When you’re a sport celebrity, there’s nothing that you
can do, (good or bad) that will go unseen. Our society is filled with people who
are just waiting for you to fail. Former Los Angeles Lakers power forward,
Lamar Odom, has recently been in the media over his DUI and drug scandal. On
August 30th, Odom was arrested for driving under the influence, and
was later accused of taking cocaine. Just recently, Odom took to Twitter to
express his thoughts on the issue; he blames his father for his unfortunate downfall.
In an extended tweet he stated, “Won't continue 2 speak on this but I have got
2 let this out real quick. I have let this man and many others get away with a
lot of (expletive). He wasn't there 2 raise me. He was absent ALL of my life
due to his own demons. My mother and grandmother raised me. Queens raised me.”
I’ve always been a huge fan of Odom since he was first
traded to the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2004-2005 season. During the years he wore purple and gold, he played some of the best basketball of his
career. In the process, he gained the most valuable and compassionate fans that
an NBA player could ask for. Not to mention, he gained even more fans after tying
the knot with TV celebrity, Khloe Kardashian. Since Odom’s incident, I feel
that it will be extremely hard for him to recreate a positive image for himself; he’ll
be criticized as just another professional athlete that let money and fame get
to their head. It’s sad to think about, but instances like these happen every day
for pro athletes. Since Odom left the Lakers and hopped from the Mavericks to the
Clippers, he lost a vast amount of his charisma and passion for the game. With
NBA training camp right around the corner, Odom has yet to sign with
any team. Which makes us wonder: will he ever play again?
Furthermore, if Odom plans on getting his life back on track, I would highly recommend that he get involved with the community. By getting involved with the community (community relations) to talk about substance abuse and driving under the influence, I feel that he would regain a lot of respect back from the public. This is also were social media comes into play. For instance, if Odom were to attend a high school to talk about substance abuse, pictures could be taken and posted all over Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It's all about releasing a positive image. This all might sound easy, but in reality, gaining respect is not going to happen in a blink of an eye; it's going to take time. Ultimately, Odom's goal is to show the public that he did in fact go through a hard time, but was able to persevere and become a better individual.
I agree with you in a lot of respects. Lamar Odom is clearly going through a hard time in his life, which everyone does go through in their own way.
ReplyDeleteImagine if our roughest moments in life were publicized. I think he is probably trying to regain himself before he decides to play again.
There might also be the possibility that no one wants him due to this drama and ultimately the risk that this will affect the way he plays.
I think you are on the right track when you mention the things he could be doing to regain his image. This will take a lot of work for him to do but if he really wants it I believe he can do it. Everyone loves to see celebrities fall down but I think there is also a large amount of people that like to see them get back up.
I agree with Lisa when said that we love to see celebrities get back up and redeem them selves after a scandal. I really think he will be able to bounce back after this is over. Michele you made some point when you said he could use community relations to build his image again. I think it would look really good if he becomes a advocate for trouble youth, with his background he could relate to troubled kids. I also think he should start playing again because I miss him for the Lakers:) point
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