Elaine Harris Spearman Commentary: Jalen Hurts an example of grace under pressure

There are a lot of things about sports that I can take or leave. This includes the sport itself, the coaches, the school and the sportscasters who all believe that they are funny and interesting though they may be knowledgeable about the sport itself.

There is hope that as one grows older, it is accompanied by becoming wiser, more thoughtful and more acknowledging of those things that you hold personally that need review.

Let’s come clean. I have been a supporter of University of Alabama football, including all of the years I lived away from my home state. As I resided in St. Louis, and attended University of Missouri football games, I endured hateful glares and outright questioning of my behavior.

This was in the face of many people, including African Americans, questioning my ability to support a “racist” school. For those who don’t know, Alabama and its schools, and its very environs, suffer a crippling reputation nationally and internationally. Of course, if anyone knows anything about this “young lady from Alabama,” I can stand my ground with the best.

Having said this, the rage that I felt when Jalen Hurts was benched as Alabama’s quarterback in favor of Tua Tagovailoa was palpable. I swore off Crimson Tide football, Coach Nick Saban and anything associated with the school. Of course, the echoes of the “I told you so’s” were loud.

I raged and wanted to send messages to Jalen to get out of Alabama. I was pacing and ranting that he should walk off of the field and do a series of interviews and call Alabama out. I spoke to the television and asked him “wasn’t he tired.”

I cried because I said, “Oh my God! He is so embarrassed. They are making him a living, breathing stereotype of the ages-old talk of why there were no Black quarterbacks all of these years.”

Well, suffice it to say that lately, the more that I have seen and read, I understand why so many parents want their sons and daughters to engage in sports.

Jalen showed me a thing or two. I am sure others raged as I did, and are seeing the same thing.

He transferred to the University of Oklahoma and enjoyed a successful final college season, and now at the tender age of 24, he's a star quarterback in the NFL after leading the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bow. He has shown many a parent and rabid sports fan what grace under pressure really means.

Surely there was pressure from every direction to do one thing or another when he was benched at Alabama. He has given the world another point of discussion for our state because he came from Alabama football.

Jalen has shown many an adult what it means to not only have the courage of good convictions, but to demonstrate a combination of a substantive education with teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking, communication and collaboration.

These things are so very necessary to be successful in any career. The skills that he has exhibited are proof positive that it works.

Jalen obviously had parents or other close people to teach him Christian principles that have as their foundation treating people as you want to be treated. Don’t believe that you can say anything that you want to, at any time to anybody. Care about how you will be perceived.

I garnered this as I watched him interact and spend time over the years with the 34-year-old challenged “biggest Alabama fan” who has now passed. All of us watched as Jalen and Tua embraced each other and started no competitive, jealous rivalry.

Tua embodies many of the traits that Jalen has. Alabama has to count for something in the ability to attract two outstanding young men whom we can all learn from.

Jalen and Tua demonstrate without fanfare and drama why a coach is no longer the jock who yells about winning at all cost. Schools and teams have to be diligent about their coach selections. Character counts. Young sports players can become good, productive citizens for the future.

We are overrun with adults who serve as no example to the young or to the old.

Recreation centers, Little League teams and such are training grounds for future athletes. Therefore, caution must be exercised in the selection of coaches, as well as mentors both male and female. Sports is the great equalizer because of what teamwork embodies.

The Kelce brothers of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, are white, and had a Black coach in high school. They made history by playing in the 2023 Super Bowl on opposite teams. Their high school coach is still with them, celebrating their success with great pride.

It was heartfelt when the coach spoke of their lack of hateful sibling rivalry. He said, “They encourage one another without competition or jealousy.”

Elaine Harris Spearman, Esq., a Gadsden native, is an attorney and is the retired legal advisor to the comptroller of the City of St. Louis. The opinions reflected are her own. 

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Elaine Harris Spearman looks at Jalen Hurts