Who Cares?
Two days after the Mitchell Report on steroid use in the MLB was released, an Associated Press headline read, “Who Cares?” The article then went on to quote a number of fans including one who wrote on the LA Times website, “I could care less about fair play as long as these overpaid athletes entertain me.”
Let me start off by saying that I care – and a lot. And I’m particularly ticked off with the walking on egg shells dance that Senator Mitchell, Bud Selig, MLB and the Players Union are doing.
Dancing on egg shells? You got it. First, Mitchell says none but the most egregious offenders should be punished – the ink has barely dried on the report and he favors issuing get out of jail free cards. Second, Selig and MLB have known for years of the abuses and had to be forced to turn their blind eye towards the problem. Lest you forget, the MLB had to be dragged in to congressional hearings on the matter and squealing, “why are we being singled out?” Answer: for the simple fact that they, unlike the NFL, had not taken any meaningful steps to rid performance enhancing drugs from the sport. Finally, the MLB Players Union has, and continues to resist any meaningful change and does not appear to have any interest in protecting the integrity of the game.
What none of these people seem to be considering is you – the high school athlete who has aspirations of playing in college and beyond. The message they are sending is; as long as we all continue to make money its ok to cheat.
But that message is wrong and it raises some serious questions about the direction we are heading in as a society and in particular about our priorities. If people in high positions (in this case MLB officials, owners and athletes), by bad example teach that cheating is ok as long as it keeps the stadiums full, does that not 1; send a message to young athletes that in order to get here your must cheat too, and 2; if it is ok to cheat to here, why isn’t it ok to cheat there? If it’s ok and rewarding to cheat to get to the MLB, why is it wrong to cheat on the SAT to get into Harvard?
Whether they like it or not, professional athletes are role models to millions of people around the world. They are and should be held to a higher standard because their actions have an impact on millions of young men and women who look up to them to show them “the way”. If you want to get somewhere who do you follow; someone who’s been there or someone who’s not? How can we on one hand, crucify Michael Vick and then on the other hand elevate Barry Bonds? Both men are role models and both did wrong. Yes, Vick killed dogs but while he’s serving a 23 month prison sentence and is banned from the NFL, Bonds wears the crown of home run king.
That Bonds has not had his day in court is irrelevant because in the court of public opinion you don’t have to be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The court of public opinion isn’t susceptible to slick lawyer tricks and technicalities to get their client off. People can see with their own eyes.
Getting back to you and why I think this is a crucial issue. As an athlete, you are more likely to succeed in life than those who are not. You are more likely to become leaders in your community, in business, law, medicine, politics and all walks of life. Some of you will join the military and represent and defend our country. Most of you one day will coach youth sports and have kids of your own. In short, you are the future and you will have the responsibility of showing future generations “the way”.
Sports in general and baseball specifically is no longer “just a game” because we’ve made it part of the American culture. If one segment of our culture becomes corrupted it begins to corrupt the rest. Somehow many in my generation forgot the meaning of integrity and honor; it is up to your generation to get us back on track.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Stay strong and play hard.
By John Farfaglia
Published by API/APN africanpress@chello.no
