Ex-Basketball Player, Essay Example

Thousands of athletes are forgotten about after their careers are over.  It is interesting the John Updike chose this as the topic for his poem “Ex-Basketball Player.”  In the poem, he describes the fame of Flick Webb in his heyday and contrasts it with his current status in society.  When Flick was a famous basketball player of the Wizards high school team, he was the best player.  The narrator of the poem remembers his skills vividly as he describes Flick’s hands as being comparable to wild birds.  Flick is remembered for his ability to put the basketball through the hoop and score many points each and every game.  However, the narrator never recalls Flick going to school or having any value for his education.  His life after basketball is nothing short of a waste of talent and potential.  Instead of amounting to something special, Flick now works at the local gas station pumping gas and checking the oil on cars.  The narrator does not even mention whether Flick has a family or a home.

This poem touches on a very serious issue in the United States.  Several athletes spend all of their time and energy working on the court or field and never concentrate on life after athletics.  A very small percentage of high school athletes even go on to play college athletics, and yet Flick is an example of a high school basketball star that went nowhere.  People need to realize that their potential lies in their off-the-court skills and abilities.  This does not mean that athletics does not have a place in our society.  In fact, it is a critical component of the entertainment that millions rely on each day, month and year.  The Super Bowl is the biggest sports event of the entire year where millions of individuals stop everything to watch two teams battle each other on the gridiron.  However, how many athletes spend their time dreaming of becoming a gas station attendant or the manager at McDonalds?  There is a life after sports, and athletes need to learn how to prepare for it.