The effect of excessive pride
In the first chapter, Sam boasts about Roy’s talent and strength and bets against an experienced player named the Whammer. Roy wins the bet but hits Sam in the stomach with a ball and the hit was so powerful that it caused internal bleeding. In the end, Sam ended up dying because of the hit and this is ironical, considering the fact that Sam was the one who suggested that Roy and the Whammer compete against one another.
Cheated
On the first night Roy spends in a hotel after he signed with the New York Knights, one of his teammates, Bump, asks Roy to change rooms as he has a lady friend coming over. Later that night, a woman comes to Roy's room and he sleeps with her. The next day, Bump tells Roy that the woman he slept with was his girlfriend and she went to him just because he sent her. His statement is however ironic because from Bump’s attitude it can be understood that he did not send his girlfriend to Roy but he had to say something in order to save his reputation.
Wanting to impress the girl
After Bump’s death, Roy got the chance to try and impress Memo. But the first time she agreed to go with him did not end up the way he wanted him to. First, they went to a lake to swim into but the lake was too polluted so they decided to go for a drive. Roy kissed Memo but she ended up rejecting him after he touched her painful breast. The car ride didn’t end up too good either because Roy ended driving the car into a ditch and hurting himself and Memo in the process. This while sequence of events is seen as being ironical considering the fact that Roy wanted to impress Memo above all and he ended up making a fool of himself.
Happiness through suffering
Roy’s definition for happiness is having money, fame, and beautiful women willing to fulfill his every desire. But his definition seems to be rather childish, and it points towards the fact that he may not have any real knowledge about what life really is. Roy seems to spend his time trying to avoid pain, be it physical or emotional as much as possible, and because of this, it is ironical that Iris makes him realize that achieving happiness is not as easy as he think it is. Iris understood that true happiness is acquired through pain, by making sacrifices in order to obtain something that has a true value. Unfortunately, Roy is not able to understand what Iris means and because of this, he never becomes truly happy.
Fame
From the beginning, it is clear that Roy wishes to be famous and be praised for his talent. He cares what the others think about him and he goes to great lengths to make sure that he is presentable and that he makes a good impression. After the team he plays in begins to be become more successful, Roy gains more recognition and the fans begin to worship him. Ironically, being famous does not bring Roy happiness; it makes him feel more dissatisfied that before, feeling that the fans are hypocrites, loving him only when he wins game after game.
