Image restoration strategies in A.J. Green's NCAA suspension response

Sports Program Leadership

Rumor flows through a series of individuals. It is complex and bound to evolve as it moves from one person to another. A rumor is not reliable but could bear elements of fact. Its level of reliability is dependent on just how accurate the information is relayed from person to person. It is also greatly influenced by the accuracy with which the first member in the series of people the information goes through tells the story. Such a member is assumed to have witnessed it firsthand (Bernard Hart, 1916).

Handling Rumor via Image Restoration Way

A.J Green started his footballing career at school in Summerville, South Carolina. His skills at Summerville High School impressed many. He was a productive receiver on the wide flank. He moved on to play for the University of Georgia and proceeded to become a star player in the team. Green was a subject of a controversy in 2010. It was alleged that he had been given illegitimate monies at a party. Green was grilled by the NCAA about the allegations. Greens saga generated loads of media attention despite the fact that the amounts involved were relatively low. Part of the reason for such attention was the fame that Green enjoyed and the debate around compensation of star college players.

Green was handed a suspension for four games by NCAA. He and the University looked to handle the saga in a different way (Jacob H. Selzer, 2013). Green, through the University of Georgia, on the 8th of September, 2010, responded to the suspension from four games after he was found to have sold his jersey. He said that he wanted to apologize to his team mates and his Georgia fans for having made a wrong choice in judgment.

The use of strategies for image restoration by Green is easily identifiable in his apology. He makes use of corrective action and mortification in his bid for restoration. He first apologizes, accepts his judgment lapse and takes responsibility for any harm caused by his action. He underscores the fact that he has reformed in character and that he differentiates what\'s right from what\'s wrong. He systematically reassures the audience that he has embarked in the right path to avoid a similar mistake. After the interview, the scandal faded from the public eye. On his part, Green bounced back on the football scene playing for Cincinnati Bengals as a wide receiver (Jacob H. Selzer, 2013).

Dealing with rumors that can damage the reputation of athletes

Because of the ever-changing communications momentum, scandals in the athletics arena are high profile stories. Media houses tend to pay a lot more attention to such scandals. Critics have noted that public relations officials seem to be reactants as opposed to being proactive. The athletic and sport scene has become increasingly profitable. Therefore, the public relations officers have seen the essence of managing scandals and crisis in sports. Scholars have paid more attention to professional athletes.

The term scandal can be defined in various ways but, generally scholars note that a scandal can potentially damage the reputation of those involved seriously. Reactive crisis management is a task that many public relations agents are charged with. It is no longer easy for athletes to mend their relationships from the inside when confronted with a scandal. Instead, they need to make an apology and focus their address to a range of audiences. It is essential to note that there is a body of work that is already established dedicated to analysis of apologies tendered by such athletes. This analysis seeks to probe the dynamics of apologies by college athletes of high profile (Jacob H. Selzer, 2013).

Comparing Shannon-Weaver and Berlow\'s Model of Communication