You've got to be damn-near a saint to go through a divorce unscathed in the modern world of professional sports. Russell Wilson is bullet-proof in the media. With his squeaky clean image and Christ-like code of conduct, it is hard to say anything bad about the guy, even as he decides to break up with his beautiful and equally scandal-free wife Ashton (even rumors that she cheated with Golden Tate haven't stuck). And now the NFL is giving him the Good Guy Award. Short of murder, there isn't anything he could do to sully his reputation at this point.
After an age of self-aggrandizing divas changing the landscape of pro sports of all stripes, there has been a recent resurgence of team-oriented, hard-working organizations who are helping shift the tone of athletics back to an old-fashioned style long gone particularly in football and basketball.
With the gritty team play of the Spurs in this year's NBA Finals, it's clear that a new style is on the rise in sports, and it's the old style.
Russell typifies this prevailing attitude, leading his Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory in only his second year in the NFL. He says he does it with hard work and fundamentals (via Seattle Times):
"'I stayed pretty organized,' he said. 'I've stayed focused on what I needed to stay focused on, and getting ready for football. It's been an exceptional offseason for me so far in terms of getting prepared for that.'
"Wilson says his knowledge of the game has grown 'exponentially,' which tends to happen when you live in the film room."
Again, Russell has seen success reflecting values that once were held so dear and until recently had been abandoned in favor of greed and self-service (via Seattle Pi):
"'The classic underdog, Wilson is a walking example of the value of determination and diligence,' Boling said in the release. 'He often recounts the messages of his father ... family, teamwork, sportsmanship. He has played himself into a position as the face of the Seahawks franchise, but he is also the voice and conscience of it, too.'"
What do you think?
Tell us your thoughts in the comment field below.
© 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
