She Loves Me...She Loves Me Not

After 28 days of marriage, Brittney Griner announces that she is filing for annulment from her wife, Glory Johnson. The relationship between the two WNBA players has been no walk in the park. Griner has decided to part ways with Johnson only 24 hours after their big announcement of expecting their first child together. It is not a surprise to many people that this relationship is sinking. The two of them were hot and cold from the start. This goes to show that unhealthy relationships have no gender roles. Believe it or not, NBA and WNBA relationship drama share many similarities.

 It all started when Griner posted a picture on Instagram back in August 2014, announcing her engagement to Johnson. Months later, the couple was arrested after an argument turned into a physical altercation. Griner ended up in a domestic violence diversion program after pleading guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct. And now, here we are witnessing their marriage trying to survive on top of an unstable foundation.

On and off relationships, physical assaults, and divorce isn’t anything new in the world of sports. Many athletes are still dealing with repercussions from how they mistreated their significant others. Back in 2014, the NBA raised awareness to domestic violence after the Hornets’ Jeff Taylor pleaded guilty to assaulting his girlfriend.

Around this time, Kobe Bryant was also under fire for allegedly cheating on his wife of 10 years. These are just a couple of situations that fall into the same boat as Brittney and Glory.

Ray Rice is still dealing with the consequences of his actions. In case you don’t recall, the video footage of the NFL player knocking out his wife, Janay Rice, in an elevator surfaced the media in September 2014. The video showed that the “minor altercation” that it his lawyer described appeared to be much more than that. It was not long until the Baltimore Ravens cut Rice from the team, and was suspended indefinitely from the NFL. Even though he was later reinstated into the league, no teams are showing interest in signing him. Maintaining a good image is a top priority for any sports team. Rice’s poor decisions just aren’t making the cut.

 Violence and emotional instability are the common denominators here.Seeking professional help, and raising awareness are good ways to help prevent these situations from happening.

  For now, let’s hope that the WNBA stars make wiser choices in the near future, because this situation is not looking too pretty.

This goes to show that what appears to be the perfect relationship on camera, may not be the case behind closed doors. Physical and emotional abuse is the downfall of many relationships. The NFL, NBA, and WNBA, do not condone this type behavior from their athletes. To maintain a positive image, these franchises will continue to follow strict guidelines against domestic violence.

- Alexandria Moreland