Athletes searching for atonement
Ashley Islas Sports Editor
Issue date: 11/20/09 Section: Sports
They have handed back gold, tainted world records, been cursed by the public and banned from their respective sports.
Over the past few months and the last decade, athletes have been asking for forgiveness and searching for public acceptance after various disgraceful acts.
Some of these acts have taken place in locker rooms, in the playing arena, at personal homes and in the general public.
The use of steroids is now all too familiar and common in newspaper headlines and broadcast tickers - or ESPN's Bottom Line.
Mugshots of athletes can now be found in public records with the simple click of a mouse button.
Their names can be found on Federal Court documents as defendants before the United States Congress.
These same faces once graced the front of Wheaties boxes, sports magazines, world newspaper and served as the face of various campaign ads.
These individuals stepped into the public arena as athletes, but along the way became role models for our generation and generations to follow.
They may not have asked for this attention and maybe we - the fans - have contributed to their downfall by giving them the permission to feel invincible.
After all, we did place them atop a pedastal and made them athletic deities of speed, grace, strength, agility and even knowledge.
As more and more athletes begin to step back into the public eye and attempt to correct their wrongs with thousands and even millions of dollars going into charities, fans are finding it difficult to accept these atonements.
Personally, I have found it difficult to forgive some athletes like Philadelphia Eagle Michael Vick, former Chicago Cub Sammy Sosa and even baseball legend Pete Rose.
At the same time, I admire New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez when he steps to the plate, find it interesting that former St. Louis Cardinal Mark McGwire is now his former club's hitting coach and even Miami Dolphin Ricky Williams' vacation from the National Football League for his recreational drug use.
Over the past few months and the last decade, athletes have been asking for forgiveness and searching for public acceptance after various disgraceful acts.
Some of these acts have taken place in locker rooms, in the playing arena, at personal homes and in the general public.
The use of steroids is now all too familiar and common in newspaper headlines and broadcast tickers - or ESPN's Bottom Line.
Mugshots of athletes can now be found in public records with the simple click of a mouse button.
Their names can be found on Federal Court documents as defendants before the United States Congress.
These same faces once graced the front of Wheaties boxes, sports magazines, world newspaper and served as the face of various campaign ads.
These individuals stepped into the public arena as athletes, but along the way became role models for our generation and generations to follow.
They may not have asked for this attention and maybe we - the fans - have contributed to their downfall by giving them the permission to feel invincible.
After all, we did place them atop a pedastal and made them athletic deities of speed, grace, strength, agility and even knowledge.
As more and more athletes begin to step back into the public eye and attempt to correct their wrongs with thousands and even millions of dollars going into charities, fans are finding it difficult to accept these atonements.
Personally, I have found it difficult to forgive some athletes like Philadelphia Eagle Michael Vick, former Chicago Cub Sammy Sosa and even baseball legend Pete Rose.
At the same time, I admire New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez when he steps to the plate, find it interesting that former St. Louis Cardinal Mark McGwire is now his former club's hitting coach and even Miami Dolphin Ricky Williams' vacation from the National Football League for his recreational drug use.
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