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Being either popular or notorious carries with it a certain degree of exposure to the public. I was told, during the Vietnam War, that it was wise if I traveled in civilian clothes from California back home because of the anti-war activists who sometimes had a tendency to "act out." Kind of a nice way of saying you could get the crap beat out of you if you wore your uniform. I learned early that standing out from others isn't necessarily a good idea.
I brought away from that an understanding that people probably don't want to draw attention to themselves for some reason, but would rather maintain their privacy. I chose to respect that in others, and demand it of others for myself.
Where Green Bay always stood out as different than most areas is that in small towns, everyone knows everyone else, and therefore "The Jones boy" could be President of the United States, but in his home town he's still "The Jones boy, who done good for himself." He can go to the local barber shop, stop at a bar for a short one, or go into the Shopko to pick up a few items for at home, without being mobbed, or affronted.
What's changing now is social media, and the crap that people deal out about players. For some it's pure love of everything they do, as if they were living gods. In the media, so called fans also treat others like they were the scum of the earth because they aren't "perfect in the fan's eyes." Even being respected one day turns to pure anger and hatred in a lot of fans the moment that "living god" is shown to have feet of clay.
I try to avoid getting caught up in that "anger" that sometimes comes out. It's not fair to the players. Imagine each of us, if you will, being treated like fans treat players. That pretty well sums up why most players, and ex-players, avoid interaction with people in the media. It just isn't worth the heartache from the disrespect for the person themselves.
I brought away from that an understanding that people probably don't want to draw attention to themselves for some reason, but would rather maintain their privacy. I chose to respect that in others, and demand it of others for myself.
Where Green Bay always stood out as different than most areas is that in small towns, everyone knows everyone else, and therefore "The Jones boy" could be President of the United States, but in his home town he's still "The Jones boy, who done good for himself." He can go to the local barber shop, stop at a bar for a short one, or go into the Shopko to pick up a few items for at home, without being mobbed, or affronted.
What's changing now is social media, and the crap that people deal out about players. For some it's pure love of everything they do, as if they were living gods. In the media, so called fans also treat others like they were the scum of the earth because they aren't "perfect in the fan's eyes." Even being respected one day turns to pure anger and hatred in a lot of fans the moment that "living god" is shown to have feet of clay.
I try to avoid getting caught up in that "anger" that sometimes comes out. It's not fair to the players. Imagine each of us, if you will, being treated like fans treat players. That pretty well sums up why most players, and ex-players, avoid interaction with people in the media. It just isn't worth the heartache from the disrespect for the person themselves.
