2008 Woodie Awards
Sports fans should realize cheating is just part of game
How does one define cheating? Is it stretching the rules, flat out breaking the rules or just ignoring them?
Scott Figuerola
Issue date: 9/24/07 Section: Sports
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In sports cheating has been around since the beginning. In 1919 eight players from the Chicago White Sox baseball team were accused and found guilty of fixing the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. Since the incident, the team has been referred to as the Black Sox because of their misgivings.
Pete Rose, the all-time-hits leader in MLB, was banned for life in 1989 for betting on games he managed. Players in baseball have been accused for corking bats (Sammy Sosa), using Vaseline and other substances to make the ball spin better (pitchers) and of course using different forms of steroids (Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire).
The NFL is no different. There have been suspicions for years that players all the way back to the '60s have used steroids and fixed games.
The fact is people in sports are just that, people. They are humans and humans will try and get any advantage they can. The money, fame and celebrity that comes with playing professional sports is a high for most people, and the need to win fuels this high.
So why wouldn't they try and get these advantages?
During the first week of the NFL season, the New England Patriots and their coach Bill Belichick were accused of stealing signs from the other team. The significance is that the Patriots' offense knew what defense the other team would run and therefore could call plays that best suited that defense.
According to reports on ESPN, these indiscretions resulted in Belichick being fined $500,000, the Patriots organization fined $250,000 and the team will be docked anywhere from one to two draft picks next year, depending on how the Patriots fair during the season.
LaDainian Tomlinson, the MVP running back of the San Diego Chargers, summed it up perfectly when he said in a press conference that if you're not cheating you're not trying.
This prompted a question from the people at ESPN, "Can we trust anything we see or hear in sports?" The answer is easy; no we can't and it doesn't matter.
Sports fans know not everything they watch is kosher and if they don't then they are na've.
Do we really think athletes are not going to try and gain an advantage over their counterparts?
It happens in the Olympics, college sports and professional sports. Some get caught and some don't. It's human nature.
So to all you sports fans out there who are fed up with cheating in sports I have one thing to say to you; suck it up and get over it.
If you've ever watched sports you've seen somebody cheat, so either stop watching or just accept the fact that as long as humans play these games, there will be ones who try and stretch the limits of the rules.
Pete Rose, the all-time-hits leader in MLB, was banned for life in 1989 for betting on games he managed. Players in baseball have been accused for corking bats (Sammy Sosa), using Vaseline and other substances to make the ball spin better (pitchers) and of course using different forms of steroids (Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire).
The NFL is no different. There have been suspicions for years that players all the way back to the '60s have used steroids and fixed games.
The fact is people in sports are just that, people. They are humans and humans will try and get any advantage they can. The money, fame and celebrity that comes with playing professional sports is a high for most people, and the need to win fuels this high.
So why wouldn't they try and get these advantages?
During the first week of the NFL season, the New England Patriots and their coach Bill Belichick were accused of stealing signs from the other team. The significance is that the Patriots' offense knew what defense the other team would run and therefore could call plays that best suited that defense.
According to reports on ESPN, these indiscretions resulted in Belichick being fined $500,000, the Patriots organization fined $250,000 and the team will be docked anywhere from one to two draft picks next year, depending on how the Patriots fair during the season.
LaDainian Tomlinson, the MVP running back of the San Diego Chargers, summed it up perfectly when he said in a press conference that if you're not cheating you're not trying.
This prompted a question from the people at ESPN, "Can we trust anything we see or hear in sports?" The answer is easy; no we can't and it doesn't matter.
Sports fans know not everything they watch is kosher and if they don't then they are na've.
Do we really think athletes are not going to try and gain an advantage over their counterparts?
It happens in the Olympics, college sports and professional sports. Some get caught and some don't. It's human nature.
So to all you sports fans out there who are fed up with cheating in sports I have one thing to say to you; suck it up and get over it.
If you've ever watched sports you've seen somebody cheat, so either stop watching or just accept the fact that as long as humans play these games, there will be ones who try and stretch the limits of the rules.
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