In the category, Sports debates that EVERYONE has a passionate opinion about, here’s an all-time classic: “How much do pro athletes owe to fans?”
See, you’re already getting hot under the sports collar, aren’t you? Way at one end of the spectrum are a legion who can answer in one word, “Nothing.” Way over at the other end are those that believe entertainers would be poor shlubs like the rest of us without an adoring, merch-and-ticket-buying public, so they owe a hell of a lot, and they best not forget it.
Those of us who prefer a bit of nuance to our opinions will rightly ask, “What is meant by ‘owe?'” Is it speaking to the media? Is it personal interaction with fans? Is it pushing back against abusive fanatics? Is it being a role model? Is it using their voice for activism? Or purposely refraining from using their voice for activism? Is it avoiding scandal? Is it harnessing fame for charitable causes? Is it revealing painful personal details to bring awareness to a cause? Or, as Ethyl Merman sang, is it smiling when you are low?
The answer, of course, is none of the above, all of the above, or cherry-picking the most relevant of the above.
Here’s a different question. What in the Wide, Wide World of Sports does any of this have to do with Seattle Kraken goalie Joey Daccord? Well, wherever you land on the spectrum of the obligations of the pro athlete, you’ll likely find something to like in Daccord’s opinion for this Kraken Reaction.