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THERE ARE BETTER WAYS

      A few years back, it was revealed that for every one million students who played basketball, maybe two would have the talent to turn pro.  This was roughly the same ratio for those who wanted to play professional football.  This simply means that for the rest of the young men involved in athletics, they would need to have a realistic ‘back up’ plan for success after their high school and college sports days were behind them.

      Over the years, we would hope that many of those involved in working with young men in our various urban areas would realize that there are more lasting vocations other than sports.  Sadly, we still have too many older men who have perpetuated the lie that the only ‘successful’ young man—especially a young Black man—must give their all to get into professional sports—even to the point of making an idol out of it.

      It disturbs me to report that there are youth organizations that I am aware of that have made it public that they want to ‘partner up’ with the NFL, the NBA, or some other professional sports organization.  Of course, the obvious reason why they want to ‘partner up’ is because of the deep pockets that these organizations represent—monies which they take in from the public.  After all, ‘partnering up’ with a highly visible outfit like the NFL would do wonders for the bottom line of such groups (not to mention raising their public profiles).

      Today’s modern athlete—even at the college level—is hardly a worthy role model for young Black men.  How can we steer our Black youth away from criminal and ungodly lifestyles that have proven themselves as the ‘lubricant’ for the prison express railroad when some Black athletes encourage violent and crime-ridden lifestyles?  Add to the quagmire the fact that it has been held to be OK for college athletes to ‘cash in’ on their contribution to their sport in the present…a big change from the days past when the NCAA was the only one allowed to profit from the labor of college athletes.

      I’ll dare say that some of those involved in leading some youth organizations did not do much in the way of furthering their educations and think that they can ‘muddy the mental waters’ of the young men in their charge to focus ONLY on sports.  In the Black community of tomorrow, we’ll need more tech people, carpenters, doctors, and other more stable careers.  Athletics is a very narrow employment field with a limited shelf life.  It’s time we realize there are better ways to success for more of our young men, and there needs to be more emphasis put on non-athletic careers.  I’m not anti-sports.  However, I am against puttting forth sports as the ‘only way’ for our young men to advance and achieve in society in the present—and the future.

      Mike Ramey is a Retired Minister, KJV Bible Teacher, syndicated columnist and Bible Prophecy Specialist who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.  “The Quick Scan” is one of a variety of his columns appearing and abounding in print and cyberspace, written from a biblical, business, and common-sense perspective since 1996.  To drop him a line—or a whine—the address is still the same: mgmikeramey@yahoo.com.  ©2024 Barnstorm Communications International.