We don't want their problems intruding on our fantasies. We admire the control athletes have over their bodies, the way they can change a game of inches and seconds into an orchestra of grace and inspiration. We envy their strength, their durability and their status. We look to athletes for amazing plays and incredible performances that let us believe that there is some heroism within ourselves, too. So, when a sports star earns America's collective respect, they become bigger than writers, politicians and movie stars.
Athletes become as large as life itself.
Actors and actresses can only play a character or read a line written for them. Each of them is an artist and they all own part of the real estate in America's heart, but it's always the athletes who manage to rise above their tainted image and capture the spirit of America. They win because they do it without special effects, soundtracks and infomercials. And when America chooses a hero, they don't just pick them, they ordain them. Our sports heroes become our friends and constant companions.