I have written quite a bit about the theatrics of trash talk in this website, and to no one’s surprise, it became a major topic of discussion leading up to, and after the Jets big upset win over the Patriots at Foxborough on Sunday. I have made it clear that I think a lot of it sounds really stupid, and does not reflect well on those who participate in it, especially before and after the game, with some of the remarks and behaviour seeming to be very personal, and insulting. I don’t really care which locker room it originates from.
The way this child like behaviour degenerated over the week and continued until the game’s conclusion, solidifies my point on how rediculous it is. I certainly understand heat of the moment comments during the course of the game.That is to be expected in a pressurized environment, which is a part of professional sports, and even more so in a game where bone rattling hits are involved. If the verbal exchanges were limited to the match, then I probably wouldn’t even bother addressing the issue.
I have been critical of Jets coach Rex Ryan on this subject, as it seems he initiates a lot of this through his comments, although there is obviously bad blood and frosty feelings between the Patriots and Jets. The New York players feel that they were humiliated by New England, after being blown out by them in December, by a score of 45-3.
Jets All-Pro corner, Darrelle Revis, suggested that the Patriots initiated the hostilities with their taunting tactics, after the lopsided loss in Massachusetts last month. As noted by ESPN.com: “ Last game we played them, their secondary was doing the airplane (a Jets celebration) and just teasing us. So you’ve got to take it both ways when you win or lose. When you play, just try and win the game,that’s all I can say.”
I consider myself blessed to have grown up in an era, where the trash talking was the kind we heard from the all-time great heavyweight boxer,( 56 wins, 37 wins by KO, 5 losses) Muhammad Ali, who was creative, humorous,but not disrespectful towards his opponent. Ali would talk trash, by telling the world that he “was the greatest” and in the earliest form or “rapping”, also let everyone know how he would prevail against his adversary. The most well know of those world famous fighting forecasts, was “ float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” That was about as aggressive as the “Louisville Lip” would get. Obviously, it was pretty harmless in its content, and with an infectious smile on his face at the same time, it was also incredibly entertaining to watch and listen to. He was named the “Sportsman of the Century” by Sports Illustrated in 1999, and “Sports Personality of the Century”, by the BBC, also in 1999, as detailed by Wikipedia.
I can still recall the kind of sportsmanship that was emphasized at the martial arts gym where I trained in the mid-nineteen-seventies for three years, the Twin Dragons Kick Boxing-Kung Fu Club. We were constantly reminded by Mic and Martin McNamara, the owners and instructors, that after we knock down an opponent, we were to help them back up.
My idea of professionalism, was the kind that can still be seen in the replay of Maple Leafs hockey games on Leafs TV,from the sixties and before that as well. A goal was celebrated by a quick pat on the back from one’s teammates,and then it was a quick trip back to either the players bench, or the centre- ice faceoff circle. There were no lengthy celebrations, simulated dances, jumping against the glass, or eardrum shattering fog horns sounding in the stadiums. The fans made their own noise, to whatever levels they thought were appropriate.
Society has made a lot of progress in many areas of social behavior over the last 50 years. In this particular sphere of professional sports, sadly, social standards have sunk.