Money Doesn't Buy Class - The Straw That Stirs the Drink
My partner, sports trivia nerd, believes that it was coined in 1973 by Howard Cosell. It was in reference to OJ Simpson becoming the first person in a single season rushing for 2000+ yards. I just had to break the news to my partner today that he was incorrect in his sports trivia and the phrase was coined in the early 1980s and not used complimentary.
So, even though he is incorrect, I am still going with my partner's version. OJ Simpson was, at one time, a man who seemingly had everything. Unlimited resources, the adulation of a nation, the fountain of youth. Rich and powerful. He only lacked one thing. Class. Perhaps society is partly to blame. OJ grew up poor and despite his material wealth, he never really felt he belonged in the country club society of old money. It is too bad that he put so much attention on societal expectations and cared about that. His life might have been better had he not. His lack of class is evident now to those who care to still follow him. An aged has been not motivated to be a dad to his children and to show up in the bad part of Vegas gorging on junk.
Again, I can't help think that society bears some responsibility not for OJ, but for other athletes that we showered with material wealth only to not be able to handle it and to end up in bad places. Instant wealth does not buy class. Anything that comes easy doesn't automatically lead to good decisions. It is not just sports celebrities. Look at successful child actors. They often peak too soon and are alone when the money dries up.
But, there is hope. The new generation of sports celebrities seem to have been prepared for their success. They seem more grounded. They seem to understand that their celebrity comes with responsibilities to give back and pay forward.
Take Kawhi Leonard. Oh, that is right, you already have Clippers. As sad as We The North are about this, the #ThanksKawhi is very popular. That is because Kawhi has class. When he signed with us, he told us upfront it would be for a year. Kawhi realized he was going to be displacing Kyle Lowry as Superstar so he phoned him up and said, "let's make history". Class Act. He engaged with Toronto all year. He made us believe. He made history for us and was modest about it. He partied with us with the same sincerity and intensity that we had. He gave us a chance to persuade him to stay. His decision was about his family and not about us. He wasn't running away from us, he was running to something. That seems to check off my boxes for class.
I asked my partner not to call me the straw that serves the drink a few years ago when we realized how many straws are ending up in landfills. Apparently, Starbucks is spending millions trying to develop a more environmentally friendly straw. I'm not overly impressed since a relatively small company of A + W have already mastered this. Apparently, in America, it is easier to get a gun than a straw. I'm not positive of that since I usually make a point of asking for no straw, but they give me one anyway.
Regardless, no one thinks OJ is a hero, even though he did some pretty amazing things in his sports life. It is not how much money you have, it is what you do with it that determines if you have class. Think of that when you are stirring your drink.
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