Is it truly a privilege to play in the NFL?

[JBH3]

Quote: Originally Posted by wwharton

As for the actual debate here, JBH3, unless you think a wide range of jobs are privileges too I disagree with you also. In a way I think you're coming from the same angle as Freelance, which I could understand. But otherwise, I don't agree. Every job that's capable of bringing you a large amount of money takes a combination of very hard work and some God given ability. You or I could put together our resume and apply for jobs as astrophysicists, brain surgeons and NFL players. We'd get laughed out of the room because we clearly haven't demonstrated an ability to be successful at any of them and couldn't make up for that on the spot either. In the same sense, I can work my entire life to be a brain surgeon and just may not be smart enough, just like someone who may want to be an NFL player. If you think that people who are capable of landing any of these jobs is privileged then I can agree... sort of. That's a much broader definition of the word than I'd use but it'd make sense. Otherwise, it's kind of glamorizing the more visual position that's there for our entertainment over the others that just don't get as much press. I think that's an important distinction bc saying it's a privilege short changes the insane amount of work these players have done over their entire lives to be in position to be considered for the job.

wwharton - I don't think it's a privilege to be a garbage man, or a telemarketer, or any customer service job. I do think that there is a certain privilege given to a large amount of doctors and lawyers and intellectual jobs.

A great deal of these people come from privileged families, w/ resources to accomodate their education.

As for athletes, a lot of them don't come from the same line of "privileges" in terms of financial resources etc., and I'm not taking away the great deal of work they must to put in to excel in their sport.

They're gifted athletes and are extended the privilege of playing in the NFL because of it. They don't have to work as hard as you or I to achieve this success, but they do have to work hard nonetheless.

Quote: Originally Posted by mKoz26

Well, according to you, Wrigley Field is not, and never was a true football field. So, if your opinion were to be correct, wouldn't that make Red Grange nothing but a baseball player? Instead of bringing up something completely irrelevent to the conversation, come back with a true argument. I'm done with you.

lol...you're the one who brought up this past argument between you two. Now you want to dictate the rules of what can be said.

[wwharton]

Quote: Originally Posted by JBH3

wwharton - I don't think it's a privilege to be a garbage man, or a telemarketer, or any customer service job. I do think that there is a certain privilege given to a large amount of doctors and lawyers and intellectual jobs. A great deal of these people come from privileged families, w/ resources to accomodate their education. As for athletes, a lot of them don't come from the same line of "privileges" in terms of financial resources etc., and I'm not taking away the great deal of work they must to put in to excel in their sport. They're gifted athletes and are extended the privilege of playing in the NFL because of it. They don't have to work as hard as you or I to achieve this success, but they do have to work hard nonetheless.

Garbage man and telemarketer are jobs that people take because they need to do something to pay the bills. High end jobs require doing well in certain areas of school, extended schooling, internships, etc. It's a combination of very hard work over years and being born intelligent enough to succeed in the necessary classes and other prerequisites. That has nothing to do with family or resources. Yes, in some cases that makes it easier but it's honestly is no different. I was born with a pretty athletic build and nature. That was God given. I believe I could've been a professional athlete if I picked a sport to put in a great deal of time perfecting my skills from a young age. Similarly, it'd be easier if I were born with Lebron's body but even he would be an average player without the amount of work he's put in over the years.

Every single person is "gifted" somehow. The question is do you recognize your gift? How much work do you put in to perfect your gift to honestly be the best you can be? How much drive do you have in general to go beyond expectations? It's easier to measure college success, med school, etc. Not as easy to count the countless hours someone played on the blacktop as a kid, or what kind of coaching they had during pee wee football or high school to really teach proper technique and understanding the game.

Yeah, these guys were born gifted, but that doesn't mean anything if they don't put years and years of work perfecting their skill. And the NFL is just an employer picking the guys that have proven they've progressed to a certain level and/or have an understand of the game and what it takes to learn to expand on what they already know. The main reason you or I wouldn't be able to do it is bc we've already wasted the most important years of getting to a point that we could. Of course there are people that could've never gotten to that point (and a good amount of them too) but there are also people that could've never been doctors or lawyers either.

[Freelance]

Quote: Originally Posted by mKoz26

Well, according to you, Wrigley Field is not, and never was a true football field. So, if your opinion were to be correct, wouldn't that make Red Grange nothing but a baseball player? Instead of bringing up something completely irrelevent to the conversation, come back with a true argument. I'm done with you.

Never did I say Wrigley wasn't ever a football field. Get your facts straight.