When things go wrong

In the world of not only professional sports, but also even at the collegiate level, 9 times out of 10, star athletes get the star treatment. But when they have run-ins with the law, it seems that they not only receive star treatment; they also get preferential treatment as well. Which leads to the next question, "When will something have to give?"

For the higher-ups in the NBA, NCAA, NFL, etc. that time is now. It seems that whenever someone along the likes of (the Atlanta Falcons') Michael Vick, (the Chicago Bears') Tank Johnson or (the Tennessee Titans') Pac-Man Jones has brushes with the law or makes front page news, we tend to explain away the truth behind why they ended up in this predicament to begin with. No wonder then that they receive little more than a slap on the wrist & they can continue with their lives & careers as if nothing happened. Or, in the case of Kobe Bryant, they feel that they're the scapegoats, & as it were, the innocent victims of a criminal justice system which just enjoys pointing fingers to find someone to blame for their actions.

In a previous post, I focused on the three Duke lacrosse players who were wrongfully convicted of rape. Was the Duke lacrosse team portrayed as a bunch of saints when they threw a party which had booze & strippers? No. Did this party (& subsequent rape which occurred there) mean their entire season had to be cancelled? Perhaps, perhaps not, depending on how you look at the situation. At any rate, there has to be a punishment which appropriately fits the crime. If it means not being able to play all season long, so be it then. But the higher-ups in the NBA, NFL, NCAA & so forth need to toughen up on repeat offenders, no questions asked. With first-timers, I can see that there is work to be done & plenty of contention concerning what to do about those athletes who slipped up just once. But if the offense was serious, or just plain unprofessional conduct, the thought of getting second chances at redemption may soon become more & more unlikely.

Pac-Man can't play the 2007 season; Tank Johnson got into trouble again. And Michael Vick recently was at the center of a dogfighting issue. How many more foul-ups will it take before enough finally is enough? Only the criminal justice system can answer that question for sure; it sure doesn't discriminate, even if it happens to be the football team's star WR or QB whom they're dealing with.