Rhetorical Analysis: Should Character Matter In Pro Sports

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American athletes perform on the largest stages in the world. These players make hundred of millions of dollars yearly which can ultimately lead to a dangerous sense of entitlement. The driving force in team selection has become the ability to maximize team performance rather than the character of the overall player. Players such as Ray Rice, John Brown, and Aaron Hernandez have all shown poor acts of judgement and questionable character traits yet progressed to the National League due to their on-field performance. Character is defined as the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual. The trail of teams who have placed performance over personal integrity has led to repeated scandals and violence across all sports. Many sports …show more content…
Cuban's experience in evaluating players and decisive selection of which players will ultimately succeed on and off the court has led to the strength of his overall brand. Cuban says, “A quality team that cares about character can have a significant influence and, with the right support system, can get that player to turn the corner and be a professional on the court and a good citizen off” (Cuban). Cuban’s evidence deals with both the logos and ethos of the argument. According to Cuban, he believes that a player should be looked at extensively before signing and have a great support system behind them once they are signed. His credibility as a team owner and his use of rhetorical devices make his argument valid and worth taking notice. Cuban argues that the character of a player has recently appeared to be a non-factor in the decisions of professional sports teams in the hiring of new athletes. However, the headlines and legal proceedings that have followed some of the most controversial hires appear to have damaged the very teams they were supposed to benefit. The past actions of a player should indeed be used as a factor in determining an athlete's potential future with a new team as it is most certainly in the best interest of the team to protect its brand. In the article, “Teams Can Make a Difference If They Care About Behavior" the author discusses how teams are often overlooking the character of a player in order to get their ultimate goal, winning

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