Are Athletes Really Dumb?

This could not be further from the truth

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash.

Some people say that athletes are dumb, not intelligent, they can’t speak, they can’t express themselves, and so on.

Whenever I hear that — I feel like someone just pushed a knife right into my heart because it is so far from the truth.

And besides, some of the most intelligent people I know come from athletic backgrounds.

It’s not that I care about what others say. However, I hate that this terrible misconception is out there. And I hope that sharing my thoughts in this story will help you understand that.

It is important that we are on the same page when I say intelligence.

For me, intelligence is not how many historical facts you know, how many muscles you can name in the human body, or how many countries you can name in Africa.

It is only the facade of the building, and it is easy to learn if you put enough time in. However, the foundation of intelligence is skills that can take years to build.

Skills like adaptability, communication, ability to work in a team environment are the meaningful skills that nurture success, and the best part is that sports help you to develop them like nothing else.

I named only three of a dozen skills, but I want to take you on a journey. So, you can see how sports taught me those exact skills and why it is almost impossible to learn them in university.

I first moved to another country to play basketball at the age of 16, and my English skills, to say the least, were questionable. So, the language barrier was the first challenge.

I have always been self-sufficient, but I didn’t test it till I moved away from home. Easy home chores became my second challenge, and the third and biggest challenge was having no friends or family around for a whole basketball season.

Who experienced the biggest leap of growth?

A student who studied books all year from the comfort of his home so he or she could pass the exams?

Or an athlete who stepped out of his comfort zone and learned a language, learned how to adapt, and learned how to communicate better?

Of course, the book-studying student became more knowledgeable about the topic he or she was studying, but the athlete became knowledgeable in life.

This example shows, that, as athletes, we are not dumb. Quite the opposite, only our intelligence comes in different ways, as well as the skillset we bring to the table.

I think the media and television were the main facilitators of why people started thinking of athletes as dumb.

I will give you an example. You just finished a basketball game, your heart rate is 190 beats per minute, and you lost.

You are heading to the locker room, but then a reporter comes up, puts the microphone in your face, and asks you a very standard question — Why did you lose the game?

Of course, the player won’t be able to say something reasonable. He is with an elevated heart rate, in the heat of a moment, mad about his performance, and you want an intelligent interview?

Try to sprint up the hill and then give a great interview. I bet it won’t be that easy.

Anyway, people watching the game on TV might say look at him — he can’t even put a sentence together, and all those curse words he is so vulgar.

Photo by Jacob Rice on Unsplash

Thankfully, the media has experienced tremendous growth, and now athletes can express themselves fully through long-form interviews, podcasts, and shows.

Another reason why people may say something like “shut up and dribble” is because of jealousy. They can’t stand their lifestyle, so they project negativity to others.

Sometimes, people don’t understand why athletes get paid so much, and they think that is undeserved.

They fail to see all the work behind the scenes, and the positive impact athletes have on society by serving as role models.

I think there’s also beauty in trying to master a craft, spending hours watching the film, practicing certain moves to perfection, and figuring out what works best for you.

It doesn’t matter what you try to perfect — a golf swing, a backhand in tennis, or a pull-up jumper on a basketball court.

Later on, if you decide to pivot in your career, you just put the obsession elsewhere. You might go from perfecting the swim stroke to perfecting your business.

I hope this article helped you understand that you can’t just put a label on someone without even knowing the person.

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