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You've probably seen it by now. And if you haven't, you're better off leaving it to the imagination. MMA veteran and former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman had his leg turned into rubber in front of millions of eyeballs live on pay-per-view in UFC 261. Weidman had his routine leg kick checked by opponent Uriah Hall, which instantly shattered the bone in his right leg.
Chris Weidman's leg injury – A Harsh Reminder
Just like LeBron James, Patrick Mahomes, or superstars of any other sport, Weidman put himself in harm's way just for the entertainment of fans like us. They put on a spectacle night in and night out, and even spend every other night training for those moments behind closed doors.
Sure, they're paid handsomely for their efforts and talent, but that should come with the territory. As mere spectators, we often feel very much entitled to critique every move that these athletes make and scrutinize their motivations behind those moves too. But the reality fans need to remember, especially after Chris Weidman's gruesome accident, is that the world that they enter is different from the normal one.
Los Angeles Clippers star forward Paul George comes to mind. He drew a huge amount of flak for jumping ship from the Oklahoma City Thunder to go play for his home state in California. Fans were quick to burn him for his move, for his jersey, it was quite literal too. But looking at his decision from a different lens, he just made a very human choice that you and I wouldn't blink at making ourselves. A better job opportunity closer to home? Sign me up!
Then there was his poor play in the Disney Bubble playoffs. Fans mockingly referred to him as Playoff P or Pandemic P when his Clippers choked a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets. The man openly shared to the public that he deals with mental health issues, yet fans were just freely roasting him during some of the worst moments of his life. A life where he puts his healthy and safety on the line as well, just like Chris Weidman.
The two share more than just the average struggle of athletes, with George suffering an ugly leg injury of his own playing for Team USA nearly a decade prior.
Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean dealt with something similar just last year. He's been the butt of many internet jokes for his less-than-flattering performances the past few seasons, but he's taken them in stride. Grosjean no longer employed on any F1 team, but he'll forever be remembered as the man who survived one of the most horrific car crashes in the history of the sport.
The man nearly gave his life for the entertainment of viewing fans, the same ones who previously hurled insults at him on social media.
Athletes are often held to an absurd standard by the very fans that support them. Even just the smallest transgression could lead to widespread backlash that you and I will never understand ourselves. So when they make decisions that prioritize their own self, we shouldn't automatically label them selfish.
An athlete might choose the money over some additional salary cap space for the good of the team. He also might join some other great players for a better chance at a league title. They're just making the call that benefits themselves, one that we wouldn't hesitate in making for ourselves. The difference is, we don't millions of critics hawking over our shoulder telling us to choose otherwise.
It shouldn't take earth-stopping moments such as this car crash, a Team USA scrimmage mishap, or Chris Weidman's freak injury to remind us that our sporting idols are human too.
