10.12.04 – By Matthew Hurley: Well it seems my article on Marvin Hagler has upset and even offended many people. The main point of the article was to show how athletes remain human even when we as fans mythologize them. At some point we have all been let down by someone we looked up to. I did not have an “agenda” against Marvin, as someone wrote and, yes, I did witness everything I wrote about and more. No, I was not the little boy that I wrote of, that happened two years ago at the Hall Of Fame and I was witness to it. I was at the store opening in Hanover however, and, yes, I still resent the way he treated us.
Regardless of all that, I think people are angry with me because instead of using a metaphor or a fictional character to express my point of the absurdity of elevating athletes to the level of god-like status, I chose a real human being who encompasses all the human frailties that we all do. I chose Marvin because he represented all that to me. I’m from Boston, I grew up with Marvin and he let me down on several occasions. Am I thin skinned? Not anymore. Marvin taught me a lesson that all kids go through. No one person is going to live up to an image. It isn’t fair to them.
Frankie Pryor, Aaron Pryor’s wife e-mailed me in response to the article and was very upset and defended Marvin vociferously. I’m glad she did. I have the utmost respect for her and her husband and I was happy to learn that they have a wonderful relationship with Marvin and his wife. It balances my observations and my experiences with Marvin. After all, I’m just an outsider looking in.
I stick by what I wrote because it is true. If it makes you angry or pissed of at me as a writer, good. Articles on this site are supposed to invoke feeling or emotion.
Finally, I don’t think Marvin Hagler will care two wits what I wrote about him. He’s never particularly cared for the press anyway, and why should he? He made his mark in the ring and that’s all he ever really cared about. He walked away from it all when he was done with it and good for him.