It is clear that sports has no clear cut policy dealing with thugs, drugs or other issues....
I still remember when Strawberry was caught his third time and in jail; the next time I saw him... he was playing for the Yanks. Rose was one of the best to play and as a player had a great career. When he became a coach; he bet on games to win and was not only banished for life as a coach but banished from the hall as a player. It is strange that we have steriod users that used for years in the hall and if Barry could find a team today; he would play; even though he will be convicted as a liar on the stand; give it time.
Mark refused to tell anything on the stand and clearly used; juries still out on the hall. Sammy made a comeback; much smaller and clearly not the same player. Roger clearly has many issues but lying on the stand will let him join Barry and pretty much trash his career and any chance for the hall.
After so many years that so many players were using; why do you think now we are trying to act as if we care? Canseco openly admitted he used and says it made him a great player. After reading Juiced; it was clear he was defending steriods and proud of what it did for him and also looking for a way to make money.
We pay athletes millions of dollars and clearly the pressure to perform has spun the entire system into a mess. I know drugs have been in sports for decades and if we really looked hard at former great players and teams; it would be ugly for most of them. Babe Ruth was openly drinking and could care less about being a role model. Chalres Barkley said in defense to drinking and gambling "I am not a role model to anyone". However he was clearly wrong... Kids dream of being the next star and look at the current players as role models. Anyone shocked so many come out of high school a mess?? Even Bradshaw has admitted for some strange reason to using steriods for a short time to heal.
Parents worked their kids hard to get the scholarship or chance to play and might also teach them lessons on character and current morals. It gets old to see a promising athlete throw it all away because he clearly has no common sense. Anthony played one year and won the title in college. Clearly he is a solid player but his off court decisions may cost him a long career. How many great players have we seen throw it all away and never become what they could have as an athlete superstar?
Vick had millions and a life style we can only dream of but clearly lacked common sense and now sits in a jail cell with nothing. Knowing the NFL.. he will be back.
Maybe less money and mandatory counseling when they turn pro?? As they play and gain maturity.. their pay reflects it..Why would they want a college degree with millions thrown at them at 18 or 19 years old? They end up blowing it on drugs or other issues and have no education and clearly are in a mess. Never forget the Redskins superstar that retired and admitted he could not read and write...
I am not sure of the answers but whatever we decide it needs to be a blanket policy for all sports and be consistent. Like anything rules are set and if broken there are steps to take to try to help and correct. However, if it is clear they do not care and cannot follow any rules; let them work at a hardees a few years and get reality. We need programs to mentor new and young players with counseling and accountability steps as they are given millions with no clear mentoring. We need clauses in contracts that reflect huge fines or contract voids when issues arise... I think getting caught several times on a DUI might be a red flag??!!
I love sports and have played, coached and help develop my own kids. I do want them to achieve success but most of all I want them to have a long life and be healthy and happy. If we want to see sports thrive and kids dream.. we may consider also teaching them ways to handle the lifestyles they face.
Your Thoughts?
Danica Patrick
Ariel Meredith
NFL Cheerleaders: Week 11
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There has to be ways to mentor them before giving millions to them and saying" be smart"!
drj0514
Total Comments (4471)
Good blog. I kind of hesitate at the usage of the word thug though. That's too strong a word here to describe the actions of Strawberry, Rose, and Bonds, Barkley and Bradshaw.
If you can back a way from that word, then I would be all for you and your point.
J. HOVA: BROOKLYN
Brooklyn, NY
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Great points Thugmeister.
J. HOVA: BROOKLYN
Brooklyn, NY
Total Comments (18081)
Great blog and you answer your own question.
"I love sports and have played, coached and helped develop my own kids. I do want them to achieve success but most of all I want them to have a long life and be healthy and happy."
In any professional sport the wrong influences are those people that are exactly the opposite of you, drj.
When you say you want them to be happy most of all you are placing you kids' well-being first and then the success in sports. I would venture to guess that for every single episode of pro-athlete stupidity you can trace it back to a parent, a coach, an agent, a manager, a friend or even the player themself who puts success in front of everything else.
This happens outside of sports as well - being the better singer, the better model, the better lawyer, the better surgeon, the better teacher and yes, even the better coach. We see it every day but in sports, or at least professional sports in my opinion, we get the easiest way to see greed and ego.
I think the system is flawed, certainly, but it isn't broken. Real fans will not spend their hard-earned dollars on thugs. Some of the elite, skybox, wine-and-cheese types will always spend their money, or their company's money, to see an over-hyped event but that is their prerogative.
It might not be fair to pick on the Lakers, a great NBA franchise, but the next time they are on TV take a look at their fans. They aren't following the game and they certainly aren't enjoying the nuances of the game itself. They are waiting for the Kobe dunk or the flashy pass to make some noise and find the camera. They want to see the blow-out score. They want to see a "dynasty" being built. "They," furthermore, are usually very rich people who wouldn't know a pick-and-roll from a spring roll, a basketball from a basket of flowers, or a bounce-pass from an over-pass.
Sorry for the long-winded answer, but in the end I think it is the money in addition to the lack of love a player actually has for the sport itself.
Burgundy
Baltimore , MD
Total Comments (263)
Good points
drj0514
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I can live with the word Criminal. That's appropriate for the names you listed.
J. HOVA: BROOKLYN
Brooklyn, NY
Total Comments (18081)
Thanks.. I agree.
drj0514
Total Comments (4471)
Tsk,tsk.Great blog drj.
(Cincy)
Jamestown, OH
Total Comments (10951)
Is it really the money that makes them go in the wrong direction? It seems that it is mostly the athletes because we all follow sports, but it doesn't seem like the major of the hollywood types are as involved with drugs and alcohol as sports figures. How about Bill Gates and the rich CEO's. The problem is that if you don't punish the bad acts (ie, baseball steroids) then players believe they are untouchable. You have to send a message and if you don't it will continue. Nice blog.
Foxy's Back
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I agree that young athletes need to be more responsible about how they conduct themselves. Have you noticed that some years ago there were just a few players with tattoos and now they are everywhere, including at the high school level? Why is that? Because the young high schoolers who look up to those young college or NBA players have them and the youngsters have to be like them and get a tattoo also. Not saying that getting a tattoo will make you a bad role model or person but it's an example. If that young kid will think about getting a tattoo because Lebron James has one, then they may think of using drugs and getting drunk if that star player they idolize does the same. And yes, it will probably take a clause in a players contract (or the collective bargaining contract) to make that happen. The NBA & NFL are trying to police themselves with the morality clauses. That's the first step.
Red Zone
Total Comments (2385)
Good points Red Zone..
drj0514
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