Why do athletes hate media?

For the most part most athletes I have run into hate doing media obligations. I haven't quite figured out why.

There are some that enjoy it, but many, if not most, don't look forward to it.

I think some do it for control and ego boosting. Seriously, you have to be pretty cool to have lots of people asking questions and even cooler to think that you have the right to be disrespectful to them. I think some athletes do it for this reason, but I'm not sure it's the most popular reason.

It's annoying and that is very truthful if athletes are successful. Successful athletes have to answer the same freaking questions everyday. It's as annoying as having every person you run into at a family gathering ask you what your plans are after school. You are glad they care, but by the tenth person you're tired of talking about it, and really just want to be left alone.

It takes up a lot of time. Even if you are a people person and enjoying talking, you don't want to be stuck in conversations with strangers and talking about the same thing day after day after day.

When you play poorly people remind you of your mistakes and than ask you about them. Can't blame athletes for this reason. Imagine taking a test and failing it and then having 10 people come up and ask you about why you failed it and what it means for your future. Chances are you would get annoyed.

Athletes are afraid they will be portrayed poorly or tricked into saying something they are not trying to say. Any reporter who intentionally tries to trick an athlete or portray them poorly is a sad individual.

However, for the 100th time, athletes should have good relationships with the media because it comes with so many benefits. If you are good to the media it's more likely they will take your side when you mess up. If you are good to the media they will do publicity for things that are important to you. Passionate about a charity you are helping out? Media will be there to do a story about it.

Do you play a sport that isn't popular? Well if you care about your sport and want to see it grow you better be darn sure you talk to the media and seek them out for stories. In order for a sport to take off you need people to talk about it and generate a buzz. If no athlete talks to the media, no one will find out about it and no one will care about it. If you want to be a women's pro soccer player, you better start creating a buzz. If you don't the league won't take off.

I can't blame athletes if they just love playing their sport. Most athletes play for the love of the game and not the love of promoting the game. However, if a women's soccer player wants future opportunity for those that follow in their footsteps they must be willing to do things like taking a trip to Maine to promote your team. I know of some pro players who were unhappy to do that, but if every team did that and connected the sport with more people than women's soccer will gain in popularity.

People need to think about how epidemics start. (read the book "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell) You need to infect others with what you are trying to sell. When you infect them, they will infect others and it will keep doubling and doubling as more and more people get infected. Infecting someone requires an action. You have to do something to infect others, so if you do nothing to promote your sport you are just supporting the status quo.