Last week, the world sat on the sidelines watching the Los Angeles Lakers’ infamous star, Ron Artest also known as Metta World Peace, purposefully delivered an elbow that gave Oklahoma City guard James Harden a concussion. Along with the nation, I was shocked and horrified watching the game replay. Was this any way for a leading athlete to conduct himself?
During a contentious National Basketball Association (NBA) playoff game, he chalked up his action to being caught up in the emotion of the slam dunk he had just made. Seriously! Sports leaders celebrate victories in so many ways ranging from “high fives” to chest-beating to gleeful exchanges with colleagues. Any leader should keep his or her wits and maintain composure because the world is watching.
Leaders should also hold fast to their reputation and name. My grandfather used to call it owning up to your “good name” consistently. Mr. World Peace fails repeatedly to earn respect of his ironic name. Unfortunately, he has a track record of flagrant fouls and violent outbursts that earned him more than 13 suspensions throughout his NBA career. The outrageous Malice at the Palace episode, for instance, shows him charging random fans.
Finally, leaders should own up to wrongdoing. Mr. World Peace did not act remorseful until confronted and then he made excuses. For his egregious violation last week, Mr. World Peace received a seven-game suspension. With this slap on the wrist and lenient sanction, it shows other NBA players and future sports leaders that they can clamor to the top and stay there. Nominal financial sanctions and temporary blacklisting will sideline a player for a misdeed. But, super athletes are paid millions for their leadership. How does a financial sanction or game-suspension really teach the lesson that needs to be learned? Yet I digress.
In a few months or by next season, there will be excuses about the behavior by Mr. World Peace. Why not toss him from the league completely? If he stays, does his presence really set an example for aspiring basketball players? Is this sanction all that happens? Does the lack of a more drastic penalty show that there is no moral barometer?
Until our leaders, organizations, and coaches take courageous steps as leaders in the sports industry then outrageous behavior will persist. Metta World Peace is just one of numerous sports figures out of control who need to step from the court, field, ice, ring, track, course, or floor to get help. Until that happens, we can all forget about real world peace.
Dawn McCoy
Author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success
