How wonderful — only one day after the steroid/drug use report on MLB was released, the sports world has rallied around, soundly condemned all athletes who use such stuff, and completely changed the nature of pro sports in America. And we did it all for the kids, too!
No, of course, that’s not what has been happening in any news reports I’ve seen, heard, or read. What’s been happening is exactly what I expected would happen: There’s a public outcry against pros who were reported as “druggies”; there’s a “shame on you” call to those athletes and other pros to be proper role models for our youngsters — but there’s been nothing I’ve seen that says, “Hey, you know, our whole culture is at least partly responsible. Let’s get back to paying pro athletes intelligent salaries and playing the game at all levels for what it is — A GAME.”
Of course, it’ll never happen, because MLB and pretty much every other sport is NOT anything like “just a game,” but a major bucks big business.
Let’s start a campaign. Let’s encourage all sports team owners to put a clause in every player’s contract requiring them to donate X percentage of their salary to charity — preferably something that will directly aid families and children. Oh, of course I know that won’t happen either. But if it were possible, it might make some of these teams and the big money players more likely to look at the difference between being paid obscene amounts of money to play a game and what is “real life” for most folks.
Ah, well, what do I know? I’m just a guy who reads the papers.
[/tags]MLB scandal, sports and drug use, celebrity athletes, just a guy who reads the papers[/tags]