Sport Misbehavior
by Kelly S. Croslis

Sports gambling, steroids, misbehavior. These are the headlines we most often seen on the news and in the newspaper. One has to wonder where these ideas come from, is something they were taught as young sports players? Is in introduced as they become professionals?

As the controversy over Pete Rose and his gambling escapades settled down, news now comes from basketball referees that have placed bets on games; did they not learn a lesson? There also been, in the not so distant past issues with similar situation in hockey. Hockey for many people is not a big deal and they can take it or leave it, but it goes to show that any sport is open the downside of professional sports.

When it comes to being the best at a sport, training and determination are the most important qualities that one can think of, but for some it's not enough. At the risk of losing their career they rely on drugs to give them the edge over everyone else. If you would sit down and think about it, would you take the risk? After spending most of your life preparing for a career as a professional ball player, why would someone risk losing their chance to play? If someone wins a championship more than two or three times, they are almost certain to be accused of cheating in some form or fashion - not really considering they idea of hard work and determination.

Is the publicity and fame that brings some to do things they may not normally have done? You have to wonder. All too often those in the spotlight commit acts that would send the everyday person to jail, for these people however a slap on the wrist is more common. They are seen as merely making a mistake and they should be able to continue to play because "the team needs them." To this in the headlines makes on wonder where the priorities are, if these individuals are to be role models for our children, what message is being sent?

As I sat and watched the news last night sports was the big topic as the pro football season began, a day that has been looked forward to for months by many. It's taken over however with a crime wave, baseball focusing on steroid use and leaving some wondering what will happen as the Olympics begin next year, as testing begins on those athletes.

It's sad to watch, sad to hear and many wonder what it will take to change the face of sports as it is seen now, if there are any ideas - many the players would like to hear them.

Comments

Name

E-mail (Will not appear online)

Homepage

Title

Comment

To prevent automated Bots form spamming, please enter the text you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.