Sports Page #13

     Watching the documentary "Hoop Dream" was a real eye opener for me. It exposed the darker side of the road to professional sports for young, black athletes from poor backgrounds. Especially sad was the fact that if a player was good enough he could get his tuition paid for through donors who willingly gave up the money, but on the other hand if he did not meet expectations no one would step in for help. This was the case with Arthur who did not play to the level St. Joseph wanted him too, and eventually it got so expensive that he had to drop out. Had he played like they wanted a donor would have paid the rest of his way like they did with William, who received his education free.
     Comparing this to the Hollywood smash "Jerry Maquire" one can see the difference between reality and fantasy. In the movie  Cuba Gooding Jr. plays a football player who's all about the money and fame. No where is his struggle to the top or childhood life mentioned, just a flashy attitude and desire for cash. This shows a somewhat ignorant and selfish athlete whereas "Hoop Dreams" shows hard working kids trying to not only help themselves but there families also. The documentary dictates the true story of a struggling young athlete and how important sport is to African American society. By excelling in basketball William Gates was able to receive a top high school education from a prestigious school, all because of his playing ability. This happens to high school and college athletes across the country. The ones who are talented enough to make it to the pros are given the opportunity to change the lives of their families forever. That being said I don't believe sport is damaging the African American community, if anything it is empowering it and giving kids everywhere the chance to live their dreams.