To me that video was beyond disturbing. It was a disgusting display of sportsmanship and is an illustration of what is wrong with sports today.
Let me try and explain what you watched. That was a 37 second video of a fight that broke out during a professional badminton tournament (Canadian Open) between two former teammates. I was excited to read that the Badminton World Federation is investigating. Are you kidding me? What’s to investigate – both players get a lifetime ban!
What happened to sports?
Yes, athletes fight in hockey, basketball, football and baseball. But come on Badminton? To me (and it pains me to say) there is so much wrong with sports and may never be corrected.
The question is, why? Is it the money? Not sure how much money is involved in professional badminton. Is it their egos? Is it just an attitude of “I am the best, a gifted athlete, and you are not”?
A few weeks ago at my son’s birthday party we had a home run derby and cannonball competition. All the kids were great and had a blast. One of the kids was so much more competitive than the others and almost threw a fit when he didn’t win the home run derby. He also didn’t want to do another cannonball because he had the highest score. To me it isn’t all about winning. It was about competing and being the best you can be.
I need your help.
- What happened?
- And more importantly, how do we fix it?
I look forward to reading your comments.
John Castellano says:
The world has become hyper competitive, sports is a business, business is business. With margins squeezing even folks in our industry are employing desperate measures and many times unethical practices and the industry just allows it to go on. When have you heard one of the industry watch dogs go after a firm for not following standards?
Matt O'Mara says:
Fighting in Badminton?!?! I guess that’s why they don’t call it Goodmidton, right!
This reminds me a bit of the ‘fight’ involving Carmelo Anthony when he was with the Nuggets. Anthony throws a sucker punch, then proceeds to run away from the fracas. The best assessment of that ‘fight’ came from Steve Nash (a Canadian), who said ‘if this were a hockey fight, Anthony’s teammates would have kicked his #$@ when he got back to the bench after that gutless move’.
Lance Hoffman says:
Merrill – I think you’re being a tad naive. Athletes are cut form some of the most highly competitive cloth that exists in human fabric. Many of them have adrenalin levels that are off the charts, along with egos. The fact that this got televised the way it did shouldn’t surprise you – I think you should be surprised that you’re aware of more of these occurrences.
I don’t think there is anything to fix. There are rules of conduct, and if they are broken, then whatever party governs the enforcement of those rules will act accordingly I am sure, in the way of sanctions, un-licensing, or banning from the sport (temporary or permanent) – all of which you hear about regularly – you just may not see what happened leading up to it.
What I found most disturbing is that it looked like the guy in the yellow shirt verbally instigated it, and then ran away like a wuss!
Ed Sugar says:
I did a little research on this story and fun out two interesting points.
1. Turns out that these gentlemen were not just only former teammates, but they were former doubles partners. I am no big fan of badminton, but I would guess that Bodin Issara and Maneepong Jongjit.(the two players involved) had a number of unresolved personal issues that spilled over onto the court that day. Being a fan of the blues, I would wager that either money and/or a woman was probably one the focal points of their disagreement.
2. You say “But come on Badminton?” Turns out international badminton is a little more competitive than we all think. The two articles I read about this incident both brought up the fact that international badminton is still reeling from a scandal at the 2012 Olympics when eight doubles players were banned for trying to lose group matches, in the hope of gaining a favorable quarter-final draw.
You ask “What happened to sports?” Well, nothing really, as cheating and fighting have always been unsavory elements of all athletic competition since the dawn of man. Before the Internet, YouTube, 24 hour sports channels (which we in the US will have 4 come this Saturday) and video cameras in mobile phones, incidents like this occurred on a regular basis. It is just that they never were recorded and instantly streamed for global viewing and commentary. This was underscored last month with the video of the horrific killing of a soccer referee in a small, rural, town in Northern Brazil. The referee was gruesomely quartered and beheaded after fatally stabbing a player on the field during an AMATEUR!!! soccer match.
20 years ago these two stories, at best, would of been foot notes on page 8 of the sports section. But we now live in a global/digital age were stories like these can now garner worldwide “front page” status in just a click.
Merrill Dubrow says:
Ed/Lance
I hear what you are saying and agree with lot of it. Especially the point 20 years ago when this badminton story would have been not brought up or seen by anyone. Because everything and everyone these days is under scrutiny – more than ever shouldn’t professional athletes act different? Meaning if you know a tweet, a video a tantrum is going to be magnified in todays society doesn’t THAT ALONE CHANGE HOW YOU ACT? Doesn’t that change your behavior?
Think about the tantrums that John MCenroe had in his playing days he would have been attacked in the press relentlessly and every endorsement he had would have ran away the next day!
So my point is why don’t athletes change their behavior?
Good discussion.
Merrill
Lance Hoffman says:
Ed- great points, although I’m a bit surprised you’re not more of a fan of badminton 🙂
As far as the McEnroe reference, Merrill – most of his outbursts WERE TELEVISED. They may not have gone viral through the Internet and such, but he certainly had his fair share of televised outbursts, that again got him fined and sanctioned, as the governing bodies saw fit.
I think we live in an age where Agents and PR personnel have their work cut out for them with professional athletes, but when tensions are high, or in this seemingly unique position of a past relationship, where clearly the quote “all relationships end badly – otherwise they wouldn’t end” applies, there’s only so much you can do to try and control a wild animal, and sometimes that animal will end up biting off more than they can chew, and they should suffer the consequences. But stopping ti from happening would be like trying to change the weather, in my opinion.
Merrill Dubrow says:
Lance,
You are sort of right. Some of his rants were televised. The early rounds of most tournaments in many countries were never televised and the web – well didnt exist. In fact the only thing televised other than the majors was the semi finals and finals of a tournament. I doubt John only had rants in just those types of matches.
Also the viral piece is exactly my point and can’t and shouldn’t be minimized.
In today’s technology savvy world shouldn’t you assume that everything you do has the potential to be seen by 100 million people and that alone should stop some of this…. i think?
I love your PR point and totally agree.
Thanks lance.
Merrill
Lance Hoffman says:
I think you SHOULD assume that. And I think that most people KNOW IT. But really – how is this any different than a famous actor/actress/singer/entertainer who eventually flips out and attacks the Paparazzi? They bought their ticket – they knew what they were getting into. But sometimes emotions take control over the head, and things get heated.
Nor is it any different from the guys who gets fired, loses it in the office, and someone catches it on their phone and uploads it and he becomes either praised or ostracized – OVERNIGHT.
So back to my original comment – I think it’s a tad naive. You cannot have the benefits of technology and the barriers to information broken down and made publicly accessible and limit how it’s used. I think you also have to remember that technology has likely boomed faster than we as a society have matured to globally modify our behavior in contemplation of the boom and the ramification that such rapid growth has had on our privacy. And while some are more masters of their public performance and their “happy face,” it is not surprising that athletes, actors, and others who thrive in the limelight and in competition might be more susceptible to such outbursts.
Merrill Dubrow says:
Lance,
Your 100% right it isn’t different at all but does that make it right? Even though I have never been and will never be a professional athlete or someone famous I would think that your emotions and adrenaline are very high. With that comes doing the right thing and representing yourself and your team the right way and lots of athletes do that. Peyton manning, Derek jeter (still dislike the Yankees) and Pete Sampras are three athletes in three different sports who are superstars and handle themselves with class – in fact a ton. There are many others who do the same but why can they do it and a bunch can’t? They all have PR staff that help them – do they just not listen? Lance if you were famous and in the limelight dont you think you would be smart enough to be aware of everything you do, every place you go and everyone you are friends with?
Interesting and difficult discussion all at the same time – in my opinion.
Merrill
Lance Hoffman says:
First of all – you are famous, just not in the same circle :). But think about a conference, Merrill. I am sure you have seen people blow up publicly at an industry event when you know you would NEVER allow yourself to do that – even if you thought the person was right, because in the public eye, you are always judged. Right? Again – everyone is different, and some people are just more volatile than others. if you think it’s wrong, then you probably will choose to not conduct yourself that way and put yourself in such jeopardy to be judged or worse. And I would assume that IN THEORY, the people that blow up agree with you, but they allow the situation and their emotions to get the better of you.
What’s right for one person is wrong for another, and we all have to choose to live our lives and conduct ourselves in a manner that has us all sleep well at night – where you have no issues answering to the man in the mirror, or higher up. And at the end of the day, you’ll choose to respect those people (professionals, athletes, politicians) who conduct themselves in a way that’s in keeping with your own core values, and shun those who don’t – like most people shun me.
Paul Kirch says:
I wasn’t going to respond, but I am cracking up at the mindset of “expect different” expectations. I mean no disrespect to anyone, but if you’ve spent any time around any high performing athletes, you realize that many of them grow up differently than other individuals. Not all grow up feeling entitled or get a free pass, but many do. Just one example, when I was in college, I knew some of the football players. On camera, two of the star players were likable. Behind the scenes, they were spoiled and treated people around them, even their inner circle, like garbage. I used to share some common connections and went to many of the same parties, where I witnessed infractions take place. Any time one of them got caught, it was brushed under the rug. When I say infractions, I’ll not go into detail, but let’s just say for one of the individuals, their sports career would have been over. This doesn’t describe the life of all athletes, by any means, but how can we expect a higher level of professionalism, when many of them grow up getting away with things that other can’t or don’t. Many of them grow up being held on a pedestal, no matter what they do. Just turn on the news and you’ll likely here another “shocking story” about an athlete who got caught doing something wrong. We’re all stunned when it comes out. It’s unlikely it wasn’t their first time and it’s also not likely that they didn’t have someone protecting them from scrutiny before the house of cards fell. I hate to go here, but can you say, “Penn State?” A scandal it has become, but you truly breed a mindset that is above scrutiny when there’s cover up support at the highest level. These are extreme examples, but no matter the sport, at the highest level there are some people who haven’t grown up, because they haven’t had to. Tiger Woods? Expect different behavior, but only if you force certain expectations throughout their career.
Merrill Dubrow says:
Paul,
I appreciate what you are saying and by luck have spent time (including taking vacations ) with professional athletes and actually sat in the stands watching David Wells pitch in the world series while I was sitting right next too a professional baseball player who played for the Red Sox at the time. While I agree some are different, not all. Some not all have behavior and sportsmanship issues.
The question for me is does it ever stop? What can be done to ensure that the majority of this stops? There are plenty of athletes who understand they are under a microscope and handle themselves accordingly I mentioned three prior and here are three more Tom Brady, Dirk (from our beloved Mavericks) and Jim Courier.
Let me try and come at this a different way – why do you think some pro athletes handles themselves as professionals while others don’t? Is it parent involvement? The right agents? The right therapist? I truly wonder what it is.
To have a fight break out at a professional badminton tournament in some ways is funny and pathetic all at the same time.
Merrill
Paul Kirch says:
My personal opinion is it starts with how they are raised at home and the type of role models they surround themselves with. Isn’t that true of anyone? If they are raised to believe they are above others, they’ll grow up to believe that. If they grow up humble and have to work for everything you achieve, then they grow up to appreciate their blessings. I have friends and associates who played professional sports and were very grounded, because they earned ever bit of it. If you have the right type of mentors and role models, starting at home, then you’re likely to grow up to be the example we all want to see. The example that started this all was clearly personal. It didn’t happen in the right place or time and probably shouldn’t have happened at all, but I don’t believe it tells us a thing about their character. It just tells us that there was something brewing to the surface that got caught on film. They’re still people and sometimes we (as people) do stupid things.
Ed Sugar says:
You ask ” Why do you think some pro athletes handle themselves as professionals while others don’t?” That is the “$64,000 question” and in fact it applies to every profession ranging from neurosurgeons to bricklayers. Even to those of us in that sacred and noble trade known as marketing research.
For me, it is all based in the values and expectations that one’s family, faith and community instill in the individual. Without them how can any one person distinguish from right and wrong and thus positively contribute to the betterment of society and lead a successful/rewarding professional career.
Amy Shields says:
I’d have to agree this turned out to be quite an interesting and entertaining post. Further, there’s validity in what everyone who posted has to say. If the question is WHY this type of behavior occurs; as already mentioned, the reasons are varied. I strongly agree that it is not unique to sports and/or sports figures. It obviously happens with celebrities of all kinds (hello Chris Brown, Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Bynes, Paris Hilton, Arnold Scharwarzenegger, Mel Gibson, Charlie Sheen, OJ Simpson, Terrell Owens, Alex Rodriguez, Pete Rose, Tiger Woods, not to mention all of the ridiculous politicians and their scandals/behavior!) I do not believe, however; that it is unique to 2013 – we simply live in a world where it’s more difficult for PR folks to cover for their clients. So, yes; to your point that with the facts being what they are (that anybody can pull out a smartphone and capture strange behavior in a millisecond and have it posted on the Web just as quickly); why would celebrities of all type not modify their behavior? Well, because they are people. People are flawed. Part of what likely makes somebody a great performer or athlete, might not serve them so well in other areas of life. They are known for their talent and/or accomplishments, yet are willing to throw it all away for failing to comply with simple rules of conduct and decency. In these extreme cases of celebrity, there’s no doubt that the public, PR folks, fans, media, etc. also contribute by consistently sending the message that they are indeed above the law. I don’t believe it is a product of one’s childhood or parenting, as has been insinuated. It’s much more complicated than that. Famous people come from a variety of backgrounds, no different than you or I – some humble, some spiritual, some being taught entitlement, some not. It’s no different than in the past. Do you really believe that JFK, for example, would have been hailed the hero today that he was in the 60s? I truly do not. Media and political advisers, among others, covered up his indiscretions – and there are hundreds of other examples. Quite frankly, how is this any different than “regular” people who refuse to follow rules? As Lance mentioned, there are penalties, sanctions, etc. for inappropriate behavior in sports. In society as a whole, there are consequences for breaking the rules…if you speed and get caught, you get a ticket. If you behave inappropriately in class, you get detention. If you are a public figure and get caught in a controversial situation, you don’t get offered parts or are forced to resign a political post. The examples go on and on. Why do some girls in 7th grade thrive on drama and some avoid it all cost? Because people are different…we’re not all built from the same cloth; we have different upbringings, levels of confidence, value systems and ways of dealing with stress. While I agree that celebrities in general bear a higher burden for acceptable behavior (because of their influence) – I actually do not believe it’s any different than the 14 year old bully at school who yields their social status/power as a means for inappropriate action. Bad behavior is bad behavior and it is not reserved for the rich and famous or the sanctions and consequences specific to their situation –hence why we have overcrowded prisons full of the general public!