FanNation - The Republic of Sport

We are a society of cheaters.  Sad, but true.  Barry Bonds used "the clear" but says he did not know it was steroids.  Marion Jones wins our hearts and Olympic gold, vehemently says she never used steroids, yet today says she used "the clear".  Bill Belechick gets caught filming his opponent in clear violation of league rules, then shrugs his shoulders.  So does his owner.  Mike Vick gets caught with the dogs, says he was never at the property, then finally admits to guilt only after his posse turn themselves in first.  Floyd Landis says he was framed, but his Tour De France victory is taken away.  Isiah Thomas is found guilty of sexual harassment by a jury of his peers, then leaves the courtroom, proclaims his innocence and his owner then defends him publicly.  Have you already forgotten Canada's Ben Johnson who won Olympic gold over Carl Lewis in record time, swore he was clean, then was found guilty of steroid use and stripped of his medals and record?Remember deceased NL MVP Ken Caminiti of the Astros ?  Track star Kelli White ?  Yankee Jason Giambi? Little League pitcher Danny Almonte ? I just rattled off the list above without even trying to think of names.  I bet I could name a 100 more examples.

We are living in a society of fame and success at any cost, and the rewards and fame outweigh the risk of guilt, of taking the short cut, of cheating.  Wasn't that former President Bill Clinton vehemently denying he had anything to do with Monica ?  Our ultimate leader teaching our youngsters the worst possible lesson in life.  If you are guilty, deny everything, deny it, deny !!   Proclaim innocence and scold society for judging you without all the facts.  Yes there are tons of Republicans too, that's not the point here.  In the past, we would scourn these people for who they are, and what they represent.  Today?  We adore them, we split 50/50 for or against them until they are proven guilty 1,000 percent, and even then many still proclaim allegiance to them.  Win at all costs.  How many times have you heard the saying "it's not cheating if you don't get caught" or "if you're not cheating you're not trying".  How sad that our society has dropped to this level. 

Yet in the end we are to blame.  We are the ones choosing the people above as our heroes, as our idols, as our role models.  We are the ones defending them as the stories unfold of their treacherous lives, as we will not believe our heroes are false idols.  Today we are the ones who will watch a crime be committed, then hide and pray we don't have to get involved.  That's the problem.  Today we choose to accept all behavior and condemn nothing, fearing we will be called out. 

It is truly a sad state of affairs.  And we have nobody to blame but ourselves.