Cowboys Cornerback Makes Foolish Statement
There is a common misconception that happens between fans, writers, and athletes. Regardless of who incorrectly believes it in a given situation, non of the parties listed are infallible in their arena. Also, it's possible for one of them to have at least a rudimentary understanding of what the others do. This reality is apparently lost on Cowboys Cornerback Trevon Diggs.
After the team's 30-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football, Diggs chose to go after a reporter for a tweet made during the game. WFAA reporter Mike Leslie Leslie posted a video of Diggs casually jogging up the field during a George Kittle reception in the third quarter. His comment over the video was, "What is Trevon Diggs doing on this play?"
After the game, Diggs came out of the locker room to confront Leslie, stating, "You don't know football. You can't do nothing that I do. You can't do nothing. Stay in your lane, buddy. Stop playing me bro."
There is that crazy idea that athletes have. If someone can't do what they do, they shouldn't be able to comment on it. To an even greater, egotistical length, that if someone can't do what they do, then they don't know anything about the sport.
Sports history is littered with examples proving that sentiment false. Bill Belichick never played professional football. Despite that, he criticized and taught Lawrence Taylor (a player who can do things Bill Belichick could never do). LeBron James is one of the greatest basketball players to ever live, and yet, Erik Spoelstra, who never played professional basketball, was responsible for making James better.
Sports writers can't do what the athletes can, but they can comment on it. It's the benefit of having eyes and a brain. If Diggs has ever watched a movie or listened to a song, and commented about whether it was good or bad, then he is a hypocrite. After all, Diggs is not a recording artist, nor has he ever worked in Hollywood, so he should probably stay in his lane, and not have an opinion about anything other than football.
Here's a better idea. How about fans, writers, and athletes do what they want in the realm of questioning and criticizing. If they hap[pen to find themselves in the crosshairs of criticism, they can take it like an adult, not a baby in a diaper. On second thought, that may be too much to ask of self-important athletes.