Saturday Sports Topper
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by BlogTrot
What a tough week to be a sports fan. I can't remember a time when so many sports leagues were under such criticism. All the sports news these days seems to center on what individuals have done wrong, and harmed not only their own careers and reputations but the reputations of the leagues they serve.
NFL - Michael Vick and his dog fighting trial are front and center in football news. Allegations that he played a part in organized dog fights are said to be substantial enough to end his career and put him behind bars. Vick has had a bit of bad rep over the last few years, although giving fans the middle finger will get you that. I can't believe how many athletes seem so eager to throw it all away over stupid things, especially something like dog fighting. The NFL has always seemed to have this problem, with star players and draft picks and up and coming players getting into all sorts of trouble with the law, more so than any other league. Makes you wonder what kind of support system is out there for these athletes. On the case of Vick, lots of folks are saying that this trial is the end of his career, I disagree. If his career is over it's because he doesn't have what it takes to perform on the field. I don't believe his off field antics will harm him as much as people may think. Look at Kobe Bryant, he went through a scandal, and came back to the game, some would say better than ever. There are many an athlete who has run into trouble albeit personal or public, in the game or out of it, and has come back to perform.
NBA - Maybe the worst thing to happen to sport is happening in the NBA right now. Referee Tim Donaghy is under suspicion of betting on games that he refereed. Donaghy is rumored to not only have bet on the season, but on individual games as well. Fixing of matches is one of the things that has given boxing such a bad name over the years. You see poor refereeing is one thing, the NBA has been dogged by it lately, but refs who are more concerned about themselves than the game, the players, and the fans is when a sport goes wayward. If it comes out that this guy bet on matches within the playoffs, especially those he reffed, then I don't care who says what, the Spurs championship is tainted. You may as well throw up an asterix. A game or two out of the Phoenix Suns and Spurs series stands out as classic displays of very, very bad refereeing, and guess who one of the refs was there? That's right, Tim Donaghy. The league is also assuring it's fans and media that this is just an isolated incident. I have a tough time believing that, these things are rarely isolated incidents, Donaghy was just the guy who got caught, and that too, is after two seasons. This off season has gotten very interesting for basketball fans, for all the wrong reasons. The league needs to come up with a system to hold referees more accountable, and that's all leagues, not just basketball.
MLB - For once baseball seems to have taken a back seat in the scandal headlines, Barry Bonds is probably a game or two away from breaking Hank Aarons record, and not everyone is talking about the steroids...yet. You just get the feeling that once he reaches and breaks the milestone, that will set off a fury of questions and segments on his place in the game, and his place amongst the greats who have played the game. Another element popping up is that Yankee Alex Rodriguez is considered to be prime guy for knocking Bonds' homer record off. How odd is it, that media has already selected who is going to break Bonds record before he even sets it? Considering his reputation with the media? Not very.
NHL- The NHL seems to be the cleanest of leagues, with it being the one with the fewest of problems, at least in terms of their players getting into trouble with the law. The NHL is under scrutiny from its fans and those who follow the game, after spending a year in a lockout to pursue parity, and a even playing field for all teams, players this off season have been getting massive salaries, primarily from the big market teams. Is it short sighted panic or reason for concern?
....taken from www.rajsblogtrot.blogspot.com
