On the back page of the current issue of Sports Illustrated, noted scribe Phil Taylor makes some interesting points about how cheating in sports seems to have become business as usual. He's right, of course.
Few would doubt that over the years sports fans, and the public at large for that matter, have seen and heard of so much scandalous and/or cheating behavior every which way -- that we've almost, but not quite, become numb to it anymore. It's not just jocks. Throw in enough bad cops and judges, corrupt politicians, the email, facebook posting, or sext of the day that's gone viral. Add a few heaping tablespoons of various scams from Wall Street to Main Street. Season with a pinch of adultery here, and a dash of perjury there. Let simmer on the stove long enough, and what do you get? A very good reason to order a pizza. In other words, nobody wants to eat that slop. Much easier to just pretend it never happened. Maybe KFC tomorrow.
Taylor used several good examples in his article. Former U of Tennessee and current Houston Texans running back Arian Foster not only refused to apologize for accepting "illegal" money while at UTenn, but remained defiant in saying there was nothing wrong with it. This was a story for maybe a couple days. Now it's gone and nobody cares.
Anybody remember Johnny Manziel and his alleged pay-for-sign autograph thing at Texas A&M a while back? That was a big deal at the time for those that would make it such. What eventually became of all the hype that was generated over this? Nothing. Johnny's fine and it's business as usual in College Station. Turned out it just didn't matter. We've moved on.
My apologies for dissecting his well-written article even further, but Taylor also mentioned Lance Armstrong, Ryan Braun, and A-Rod. Though all were connected to PEDs, the first two have already faded from our memories, and the latter remains relevant only because he has dared to challenge the hierarchy and authority of Major League Baseball's drug policy, as they attempt to apply it to him. Had he copped a plea like so many others, chances are that would have fallen off our collective radar screens by now too.
Again, I mostly agree with Taylor's "message". We're bombarded with so many negative shenanigans 24/7 going on across the spectrum that -- after a while -- it's like living next to an airport or railroad tracks. Sure, the planes and trains still make a lot of noise, but given enough time, somehow we have a way of tuning it out.
However, despite Taylor's "righteous indignation" as to the above, yours truly maintains Dr. Phil may have crossed a line himself. As in -- how much is enough, and where does it stop?
Certainly all the athletes that have been tied to PEDs, whether ever found officially guilty or not (see Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens) were vilified in the press. Whether or not they ever did what they were accused of is not my, or your call to make. The people that supposedly heard all the evidence or lack thereof, aka juries, said they were not guilty. Yet their Hall of Fame worthy credentials and once stellar reputations have been tainted forever, and there's no fix for that.
More to the point, Taylor compared Nelson Cruz of the Texas Rangers this year, and Melky Cabrera of the SF Giants last year. Yes, Cruz was fresh off a 50 game suspension for violating the league policy but allowed to immediately jump back into the lineup for a Rangers' playoff game when his suspension was over. Conversely, Taylor made note that when Melky Cabrera came off a similar suspension last year, the Giants left him off their October roster, even though he was eligible to play.
I suppose different managers, GMs, and perhaps even owners look at things different ways when it comes to such situations. They're the bosses that make club decisions, and to each their own.
But Taylor went further and made another statement in his article which I found out of bounds. He wrote that in some cases -- "it might mean taking a stand beyond normal punishments".
Stop right there and think about that last quote.
Again, I would raise the question -- just what does "beyond normal punishments" consist of, how much is enough, and where does it end?
Hey, if you do the crime, then do the time -- it's supposed to be over. One has paid their "debt to society", or maybe a Commissioner, and should have every right to immediately go back to what they were doing before they messed up. Over is over.
But people like Taylor and many others fail to grasp that concept. Instead, they'd rather keep beating the "ex-con" over the head with their media sticks while continuing to stir the hornets nest of their minions of armchair prosecuting quarterbacks.
And let's get real. We're not talking about murderers, terrorists, a Bonny and Clyde gang running around knocking off banks, or even your average cut-throat politician.
These "hard core criminals" are guys that allegedly put a few drugs into their OWN bodies. It's not like they were running amok in public making a drug addict out of every 6 year old they came across.
Taylor closes his article by saying it would be easier to listen to certain athletes' arguments on such matters if they would listen to their own consciences.
Indeed.
But he might want to take a long look in the mirror first.
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