I remember when I was in my 20s, and kickboxing on the amateur circuit. I would occasionally go to open martial arts tournaments. The kind where you could do forms, or spar or both. Most often, the prize for winning was a trophy that got bigger the higher you placed. In those tournaments, you'd have people that'd come out and fight just for the love of their art, like I did. But when the tourney offered up money as a prize, an entirely different type of "participant" would come out fo the woodwork. And this'd not necessarily be a good thing. Firstly, they would be far better fighters than those who fought for trophies, (as though they only deigned to join those tourneys that offered money) but also, the entire atmosphere of the tournament would take on, to me, a much more "businesslike" and altogether unpleasant air. And I did not like it. In addition, the attitude of said fighters seemed to be one of incredible cockiness and arrogance. I remember one tournament that I went to while I lived in the UK that was held in Manchester, and one that offered a fairly sizable cash prize. As the fight for first place finished, the winner, AT THE VERY MOMENT HE WAS GIVEN THE WINNING POINT, said "Money!" as in, "Where's my". Not shake hands with the other fighter. He didn't congratulate the other guy. He didn't raise his hands in victory, he turned immediately to the gentleman who was putting the tournament on (a wonderful man named Master Raymond Goh) and said simply "Money!". This sickened me. I wonder if amateur boxers run into this same attitude when they go pro? I know it had a lot to do with me not going pro. Instead I quit my kickboxing career at 11-0-1, and never regretted it. Just curious as to what you guys think about this. Have you encountered this type of attitude change? Or is it all in my head?
Nice post, I agree with your thoughts of how money can really change not only the environmnet but the person.
While I certainly agree with the first post in that context, I must say that we as fans of sports are completely irrational. The range of personalities in any enviornment where people are paid to do what they do is usually much more serious than an environment where people are volunteering. I think that's what creates the biggest dissonance amongst fans and professional athletes. We see everything in he eyes of what we want for our biggest enjoyment. They see things in terms of what they need for earning a living, long term enjoyment of their life, family security (if that is a priority), or just how much money they squeeze out of a given situation. Neither position is wrong, but we FEEL like the other side is wrong. But make no mistake; we are no different, and would behave the same way.
Nice post. I'm sure anyone who has competed at a high level of any sport can relate to that. However, despite the fact it ruined the atmosphere you (and most likely others) enjoyed, the money significantly raised the level of competition.
Hoss- good post, money does make people act a different way. Whenever money is involved people take things more serious, not just in sports, but in real life as well. I remember kids back in highschool getting into fights over a dollar when kids use to flip quarters, I remember this one kid bending over to pick up his dollar and getting decked by the other kid.
Blah. Some people love their sport so much that they want nothing more than to make a living from it. Especially with your kickboxing scenario, Floyd Jr. obviously has no problems whatsoever making ends meet, but a pro kickboxer in the UK might be having a lot more trouble making anything.
