Why Are REAL Crimes In Sports Ignored While "Sport Crimes" Cause All Hell

[GamerGal]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shu...urn=nfl,218771

Take Pete Rose, for example. His major offense in life was a crime against sports. He bet on baseball. Yet, he's barred from the game, he's become a joke and he's basically a sports pariah. And yet, how many wife beaters and guys with multiple DUIs -- real crimes that are clearly worse -- take the field with no real consequences, day in and day out?

That's the part I wanted pointed out. So true, Pete Rose bet on games, lifetime ban. Some one else beats a woman so badly she's put in a coma? Gets a contract extension. Pete bet on teams, banned. Every one else so hopped up on steroids they go on the field with needles sticking out of their arms? Hall of Fame records broken and considered greatest players of all time. Vick kills dogs*? Meh, we love him let him play! He admits he was lazy while playing? BURN HIM!!!!

*While killing dogs he killed thousands less then PETA does every year yet they had the balls too protest against him
http://forums.armageddononline.org/p...7.html?t=20677

[Reef Badlaw]

I think it has something to do with a gladiator mentality, combined with a pride of birthright (hometown loyalty) thing. -But the 'gladiator' would've had to've done something monumentally deserving of worship (to a city's fan-base's approval) BEFORE the criminal offense was committed.

[phedrereine]

People who are seen as extraordinarily talented at something are more easily forgiven -- at least by those who love and value the arena in which they excel and think they provide good contribution to it. But there is this mysticism and glory surrounding sports especially. People have always been in awe by extraordinary physical feats (more so men than women, and men are usually calling the shots in allowing male athletes to recover good reputation and succeed, remember)... also, there seems to be this perception that an athlete has two personas: one on field, and one off. Extraordinary athletes can get away with all manner of ill behavior off the field in their personal lives, because it is seen as sharply segregated and irrelevant to their natural prowess and good sportsmanship within the sport. Also, there have been so many immoral male athletes (of the cheating, womanizing variety), we have taken a blase attitude about their behavior... almost accepted is as par for the course.

But not to worry. As we have seen, even Tiger, amazingly talented and revered, could not skate above his personal misdeeds. Few celebrities of any kind have fallen into such consummate disgrace.