Sports and Ethnicity.

Sport in African American culture is extremely significant. It is perceived by many as an opportunity for individuals to have social mobility. It is also promotes interracial harmony. Sports in a black community provides opportunities such as a chance to access higher education or just a way to stay out of trouble from drugs and gangs. The way black athletes are portrayed in Hollywood is completely inaccurate if you compare it to the documentary hoop dreams. In Hollywood films the black athlete typically always starts at the very bottom and then makes it to the top thanks to their athletic ability. Hoops dreams shows us that is not always the case. There are countless number of obstacles these athletes are forced to face and hopefully overcome. Take for example the movie "He got Game" starring future NBA hall of famer Ray Allen and Oscar award winning Denzel Washington. Ray Allen is a basketball prodigy growing up, but his father Jake goes to jail for murdering his wife (Ray's mom) at the age of 12. So Ray is forced to take care of his little sister while living in a broken home with no mother or father figure. He then becomes the top prospect in the country and every big division school wants him. Similar to hoop dreams the two athletes were also from low socioeconomic statues but were seen as prodigy basketball players. In hoop dreams they faced obstacles such as injuries and not living up to expectations, things that happen all the time in the real world. In films however none of that ever becomes a factors. The athletes always make it solely on their ability.
I dont believe that sport is damaging or preserving the myth of race, but rather the stereotypes and media associated with these sports. The constant reinforcement of these old stereotypes makes it hard for us to debunk the racial myths.