In March, as coverage of the NCAA basketball tournament blankets the airwaves, we are reminded that, more than any other field of human endeavor, sports provides our heroes. As early as grade school, star athletes emerge as our most admired peers and, by college, rabid fans wear the jersey of their favorite player, signaling both their infatuation with that athlete and their personal identification with his or her accomplishments.
Indeed, unlike members of other professions, athletes enjoy a fan base that is emotionally invested in their success or failure. While the fans of musicians or actors may admire their work, extending both the gift and curse of celebrity, fans of athletes often sense a partnership with their heroes; in their minds, they are members of that player's team, sharing in the joy of victory and the agony of defeat. Through their cheers, rituals and energy, fans actively participate in the contest and, as a consequence, become emotionally connected with the athletes.
This human tendency to anoint sports heroes, thereby basking in their glory, is fraught with danger for both the athlete and the fan. Placed on a pedestal for their athletic talents, these heroes are almost certain to fail in some aspect of their life; they are, after all, humans, often having emerged from a disadvantaged childhood and ill-equipped to deal with their celebrity. In response, devoted fans feel betrayed and the blow to their self-esteem is redirected toward their fallen hero; his or her reputation, once embellished, now becomes a target of ridicule.
