Discussions from last Tuesday's class referred to athletes such as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant as ones who transcended 'race.' One of the athletes who we didn't get to talk about was O.J Simpson. In my eyes, Simpson did similar things that Jordan did as he was a superstar athlete in college and in the pros. After winning the Heisman Trophy at USC, he went on to become an elite running back with the Buffalo Bills or 'America's Team.' With the Bills, he became the first running back in history to rush for more than 2000 yards in one season. He also played in 6 Pro-Bowls and became a member of the NFL Hall of Fame in 1985. Off the field, however was where he transcended 'race' as he went on to become the spokesperson for Hertz Rental Car Company and also owned two Pioneer Chicken franchises. His career also carried over to the movie theaters as he appeared in The Naked Gun Trilogy in which he was a decent actor who seemed to fit each role perfectly as another member of a bumbling Los Angeles Police Squad. My overall point is that straight out of college, he became a beloved hero for people of all ages as he seemed to 'do it all' and was flawless at every task he had his hands in. That is why, when it came out that he had murdered his wife and his wife's friend, the entire country was shocked. It created a stir that everyone tuned in to watch on just about every major news network during the summer of 1994. Although it was a horrendous crime and I do believe O.J got away with the murder of two people, it remains as evidence on the effect Simpson had on the entire country.
-Chris Cournan
Hey Chris great post.
ReplyDeleteOJ seems to still be a relevant topic even though the alleged murders were 18 years ago. OJ certainly did seem to transcend race since everyone loved him for his football skills, his acting skills, and his ability to talk to a room. Ironically, after the trial OJ seemed to split race right down the middle. White people seemed upset that he was found not guilty and Black people seemed upset about the racism displayed by the police department. If you have not seen the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary about OJ Simpson and the famous Bronco chase i highly recommend checking that out.
Aaron Mehling
Thanks for sharing this entry about O.J. Simpson. I remember watching the "Bronco chase" while speaking with a friend from CA. Several years earlier I had lived not far from the neighborhood where Nicole Simpson had lived so I was familiar with all of the sites they were airing. What struck me most while watching that Bronco ride was how many people were cheering "the Juice" on, without much regard for the ramifications of what had happened - even though the murders were still "alleged" as Aaron pointed out. I will definitely check out the 30 for 30 documentary, so thanks for suggesting that too.
ReplyDeleteDr. Spencer