Since we are in the middle of March Madness, I thought it was appropriate to blog about one of the numerous NCAA commercials airing on television this month.
The lastest commercial from the NCAA aims to "break the myth" of student athletes being stereotyped as "dumb jocks." My first reaction to the commercial was WOW!! That is great!! I think this is mainly due to the fact that many NCAA or school focused commercials, whether it be for a specific division or a specific school, they are all the same. They all present the same information. "Our school is the best in ______ because we have ____ award winning professors on staff and strive to promote _____ in our students and our community as a whole." It's always the same message.
However, this commercial includes everybody and affects everyone that views it. Stereotyping is a huge problem in our society. We believe that men who are too feminine or wear tight pants are gay, women who like to play football or have short hair are lesbians, and that all blacks are out to get you or rob you. It's not right. But in college, and I can speak from personal experience, student athletes are stereotyped as being dumb and only in college to promote the program for which they play. Therefore, they are in the quote "easiest" majors. For example, at Marquette, most of the men's basketball team are Communication Majors.
I think that it is great that the commercial doesn't provide us with information such as I listed above, but instead gave us the facts. Facts that PROVE that the stereotype should not be a standard. It provides concrete evidence that student athletes are not dumb but in fact ARE improving. I say improving because yes, there are student athletes who could be stereotype as "dumb jocks," but not ALL of them are. It's getting better. I think this has a great deal to do with the importance of education now a days. Athletes, specifically basketball players, can't expect to go pro right after they graduate. Take Jerel McNeal, a Marquette Grad, who just this month...2 years after graduating, got a job in the NBA.
I could go on and on, but just watch the clip and see for yourself!
http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/NCAA/Resources/Latest+News/2011/March/NCAA+pushes+back+on+dumb+jock+myth
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