The saga of would-be pro soccer star, Alex Henderson.
Just in time for Valentine’s, Netflix dropped the first six episodes of its smash reality series, Love is Blind, now in its tenth season. The show continues to flourish, even through some meh seasons.
The show continues because it has a wonderful hook: Is love truly blind? No, not really, but that’s a discussion for another day.
If you’re not familiar with the show, about two dozen or so singles date for about ten days with the intent of finding “The One” – without seeing (or smelling) one another. At its best, the show provides insight into the human psyche. At its worst, it’s a messy mosh pit of jealousy and deceit, which is horrible for relationships but, of course, makes can’t-look-away television.
Enter Alex Henderson.
Photos courtesy Instagram and Reality Shrine
On the surface, Alex is TV-ready for one of those Bachelorette shit shows. He’s 6-4, photogenic, and athletic. Someone on the show compares him to James Bond. Indeed, Alex – under a different name – was an All-American soccer goalie at Wake Forest about a decade ago.
Unfortunately, though, he had the injury bug. Still, he was drafted 23rd by Minnesota United. It should’ve been the happiest day of Alex’s life, a culmination of a lifetime of hard work and dedication. Instead, it was heartbreak. He expected to be drafted earlier, and worse, his teammates essentially abandoned him.
After a friend and teammate was drafted earlier in the day, they took off to celebrate and play futball, leaving Alex alone to watch his name called.
It was a harsh wake-up call.
And Alex had a revelation regarding his teammates, which he shares with someone he’s “dating” (but not seeing) on the show. “We’re not really that close,” he tells his date through a wall. “I got it. We were just friends because I was good at soccer, not because we’re actually friends.”
In future episodes, Alex offers more insight into the life of the successful athlete, specifically relationships.
We hear a lot about huge salaries and stat lines in professional sports. It’s refreshing to get behind the numbers and hear one of the winners come clean. No, love isn’t blind, but All-Americans need love, too.
_____________
Jon Hart is the author of Unfortunately, I was available.
