There is Room for Emotion in Sports

Andrew Wiggins of The Golden State Warriors is under scrutiny after Game 5 on Monday, June 13th.

Some people think that his transformation into a person who gets more involved on the court is not a good thing, leading some to think that he has become too emotional.

However, it is not unusual for players in any sport to express emotion, and it is puzzling why Wiggins is being called out for it.

Thriving Takes Heart

We have all heard that it takes heart to become the person that you want to be. If anybody could make it onto a national sports team, it would not be as hard or rewarding.

A candidate has to pour hours of work each day, along with blood, sweat, and tears to even have the possibility of being good enough.

Such commitment requires a strong sense of self and the ability to recognize and express emotion, particularly frustration and anger during the process of getting there.

Wiggins came from Canada to get to the NBA. Not everyone has that work ethic.

Passion Drives the Worthwhile

If you want something badly enough, and you have committed countless hours and resources to the cause, you have to have passion and belief that what you are doing is worth it.

You can work all day, every day, but if you do not have the passion for your work and the belief in yourself and your cause, you will get burned out very quickly.

Wiggins shows his passion every game, which has led to confidence in himself and his team even before he sets foot on the court. Passion is fueled by emotion that he is entitled to feel, as is everyone else.

Potential Race Issue

There are countless videos of people objecting to a referee’s decision, yet nobody calls those people emotional.

Why then is Wiggins being called out for becoming more comfortable with expressing his emotions and objecting to referee decisions?

The answer could, unfortunately, be due to his race. Though there is no reason for it, people could be trying to paint Wiggins as unhinged because of the color of his skin. This is an egregious assumption that has no base in truth.

Dr. Jason Campbell of OHSU covers similar racial issues, and one of the areas he focuses on is sports. So this is not new, but it needs to stop. Every person feels emotion, regardless of the color of their skin.

The NBA finals are emotional. To have someone show more emotion than usual is not unheard of. There was no reason for Wiggins to have been called out for his emotions when every single player was probably the most fired up that they had ever been. It is the last game of the season.

When the buzzer sounds, that is it. Everyone is on the edge, from the players to the fans. At one of the most emotional points of the season, a player having emotion should be seen as no less than normal.

About The Author:

Steve Barker is an independent blogger and content writer. He is a pharmacist and nutritionist by profession. He has vast knowledge in the healthcare field. He loves to share his thoughts with his informative pieces and connect with the audience.