sense of self worth. However, unlike NFL star Plaxico Burress, I doubt that Lex Luther would shoot his own leg in a nightclub. Burress joined the ranks of super villains when his firearm, which he did not have a license for, went off in a New York nightclub.
The stereotypical image of comic-book villains with blood thirsty dogs by their side is again synonymous with status, power and self-worth. However, unlike NFL star Michael Vick, I doubt the Joker would ever gather up his buddies, bet insane amounts of money on dog fights and get caught doing so. Vick, once a star quarterback, believed with his NFL status he could break the law in a heinous manner.
History is littered with casualties who have taken the path of entitlement and self-importance. Athletes, like Woods, Burress and Vick believe they are immune to gravity. They continue to soar above the clouds of contemporary life believing the sky is endless. It is only when they realize there is a limit and they begin to experience something previously alien to them–reality. The fall from grace is not a gradual one. Those athletes previously immune to the pitfalls of modern day life find themselves in freefall with no sign of a safety net. In the comic-book world superheroes continue to battle social, personal and emotional conundrums. In the real-world athletes face the same dilemmas. However many don’t result in comic-book endings.
