The story of Len Bias is sadly a cliche in modern sports. We hear, too often, about superstar athletes that stumble on their fame en route to their professional careers. Len Bias embodied all that was good in sports: hard work, immense talent, and passion for the sport. His success was going to be on par with the great, but, like far too many players before him, he allowed his passion outside of sports to stop him from attaining his goals.
For this blog, I want you to first identify whether or not Len Bias should be considered a tragic hero (a great character who is destined for a downfall). Within that answer, define your opinion of greatness in an athlete and the responsibility that comes with being great. (4-6 sentences minimum)
Secondly, find another tragic story of a sports star. This may take some time, so be sure to find the story of an athlete that we know. Be sure to offer background and, ultimately, the downfall of the athlete. (3-5 sentences minimum)
Be thorough!
WORTH 15 points!!!!
Len Bias was a hero in the sport of basketball. He played with immense effort and he had all the talent a great player should have. He was such a great player because of his love for the sport, because of his love for his sport he was able to learn from his mistakes. He set his goals high and he worked hard to reach them. In my opinion a great athlete is good at what ever sport they play, but they are not obnoxious about their success. Any great athelte has to make smart decisions when they are out in public. With the media these days everything they do is seen by the public. Young kids look up to these spectacular superstars and they have to set a good impression. Another sports star that had a tragic downfall was Josh Hamilton he was the first overall pick in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was considered a blue chip prospect until injuries and a drug addiction derailed his career in 2001. he eventually recovered and made the 2008 American League All Star Team.
ReplyDeleteLen Bias should be considered a tragic hero because he was on his way to greatness. Everything about him indicated it including his work ethic, his passion, and his respect for the game of basketball. This greatness that Bias was headed for can be defined as reaching the pinnacle of a sport as an athlete (in this case basketball) while still having love and respect for the game. Along with being great in a sport, one must also be a role model and set good examples as they are considered a representative of that sport. Not only talent comes with greatness, but also leadership and discretion in terms of becoming that role model. Len certainly was on his way to reaching greatness in his sport, but his tragic ending puts some questions into his character. His drug usage shows that he was not completely ready to become great as he wasn't ready to accept the responsibility that comes with it. This drug abuse of his created the tragic aspect of his character, his downfall from eventual greatness.
ReplyDeleteRoberto Clemente was a great baseball player who suffered a tragic ending. Clemente had an amazing career of 18 years with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He reached 3000 career hits. He won an MVP. His story is truly tragic because he had reached greatness in the game of baseball and he died on en route to giving aid to earthquake victims in a plane crash. There is now an award named after him for a baseball players achievements in greatness within the community, as well as on the field.
Len Bias was a great basketball player but he was not a tragic hero because he was not destined for downfall, he could have prevented his death by not using drugs. He could have been a great NBA player; he was the 2nd overall pick by the NBA champions, Boston Celtics. Greatness of an athlete is someone who is one of the best players at his/her sport and level of play. They also must love the game and respect it. Len loved the game he played and worked really hard to achieve his maximum potential on the court. Being great does come with its responsibilities though. These “great players” have to be role models on and off the court. Even though Len was great on the court, off the court, he was a recreational drug user and overdosed on cocaine.
ReplyDeleteDale Earnhardt was one of the best NASCAR drivers of all time. He won 76 racers and 7 NASCAR championships. He died in 2001 on the final lap of the Daytona 500. His death is tragic because he died while doing the one the he loved, drive. Because of his death, there is now much more safety precautions for all auto-racers.
Len Bias is a tragic hero and was considered one of the best players in the time he player the game (basketball) . To be a great athlete you have to standout and be a leader in the sport you play but also carry this over into everyday life. Len was an Outstanding athlete and had everything it took to be an accomplished professional basketball player. But unfortunately he lost guard off the courtand this mistake cost his life. Great Athlete have the responsibility to set a positive example for the youth that look up to them and often imitate them.
ReplyDeleteFor a young pitcher who struggled for years with an injured arm and doubts that he could cut it in big league baseball, Nick Adenhart's performance gave promise that he had finally arrived.But a few hours after the most impressive game of his brief career -- just seven miles from the mound where he threw six scoreless innings -- the 22-year-old right-hander was killed by an alleged drunk driver, the latest calamity in a baseball franchise haunted by a history of misfortunes.
Adenhart and two friends were killed early Thursday morning when their car was broadsided by a driver who police said had a suspended license and a previous drunk driving conviction. The news of the young pitcher's death stunned friends, teammates and fans, some driving to the Fullerton intersection to place flowers and candles in the roadway and others going to Anaheim Stadium, seemingly just to be there.
Len Bias was a great basketball player. He could have been a great pro too if he would of never of done drugs. Len Bias is not a tragic hero, drugs is something that is 100% preventable. If he would have never done them, he probably still would have been alive today. Just because your great on the court, doesn't mean your great outside of it. The greatness of being an athlete is also being a role model outside the game.
ReplyDeleteJay Williams was picked 2nd overall in the 2002 draft. After one season of starting for the Chicago bulls he seemed promising. But on June 19, 2003 he fell off his motorcycle, which he was not license for and breaking his contact with the bulls. He destroyed his knees and would try to come back to the NBA, but he never did. Overall this shows how something outside the game can destroy your whole career.
Len Bias should be considered a tragic hero because of how great he was going to be. He was sure to be one of the best players in the NBA before dying of cocaine overdose. He had the talent of Micahel Jordan but was bigger and stronger, which makes him even more dangerous. He is a tragic hero because of the timing of his death... Two days after the draft, are you kidding me? Because of his potential to be a great player this made his story extra sad and depressing.
ReplyDeleteRicky Williams is another tragic hero I thought of when doing this assignment. He had the potential to be one of the better NFL running backs in history but decided drugs were a more important part of his life. He left the leauge because of his love for marijuana. He ended up coming back to be a solid running back but not nearly as good as he could have been if he stayed in the league for his whole adult life.
I think Len Bias should be considered as a tragic hero because he was a great basketball player who worked really hard to become a better player. He died because of drug use, after he achieved his dream by getting picked by Boston Celtics. Even though drug use could have been prevented, I think the way his career, dream, and life shattered is tragic
ReplyDeleteI think Tiger Woods could be a tragic hero, because everyone, including people who never played golf, knew him as one of the greatest golfer. However, his scandal, having affairs with multiple people, lead his downfall. Consequently, he had to go through some rehabs but so far, his scores aren't good as it has been before.
I would consider Len Bias a tragic hero, from what everyone was saying about him Len seemed like he had his head on straight. It was just that one night where he got drafted into the NBA and wanted to be celebrate a little. After all he did finish his dream of working really hard and being drafted in the NBA. Even though he didnt have to use drugs, i still thing his career ended tragically, how he had just been drafted then his life ends shortly after.
ReplyDeleteLou Gehrig was baseball's original Iron Man, long before Cal Ripken Jr. arrived on the scene. His feats at first base and at the plate are still legendary and he was a key member of the 1927 New York Yankees and the 1936 Yankees, two teams often argued as the greatest in the game. Gehrigs sophomore season at columbia he had 7 home runs with a .444 average, and he also pitched for the school and set a record for throwing 17 strikeouts in one game. By the end of spring training in 1939, he played 8 games of the regular season and decided he could not finish. In June of 1941 Lou Gehrig passed away from what is now known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Len Bias is the definition of a tragic hero in sports. He had as much potential as Michael Jordan, he had sponsorships and a future starting job on the Boston Celtics, yet all that was cut short at such a young age because his experimentation with drugs. His death was truly a tragic event that effected the lives of literally millions of people across the nation. Greatness in an athlete involves greatness both on and of the field/court. So often in sports you see amazing athletes who have achieved incredible feats ruin their reputation with a poor decision (Michael Vick, Tiger Woods, etc.), unfortunately in the case of Len Bias, it ended his life. But the ideal sports model is someone who can impress fans and achieve greatness during games and at the same time keep his/her composure out in the real world and continue making good decisions. Kind of like Tim Tebow.
ReplyDeleteThurman Munson was one of the Yankee’s all-time greats and certainly a tragic hero as well. Munson was the Yankee captain following the death of former captain Lou Gehrig. In his 20s, he led the Yanks to 3 World Series titles while maintain around a .300 batting average each year. Munson won the Rookie of the Year award in 1970 by a landslide, he would go on to win an American League MVP award as well as become a 7-time all-star with a reputation for clutch performances in the World Series. Aside from baseball, Thurman’s other passion was flying planes. Unfortunately, that would lead to his death as he crashed a plane while practicing landing techniques. Thurman Munson, known as “the heart and soul of the New York Yankees” died at the age of 32 in 1979. He would be known as one of the greatest catchers of all time, unfortunately he was unable to establish his full potential with his life ending at age 32. The Yankees have since retired the number #15 if honor the tragic hero Thurman Munson.
I would consider that Len Bias was a tragic hero. He like so few people was on his way to be a great NBA basketball player. I think Len Bias had such a great downfall because of the time and mostly the friends that he hung out with. He was a good athlete in that he had an amazing talent to play basketball but it takes more to be a great athlete. You have to be that amazing person outside the court and do not do anything that will jeopardize you from being a great athlete.
ReplyDeleteSean Taylor a pro NFL player that played for the Redskins was on his way to be a Football Hall of Famer. After three and half years he was shot in the leg midseason. In his final years he became the hardest working, and biggest motivator on the team. When he died of complications of the gunshot wound he had an everlasting impact on the Redskins and Miami where he played College football.
I would have to agree that Len Bias is definitely a tragic hero. Here you have this amazing athlete destined for stardom who sadly passes away due to drug use before his career even begins, leaving us to wonder what could have been. Len embodied what I think greatness in sports is. He had immense talent and nobody can argue that, but he also had a passion for the game. It is impossible to become great if you don't have a passion for the game, the passion is what drives you and Len had that and worked his ass off to get him into a goo spot until he sadly made some bad choices. I think Len Bias was great.
ReplyDeleteAnother tragic story that comes to my mind is that of Drazen Petrovic. He was a legendary shooting guard and won many awards playing in Europe and made it to the NBA. He was drafted by the Blazers but due to their backcourt of Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter he had very limited playing time. He was then traded to the Nets where he exploded and averaged over 20ppg and became a dominant scorer while leading them to the playoffs. Sadly in 1993 after his best season(only 2nd as a net) he passed away in a car crash and we are again left wondering what could have been. He had the potential to become one of the best Europeans ever to play in the NBA
Len Bias is definitely a tragic hero, it is sad that he had to die so soon. It's really unfortunate to have so many people waiting for a player to achieve stardom and greatness, but they are not able to due to an unseen death. Being great consists of setting really big goals and working like crazy to reach those goals. Just like Len, a great athlete won't boast too much about their greatness and will continue to put forth their best effort every day - both on and off season.
ReplyDeleteA tragic story of an athlete is the Eagle's defensive tackle Jerome Brown. He was the heart of their defense along with another star athlete Reggie White. Brown also was voted to two Pro Bowls won two first all-pro selections.Sadly, he died in a car crash in 1992.Brown and White gave hope to Eagles who thought that they could win their first superbowl title with the help of Brown. Unfortunately, that couldn't happen due to the death of the all-star.
Len Bias is not a tragic hero he made his own down fall. He was in control of his actions. He could of been a great player but he decided that doing drugs wouldn't affect his career. Len could of been in control of his career but decided that drugs were more important. Being a great athlete means you dominate on the field and control yourself off the field. The response ability of the athlete is to be a role model for other people as well as a great player.
ReplyDeleteAnother tragic story is Kenny Hubbs who was a second basemen for the cubs from 1961- 1963. He won the rookie of the and the gold glove in 1962. He had a promising career as a great second basemen for the cubs. Unfortunately he died in a plane crash in 1964. He could of been an all star and maybe a great second basemen like Chase Utley but his career and life ended way to soon.
I think that Len Bias's story is a tragic hero story. He came from having everything he wanted, and finally having his dream come true, to passing away a couple days after. However, I think that Len Bias wasn't a tragic hero due to the fact that he had passed away at his own choices. It was 100% his fault because he was messing around with drugs that might have been slightly accepted in popular culture, but should never be used by an athlete. As we spoke earlier in class about athletes being here's, he has to understand that even if he doesn't want to, people will naturally look up to him. You could make an argument that Joe Paterno was a tragic hero because he was looked upon as a straightforward coach and honest, and once the scandle unfolded, it showed that it wasn't the case.
ReplyDeleteYes, len bias in my eyes should be considered a tragic hero he was one of the best college basketball players and many people looked up to him which is part of a great athlete. Also to be one of the greats you have to have a good stable life outside of the sport you play and you have to change your responsibility cause it can't be all just fun and games.
ReplyDeleteOn february 28, 1958 british european airways flight 609 attempted to depart to london, on its third attempt to take off on the snowy night from the slush-covered tarmac, the plane crashed and 20 of the 44 that were aboard were killed. Manchester uniteds entire team and coaching staff were on the plane.