Never have the highs and lows of being a star athlete been clearer to Ohio State's Jared Sullinger than when the freshman forward picked up a stack of fan mail on Tuesday night and began reading the letters addressed to him.
Two stood out to Sullinger enough that he posted pictures of them on Twitter, both for entirely different reasons.
The first was a particularly obnoxious piece of unsigned hate mail written in all caps. The anonymous writer begins by ripping Ohio State for playing a soft schedule, then devolves into personal attacks with thinly veiled racial overtones:
"WE ARE BETTING LARGE ON AN EARLY OUT FROM OSU. S--T YOU HAVE BARELY WON 3 GAMES AGAINST WEAK CUPCAKES. JUST ANOTHER ARROGANT, DYSFUNCTIONAL BLACK LOOKING FOR A FREE RIDE. YOUR PIMPED UP BROTHER ON TV WITH HIS EARRINGS LOOKED ESPECIALLY CHEAP ON TV. OSU IS THE DIRTIEST ATHLETIC PROGRAM IN THE UNIOTED STATES. TELL ME YOU THUGS CAN COUNT AND SPEAK. I HAVE HEARD ABOUT 10 OF THEM AND I THINK NOT. BYE BYE WUSSIE."
The second was a touching letter from a 27-year-old cancer patient seeking an autograph. Collecting autographs had apparently been one of the writers' hobbies as a kid, so the Ohio resident got back into it after being diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma cancer since the responses from athletes were something to look forward to during chemotherapy:
"Right now during this tough time with my treatments, I look forward to getting responses through the mail to lift my spirits and bring a little excitement to my days. In my younger years, I put together a pretty good collection of autographed memorabilia and now is the opportune time to see it grow once again. My collection is something that I will cherish forever and will pass it down eventually to my children."
The two letters Sullinger posted are an interesting window into both the heartwarming and hateful correspondence star athletes receive via snail mail or social media.
Whereas most other prominent athletes either downplay or shrink from fan criticism, Sullinger has embraced it since arriving at Ohio State. He retweets hateful messages. He took an opposing fan's sign mocking his awful singing home to his mother. And he controversially accused Wisconsin fans of spitting on him when they stormed the court after beating Ohio State in February.
Considering Sullinger is one of the more likeable, down-to-earth stars in college basketball, it's probably safe to assume that other athletes have endured far worse. It's a small downside to what's otherwise an enviable lifestyle.
Jennifer Gimenez Katie Cassidy Estella Warren Cinthia Moura Monica Potter
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