Sports Scandals: Are They New or Just Becoming More Prominent?

Currently in the world of sports there is the scandal of Michael Vick who is the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. He has been told not to report to the Falcons training camp until the Federal charges brought against him, for illegal dog fighting, has been resolved. That's putting it mildly, but one is innocent until proven guilty. In the world of baseball, we are all sitting on the edge of our seats in waiting for Barry Bonds to break the home run record.

The questions there are, will Barry Bonds break that record as clean from steroids as the day he was born? If he does break the record will he be allowed to keep that record because of his past history of steroid use? In the world of basketball, we are causing ourselves paper cuts because we can't turn the pages fast enough in newspapers, as we are reading about the ref that was illegally gambling on the side. He was even calling the shots in pinnacle games to make sure that the teams would lose so he could clear a gambling debt to the mafia. Oh, I forgot. He owed big money to them for past bets gone bad.

Let's see now that leaves hockey, boxing, drag racing, bass fishing, croquette and the soap box derbies. I wonder which scandal will darken the locker rooms of the next sport? Are scandals new to the current sports fan or has it been going on for longer than we care to admit? If I were to really do the research on this topic and if I were a betting women, I would bet on the sure thing.

Gods and Potions

Scandals were as common as far back as ancient Greece. 40-50 thousand people would gather to see the best athletes from their cities, towns, and villages. They would gather in the greatest temples of the time. The day was a tribute to the gods. The people wanted to see what god had bestowed their honor upon which athlete to win the battles. Athletes pledged their piety, based on their purity and strength of body and mind.

They marched around and past the statues of gods and goddesses to show off their proud, naked bodies, slicked down in olive oil. There was also past champions that the new contenders marched past. Those champions had been offered money to participate in the games. The money came from the fines of cheaters from past games.

At the base of a 40 ft. statue of Zeus animals were sacrificed by the athletes. Oxen, boar and, sheep were roasted in hopes that the athletes pleadings would ascend to the home of the gods. Sounds like the beginning of tailgate parties to me. Pass the barbecue sauce, please.

The athletes would ask fortunetellers and magicians to give them some charm or potion to seal their fate with the gods. They needed a sure bet to win. Today's entrepreneurs selling souvenirs? Along with the amulets, potions and charms for luck, the athletes would also ask for a spell or a curse to cast against the other athlete. Shades of Mohammad Ali and Howard Cosell?

The first recorded incident of actual cheating occurred in 388 B.C. in boxing. Eupolus of Thessaly bribed three opponents to take a dive. So, this is where that phrase came from! Many other athletes were bribed to join another team or sport to make sure that another city, town or village would win the prize or the favor of the gods. A good crop could go a long way.

Athletes of Today

Bribes and cheating is not uncommon in sports no matter what the game. Both are wrong. Both do not show good sportsmanship. Sportsmanship is the first thing that is driven into a potential athlete. What is uncommon is the athlete taking steroids. Then again, maybe not by today's standards, but it is still not allowed. Thoroughbred horses are disqualified if they are found to have any trace amounts of steroids in the blood. Doesn't matter who the horse is, who it is owned by or how much the horse is valued at.

Have we, the sports fan, heaped on too much expectation of the athlete? Does the athlete lack the self confidence in themselves? Does the athlete feel that they do not have enough natural talent? Has the athlete seen that the almighty dollar has become their god and not the fan? Has the fan lost their faith in the athlete? So many variables, but the one thing that seems to be the constant is the athletes personal decision to keep his moral values and judgment. How is this not a no brainer?