Mark Sanchez Faces Battle Between Career and Culture in New York

He's a 22-year-old superstar with an entire population on his shoulders—all because of the name stitched to the back of his jersey.

It's the cross Mark Sanchez carries, and—based on reports during his collegiate career—it's a responsibility he embraces.

Unfortunately, it's also an opportunity for agendas.

Less than a week after being drafted, all eyes are on Sanchez and what he represents to the Hispanic community:

"A few days after the Jets' blockbuster draft-day trade, Gerry Salme hoped a man he had never heard of would help him...

"...For the director of operations at the FOCUS Hispanic Center for Community Development in Newark, Sanchez's greatest impact will involve forging a connection with the nearly 1.4 million Hispanics in New Jersey...

"...'It would help our children if he could have that direct involvement,' Salme said. 'It would motivate them, raise their self-esteem, and give them hope that they also can become professional athletes if they set their minds to it.'"

The problem is that there's absolutely no shortage on inner-city kids who aspire to become professional athletes. They're not oblivious to the contracts or the fame.

Perhaps the focus Salme should hope for Sanchez to inspire revolves around influencing the kids to receive a college education from a premier institution first.

Everyone is currently bearing witness to the profound impact Mark Sanchez is having on the expansion of the New York Jets' fanbase. His reach extends to a community that has everyone from league officials to marketing gurus brimming with excitement.

As a Puerto Rican man in New York, I understand the importance someone like Sanchez can have on the entire community. In a society where everything is taught to be black and white, the Hispanic identity is lost outside of our own homes.

Hispanic studies are an afterthought in most grade schools curriculums. It's accommodated to an extent, but never focused upon. In society, the only options are to blend into the middle class, or disappear into poverty. 

Having someone notable in a position to teach the children that it's never about assimilation but about carving a distinct path is of the absolute essence. In truth, having someone notable who excels outside of the typical Latino boundaries is critical.

However, this is where I become apprehensive.

The pressure is on Sanchez two-fold. With less than a week as a member of the New York Jets, it's already as if his significance to the Hispanic community is contingent upon his on-field performance.

This forced marriage between his career and his ethnicity blurs the lines of what's actually important. New York Jets' fans simply want a face for their franchise—someone who can lead the organization to prosperity.

But Hispanic leaders like Gerry Salme look to Sanchez as a beacon of hope to idolize and inspire.

Sanchez's ability to lead is well-documented, so the chips look to fall in his favor on both fronts. But what if they don't?

Sanchez's impact within the Hispanic community shouldn't have to hinge on his professional success alone. He's a well-spoken, personable, and confident young man who deserves to be admired by his community. But not only because of how he smiles and throws a football.

Before he becomes the international icon the NFL wants him to be, is it okay for him to win a game first?

After that, then it might be safer for the added expectations to fall into place.

M.A. Mehta of the New Jersey Star-Ledger goes on to write, "Sanchez's charisma could also fuel the National Football League's efforts to boost its Hispanic fanbase, estimated at 25 million people. The league's diversity initiatives to attract Latino followers have included promoting stars like Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez and playing a regular-season game in Mexico City."

Much like the speculation of a Super Bowl in London, it's all about extending the reach of the league for marketing and business purposes. No one should fault the NFL for that.

But at what point does it become exploitation?

If the pressure to perform wasn't intense enough as a rookie quarterback making the transition to the NFL, imagine coupling the objective to win while trying to fulfill the league's plans for global domination.

Being under a microscope comes with the territory of being a QB in the largest market, I suppose. Unfortunately, I was foolishly hoping that his play could do the talking for him before his last name ever did.