When you think professional responsibility in sports, what do you think of? I think of charity work, good sportsmanship, media appearances and signing autographs for fans.
And, in light of recent gun-toting events in the NBA, I hate to say it, but Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton either have an extremely tainted view of professional responsibility, or they just flat out have none whatsoever.
Arenas and Crittenton, teammates on the Washington Wizards, were suspended this Wednesday for bringing firearms to the locker room at the Verizon Center. Apparently the two had gotten into a heated argument over a card game on a flight home from an away game, which continued over to the locker room where the two came packin’ heat.
David Stern, the NBA Commissioner, took firm action after completing a full investigation of the two players, and suspended them without pay for the rest of the season (Arenas will lose $9.9 million of his $16.2 million salary this year, and Crittenden will lose $686,000 of his $1.48 million salary) – the 3rd and 4th longest suspensions in NBA history.
There are explicit rules in the NBA and unwritten rules that are commonly understood in sports that players must follow, and Stern made an example of Arenas and Crittenton, proving that in order to participate, players must uphold a certain level of professionalism.
Let this be a lesson to you athletes out there – think of the locker room, the court or field, or really anywhere you go as your office. It is just like any other job – you need to carry yourself as a professional because you are one; but unlike other jobs, you are on the clock 24-7, 365. If you choose to act otherwise, there are consequences – you could be fined, suspended, arrested or worse.
We teach our clients that brands are about behavior. In order to have a marketable brand, athletes must act in a professional manner that represents both their personal brand and the image of their organization in a positive light. Every touch point is an opportunity to either reinforce or detract from your established brand.
Choose wisely.
