Did athletes become dumber?

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

All that's changed is the regularity of technology and the number of players who now have a 'voice'.

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

The Leonhard Euler of the NFL.

 

[Originalman]

I get what the O.P. is referring to..... if you look at any footage on any brother/sister getting interviewed during the 60's or 70's, they come off naturally sociable, personable, and even camera savvy.....

The bottom line is, even in the poorest households, speech, presentation, and decorum were often practiced... and we as a people have gotten away from that....

Thing is back then they were taught to be presentable every time they were on television. This is not stressed to athletes as often as before.

But you can look at old footage and see players who didn't speak well also. I also believe that now the kids who are going to be stars (such as the NBA) are more polished in terms of corporate polish. They do not present themselves as the well rounded kats like Jim Brown and Kareem. But even if they are the handlers and the leagues do not want them to present themselves that way because a black athlete on those lines of intelligence isn't gonna push product like say a MJ or 70s none threatening OJ Simpson will.

Also Vescey this is a product of the dumbing down of America. I deal with this all the times dealing with kids. You can see it just by watching TV and the stupid shyt that is on with no social commentary. But hey in order to sell folks tons of shyt they don't need you must make them stupid.

 

[Originalman]

from what I understand Jordan didn't come into the league polished

He developed that after he became a Madison avenue darling

He didn't......they cleaned his speech up.

 

[Streetcar]

I was thinking the exact opposite watching Jordan's draft video just yesterday. He almost sounded like he was slurring.

 

[R.E.N. Spells Ren]

Articulation is pretty indicative of intelligence even if not dispositive. I've never known a smart person who wasnt good with words.

Visit MIT when you have a chance.

 

[CrimsonTider]

You hear more athletes now

I think this is what is distorting your opinion

 

[intruder]

Perhaps this is not indicative of intelligence but I can't think of a better word for it. I randomly saw an old mj video maybe on Letterman and his thought process was so coherent and well executed and then I saw some other videos of other people from that era and they were all great. You'd think in this era of cameras being everywhere that current athletes would be better or something but they speak like they don't have two brain cells to rub together. What do you think? is it educational standards? or maybe this current generation is just not used to speaking for prolonged periods because of technology?

No.

I'd say overall they are smarter if anything. They make smarter decisions with their money too. It's just that some will have "n!gga moments" and relapse because the lifestyle of what they see among their peers (people they grew up with) will yank them back to dumb sh!t. Kids from this generation don't know ho to act

 

[MooseMouthMthafuga]

Perhaps this is not indicative of intelligence but I can't think of a better word for it. I randomly saw an old mj video maybe on Letterman and his thought process was so coherent and well executed and then I saw some other videos of other people from that era and they were all great. You'd think in this era of cameras being everywhere that current athletes would be better or something but they speak like they don't have two brain cells to rub together. What do you think? is it educational standards? or maybe this current generation is just not used to speaking for prolonged periods because of technology?

Yeah....But they're better 3pt shooters, tho

 

[TransJenner]

Social media fukking this generation up , and everyone wants to come off as "cool"