Reigning NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney discusses media strain amid father’s racing legacy, commiserates with Bronny James

Norman Ray

World Courant

When the kid of a well-known athlete begins taking his dad and mom’ sport severely, the strain is on, justified or not.

That occurred to Ryan Blaney when he was simply a teen, as his father, Dave Blaney, drove 473 races throughout a 17-year NASCAR profession.

Ryan has just about lived as much as all of the hype since then, successful the Cup Sequence final 12 months and ceaselessly etching his identify within the historical past books.

- Advertisement -

However that does not change the truth that consideration has been centered on him for a while now.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Ryan Blaney sympathizes with the strain on Bronny James. (Getty Pictures)

“I really feel like for those who play a sport as a child that your dad and mom performed, that child is predicted to play that sport,” Blaney lately instructed Fox Information Digital in an interview.

Nevertheless, Blaney mentioned the strain by no means got here “internally.”

- Advertisement -

“My father by no means pressured me to do something. If I wished to do one thing totally different, he would have totally supported it. But it surely simply labored out that I loved doing it. I had his full help. He taught me lots of issues that I do know,” Ryan mentioned.

“I strive not to have a look at it as strain, nevertheless it got here extra from outdoors. The media and the opposite folks watching have excessive expectations of you. It was arduous to take that out of the equation, particularly while you’re 18 years previous. , making an attempt to get your identify on the market and making an attempt to get a stable job.

“However I really feel like my dad has all the time performed job of retaining me away from that strain and the excessive expectations, and simply reminding me to simply take pleasure in what I like to do. That is how I have a look at it additionally to.”

- Advertisement -

Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford, waves to followers throughout driver intros previous to the NASCAR Cup Sequence Championship at Phoenix Raceway, Nov. 5, 2023, in Avondale, Ariz. (James Gilbert/Getty Pictures)

ALEX RODRIGUEZ HAS ‘NO’ ASPIRATIONS TO JOIN AN MLB FRONT OFFICE

Ryan can sympathize with athletes who’ve famous person dads, particularly Bronny James.

“He places extra strain on him than I ever did,” Blaney mentioned. “I imply, as a child of LeBron James, among the finest basketball gamers to ever do it, that is lots of strain. That is one other degree.

“I believe these youngsters – I am 30 now – I see these 18-year-old youngsters with excessive expectations simply placed on their shoulders. Everybody desires them to be good. They’re youngsters. Do not anticipate an excessive amount of Simply allow them to do their factor Allow them to develop, be who they need to be. And their work ethic needs to be superb too.

Bronny was a McDonald’s All-American his senior 12 months of highschool, however the hypothesis is that this was all for present contemplating who he and his father are.

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, left, yells at his son, Bronny James of the USC Trojans, throughout Bronny’s sport towards the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion on February 7, 2024 in Berkeley, California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Pictures)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

James averaged fewer than 5 factors per sport in his freshman season at USC after struggling cardiac arrest over the summer season. He has since declared for the NBA Draft, however he may choose out. He additionally entered the NCAA switch portal.

Regardless of his father becoming a member of the GOAT dialog, scouts have since mentioned Bronny is “not an NBA prospect.”

Observe Fox Information Digital’s sports activities reporting on Xand subscribe to the Fox Information Sports activities Huddle publication.


Reigning NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney discusses media strain amid father’s racing legacy, commiserates with Bronny James

World Information,Subsequent Large Factor in Public Knowledg

Share This Article