Law in sports is not new. We see this every day, especially in the age of social media. Whether it’s the participating athletes, organizations or fans, everyone feels entitled to something. San Francisco’s 95.7 The Game morning show touched on a sensitive topic Wednesday morning, asking whether Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins owes fans an explanation for his extended absence.
The station’s morning show, dubbed Fried in the morningposted this chat now deleted tweet and lit up social media afiery Of course, it sparked a debate that bled over to the show, with fans calling in to voice their opinions. Most fans want what they want and can only see what benefits them.
We won’t generalize because some fans understand that this is probably a very serious time that Wiggins is going through. But too many are worried about the betting benefits or how it affects the team’s championship aspirations. Take a look at the comments on the above twitter post and you will see exactly how insensitive some people can be.
Another aspect of this situation is the station, 95.7 The Game, and whether this should even be up for discussion. The team has been tight-lipped about Wiggins and hasn’t released much information about their teammate. Required Fried in the morning you’re even allowed to get into this thread knowing where something like this can lead, especially through social media.
Warriors General manager Bob Myers went that afternoon and gave his thoughts on Wiggins’ absence.
“I haven’t heard anything that he won’t come back. There’s speculation about it, but I haven’t been told, “hey, look, I’m not coming back.” No one told me that.”
“Nothing is different from before. Same answer… We have to respect him and his life and his privacy.”
That should be enough for anyone wondering what’s going on with Wiggins. But of course for some it won’t. It’s not just the fans, it’s members of the media who feel players owe an explanation for every little thing that happens in their lives. Sure, we all have work to do, but sometimes some things just need to be left alone. Not everything has to be for public consumption. Yes, that’s what the social media vibe dictates, but you don’t always have to follow suit.
Privacy has become so sacred that we’ve all lost some of ours over the past decade with the emergence of so many social media platforms. So many players in every sport, even down to the high school level, live every moment publicly. It’s not always a conscious choice to do so. Back to Antonio Brown going live on Facebook while still a Pittsburgh Steeler. Those other players didn’t choose to be photographed in the locker room immediately after the game, whether they were fine or not.
Not everything should be consumed by the masses. We’d all like to know what goes on behind the scenes with Andrew Wiggins. Some genuinely care about his well-being, but if Wiggins sees fit to keep it private, that should be respected. End of discussion.