“We Need to Stand Up” – When Olympic Legend Michael Phelps United With MLB Icon Derek Jeter to Deliver a Strong Message to the Entire World in 2017

From the four Major leagues that run across the calendar year, to representation in the Olympics, America loves sports. However, in the same country where sports bring everybody together, being a sportsperson hasn’t always been easy. And 5-time MLB World Champion Derek Jeter and 28-time Olympic Gold medalist Michael Phelps can both vouch for that.

Without any doubt, Jeter and Phelps stand out as great legends of their respective sports. Both hold an extremely long list of accolades, but mere mentions of their achievements don’t do justice to the legacy they’ve left behind. Analogous to their popularity, they faced equal amounts of hate. And in a campaign called “Stand Up” from 2017, both the legends talked about the amount of hate they’ve faced across the course of their career.

Derek Jeter and Michael Phelps stand up for a cause

In a campaign shot by The Players’ Tribune, multiple sports stars, including Derek Jeter, Von Miller, Danica Patrick, Michael Phelps, and Karl-Anthony Towns, spoke up against the growing hate and bigotry toward athletes.

Derek Jeter, while responding to the kind of hate he faced, said, “Everyone is anonymous. There is no connection there. People that don’t know you, never knew you, and probably will never know you… that are saying hateful things.” He added, “We know what it’s like to be bullied or trolled.”

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In the same video, swimming GOAT Phelps talked about how he responded to trolls. He said, “I know if somebody is going to say something mean or negative, I just don’t even give them the end of day.” 

Phelps then moved on to talk about the time he reached out for help and the extent of benefits he received. According to him, everyone needs to reach out for help as it’s not easy to live life alone. He said, “A couple years ago, my life changes significantly because I reached for help. It is okay to reach for help. I think a lot of people don’t think it is. But it’s hard to go through life alone and do things by yourself.”

As the video progressed, the entire mass of athletes used the campaign slogan and protested against this hate. They said, “We need to stand up.”

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All in all, dogmatism and fanaticism have never had and never should have any place in sports. It taints the sport and affects the energy and spirit that binds people together.

Do you agree? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.