The movie Hoop Dreams, along with several other movies
listed are good examples of how Hollywood portrays athletic success as the
ultimate and often only path of success for young African American males coming
out of inner cities. Movies like Hoop Dreams and the Blind Side often point to
athletic scholarships as the only plausible vehicle that African American males
are able to utilize to find success. There is a scene in Any Given Sunday when
Willie Beamen makes a rap video that is good example of the picture of success portrayed
by Hollywood. In the scene, Willie is
partying at his mansion poolside, and is seen with nice cars and beautiful
woman. This is often projected as what young African American males are
expected to aspire to and that athletics is the way to attain that lifestyle.
The
pursuit of this luxurious lifestyle and the fact that sports is an avenue to
attain it, is a good example of why sports are important in African American culture.
This is especially true for those who come from inner city, lower income areas,
and sports seem to be the only realistic way to escape that lifestyle.
I do
not believe that Sport is damaging Black Americans. It is possible that the stereotypes
associated with sports and black Americans is damaging to the respective
culture. It does somewhat perpetuate the myth of race because the stereotype
enforces the negative idea that black American’s can only truly be successful through
sports or music.
