Since Gilbert Arenas was accused of confronting teammate Javaris Critteron with guns in the Washington Wizards’ locker room, he has suddenly found time to try his hand at becoming the next Dave Chappell. Arenas has made light of the incident with several outlandish Twitter messages and mocked the situation moments before the Washington Wizards faced off against the Philadelphia 76ers. Prior to tip-off, Arenas jokingly formed his hands in the shape of guns and pointed them at his teammates who huddled around him and laughed.
David Stern recently suspended Arenas without pay. Apparently, the possibility of being dismissed from the NBA and losing $100 million did not resonate with Arenas. His indifference could have been a defense mechanism, or arrogance blurred his reality. An NBA All-Star worth nearly a quarter of a billion dollars before the age of 30, he may have forgotten what it means to live the life of an average man. Money and status can cause a grounded individual to experience a damaging sense of invincibility. That’s why Arenas should cancel his Twitter account today and find a way to get in touch with Michael Vick and Plaxico Burress.
Vick and Burress were black millionaires before the age of 30 and lost it all due to their involvement with criminal activity. They will let Arenas know that the black American athlete is only a commodity that can be replaced at any moment. They will share with him the deafening quiet that comes with the loss of cheering fans. They will apprise him of how difficult life can be when millions of dollars are lost.
However, the most difficult part about having a sense of invincibility is the reluctance to listen. Arenas will likely continue to rely on his own advice and Twitt jokes until the reality of him losing all that he has worked for is no longer a laughing matter. –amir shaw
