William C. Rhoden in “Seeing Through the Illusions of the Sports Hero” explores the concept of sports heroism and the characteristic elements that describe it — “emotion … propaganda … hypocrisy … [and] tragedy.”
I find it interesting that sports athletes are revered for their perfection and simultaneously, condemned for mistakes. I feel as though we are back in the times of Ancient Egypt, where the Pharaohs are considered divine Kings for as long as the Nile and the land surrounding it prospers. Should a calamity persist (i.e. drought), the Pharaoh is overtaken and replaced. Similarly, in the context of sports heroes, it is as if humanity has forgotten that to be human is to make mistakes. As seen in the case of Armstrong who is labelled
I find it interesting that sports athletes are revered for their perfection and simultaneously, condemned for mistakes. I feel as though we are back in the times of Ancient Egypt, where the Pharaohs are considered divine Kings for as long as the Nile and the land surrounding it prospers. Should a calamity persist (i.e. drought), the Pharaoh is overtaken and replaced. Similarly, in the context of sports heroes, it is as if humanity has forgotten that to be human is to make mistakes. As seen in the case of Armstrong who is labelled