College “cheer” On Netflix: It’s A Hit

[Sterling von Shimmer]

This article got plenty of attention on Twitter, with most agreeing to what’s being said.
The Athletes of 'Cheer' Deserve Better - The Atlantic

Here’s the tweet by the author:

This is masterfully done concern trolling.

It’s also slightly misogynistic cheer hate (is there any other kind?) but I’ll hand it to her: this writer does “but what about the children?” really well. All to imply that cheerleading itself is problematic, not the sports culture that helped create it. I’d be embarrassed for her if I wasn’t so annoyed.

This writer’s main gripe is that Navarro athletes are expected to power through significant injuries. She does acknowledge that this expectation is a widespread problem in “American youth sports,” but then places the blame for it all at Monica’s feet. Which is weird because she loudly proclaims to love college football, a sport where athletes are expected to play injured all the time (among countless others). Yet Monica incurs her wrath for expecting the same from her athletes. Why? Because she’s a woman? Because she coaches cheerleading? Both? It’s the same old sexist BS: when the boys do it, it’s fine. When the girls do it, it’s a problem.

Her conclusion is: cheer is dangerous because it doesn’t receive the same recognition and resources that other college sports teams do — medical staff, etc. — so doing what they do in light of that is irresponsible because it can lead to injuries. This is true. Cheerleading doesn’t get any of the perks that “real” sports get even though it really should. But the writer doesn’t attack that problem; she attacks Monica for reacting to it and making do with what she has. She scorns Monica for pushing her athletes to perform while injured — which again, happens all the time in college football, a sport the writer claims to follow — because that’s what it takes to win these days. If she doesn’t push her athletes to practice while injured — resources or no — then the next team will. And they’ll be the ones who are successful. THAT’s a real problem... one that this writer overlooks if the “boy” sports buy into it, but stoutly rejects when the female coach of a largely female team tries to do the same. Because it’s much easier to target a petite blonde woman instead of a faceless epidemic that affects all sports and the athletes involved in them. And that would be an article that would require actual research instead of b****y ad hominem BS, so not something I think we’ll be seeing from this writer anytime soon.

This writer may have had good points, but for me it’s all completely overshadowed by her transparent ridicule of cheer and her thinly-veiled disdain for a woman who dares to be good at it.

Sorry for the mouthiness but I’m so sick of BS hot takes from people who don’t know what they’re talking about. But that’s twitter for you.

 

[luv2cheer92]

This is masterfully done concern trolling.

It’s also slightly misogynistic cheer hate (is there any other kind?) but I’ll hand it to her: this writer does “but what about the children?” really well. All to imply that cheerleading itself is problematic, not the sports culture that helped create it.

Her main gripe is that Navarro athletes are expected to power through significant injuries. She does have the foresight to acknowledge that it’s a widespread problem in “American youth sports,” but then places the blame for all of it at Monica’s feet. Which is weird because she loudly proclaims to love college football, a sport where athletes are expected to play injured all the time (among countless others). Yet Monica incurs her wrath for expecting the same from her athletes. Why? Because she’s a woman? Because she coaches cheerleading? Both? It’s the same old sexist BS: when the boys do it, it’s fine. When the girls do it, it’s a problem.

This writer may have had good points, but for me it’s completely overshadowed by her transparent ridicule of cheer and her thinly-veiled disdain for a woman who dares to be good at it.

Her conclusion is: cheer is dangerous because it doesn’t receive the same recognition and resources that other college sports teams do — medical staff, etc. — so doing what they do in light of that is irresponsible because it can lead to injuries. This is true. Cheerleading doesn’t get any of the perks that “real” sports get even though it really should. But the writer doesn’t attack that problem; she attacks Monica for reacting to it and vilifies her for making do with what she has. She scorns Monica for pushing her athletes to perform while injured — which again, happens all the time in college football... a sport the writer claims to “love” and follow — because that’s what it takes to win these days. If she doesn’t push her athletes to practice while injured — resources or no — the next team will, and they’ll be the ones who are successful. THAT’s a real problem; one that this writer overlooks if the “boy” sports buy into it, but then stoutly rejects when the female coach of largely female sports team tries to do the same. Because it’s much easier to target a petite blonde woman instead of a faceless epidemic that affects all sports and the athletes involved in them. But that’s an article that would require actual research instead of b****y ad hominem BS, so.

Sorry for the mouthiness but I’m so sick of BS hot takes from people who don’t know what they’re talking about. But that’s twitter for you.

Same. I'm just glad it seems that just about everyone agrees that this article is ridiculous.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[UCFKnights07]

i mean the only alarming thing is the bit about the supposed "assistant coach/volunteer" and sexual harrassment.

 

[SL&AM]

im a newbie when its comes to college cheer rules and all. but can navarro accept a check from the ellen show, like i thought college sports couldnt take money in that way.

They don't fall under NCAA so they can.

 

[CLynn]

Well, cheer made SNL.

 

[Sterling von Shimmer]

Well, cheer made SNL.

Meh. I’m a little unimpressed. Cheerleading is so ripe for parody that a skit practically writes itself. This felt uninspired and a little mean.

I did enjoy Stanky Leotards though. That hit home. Even though it was a hat tip to Gabi who is a legit brand ambassador, there are plenty of cheerleaders out there selling all kinds of garbage. The one cheerleabrity that came to mind when I saw that was the preteen whose mom has her pulling front stretches in cheap bikinis to sell questionable swimwear. Makes me SO uncomfortable. I don’t know why you have to pull a front stretch to sell a bikini.

 

[Keep_Believing]

The skit was meant to be humorous. I thought it was funny. I grew up when SNL was extremely popular. To me it is a huge compliment to make it on SNL .

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

The skit was meant to be humorous. I thought it was funny. I grew up when SNL was extremely popular. To me it is a huge compliment to make it on SNL .

who’s that spartan?

 

[Keep_Believing]

who’s that spartan?

They make fun of everything! LOVE SNL!

 

[Sterling von Shimmer]

The skit was meant to be humorous. I thought it was funny. I grew up when SNL was extremely popular. To me it is a huge compliment to make it on SNL .

Yeah parts were funny. I laughed at the “yelling nonsense” part because that’s integral to the cheer experience. Also the “the tiny girls fly and the gay men catch them” line.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

They make fun of everything! LOVE SNL!

My junior year of HS, two of our seniors learned the Spartan skits and performed a medley of them at one of our biggest pep rallies. PRICELESS!

 

[quitthedrama]

The skit was meant to be humorous. I thought it was funny. I grew up when SNL was extremely popular. To me it is a huge compliment to make it on SNL .

It's funny, but every SNL skit makes fun of the truths and I think that's something to be mindful of.

 

[Keep_Believing]

Agree and feel pushing through injuries is an issue in most sports not just Cheer. I remember watching Kerri Strug tear 2 ligaments in her ankle vaulting and nail her next vault. She was viewed as a hero.

 

[CheerBank]

Side question/concern re: returners:

I wonder how this changes the team dynamic and everyone's behavior?

Yeah a few of them were "cheer famous" before this but now they're ACTUAL famous.

I would love to think that everyone is equal and the kids from the show are humble enough to not get big headed but who knows.

I wonder if it will create a difference in team synergy as in you have The Kids from The Show thinking they are above the Not Show Teammates.

For 15 minutes anyways.

 

[SL&AM]

Agree and feel pushing through injuries is an issue in most sports not just Cheer. I remember watching Kerri Strug tear 2 ligaments in her ankle vaulting and nail her next vault. She was viewed as a hero.

That was the Olympics though. And I know this is going to sound way, way more insulting then I mean it to, but cheerleading isn't the Olympics. Even World's is not the Olympics. Yes, it's important to those who are competing there but unlike Kerri Strug who has a net worth of roughly $4 million dollars thanks to her journey to and through the Olympics, the average cheerleader pushing through injuries is not going to see that sort of pay out for their hard work.