TheLounge
07-30-2007, 02:37 PM
The last two weeks have been a columnist’s dream. Not only do we get the continuing Barry Bonds saga but also more arrests and drug use in the Tour de France, an NBA referee embroiled in a points-shaving scandal with mob overtures and the Michael Vick dog fighting allegations.
Question: Which is the biggest sports scandal currently clogging the front pages of sports:
A. Barry Bonds, BALCO and the grand jury
B. Tour de France’s volcanic and rampant drug culture
C. NBA official shaving points in betting scandal; mob connections
D. Michael Vick and dog fighting charges
Answer: D. These allegations are deplorable. The worst part is, police say Vick didn’t spend a lot of time at the house —*that was allegedly housing dog and cockfighting rings. Which means his people were running things and sending Vick the money. I’m sure he checked in periodically, but I really don’t believe he was involved in the day-to-day operations.
In a sick, perverted way, I can understand the sport aspect of dog fighting. Take out all the emotion and it is a competition. Some people are drawn to the action. Why do you think there is so much money bet on boxing matches? If he was there every weekend, watching fights and placing bets on them, at least he had a passion for this horrible, nauseating “sport.” He didn’t even have that. All he wants is the money.
In the other cases, gambling (NBA) and drugs (Bonds, Tour de France) are forgivable offenses. People can relate to those vices. Lot of people do drugs, millions of people gamble. They’re relatively victimless crimes —*they’re destroying their lives. Heck, even boxers and ultimate fighters willingly climb into the ring or the cage.
These dogs had no choice —*and no chance. It was Vick and his boys who took those options away from those dogs.
Vick supporters say dog fighting has been around for centuries and it’s still going on right now. Why don’t authorities go after all dog-fighting rings?
Because Vick suffered from the ultimate disease —*greed. His “business” got so big, so popular, so well known, it was only a matter of time until they got busted.
Vick will have his day in court. He’ll have his day with the NFL. Then hopefully we won’t hear from him again.
***
If you think about it, the NBA betting scandal shouldn’t be all that surprising. There was a red flag sent up years ago and while the NBA dealt with it then, it appears to have smoldered until now.
In the Late 1990s, several NBA officials got pinched in a tax fraud scandal when they took their NBA-allotted, first-class airline tickets and sold them for coach seats and refunds.
People say officials have to be beyond reproach. Why? They’re human. They’re just as messed up as the rest of us.
***
Most people could care less about the cycling in general or specifically the Tour de France.
You might want to keep track of this because it’s not often you get a chance to see the destruction of one of the biggest events in the sporting world —*and possibly the sport itself.
Wednesday saw more arrests and more withdrawls from the Tour de France as a second rider was busted for doping allegations in as many days. The leader himself, Michael Rasmussen, is under close scrutiny after being kicked off the Dutch national team for missing mandatory drug tests.
The race has been ravaged — once again — by the use of performance enhancing drugs. It’s almost comical now. I laugh and shake my head because these elite riders just can not help themselves. They’re addicted to doing whatever it takes to get an advantage.
***
Don’t all these other scandals make the whole Bonds situation seem quaint by comparison?
Nathan Mollat can be reached by e-mail: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 117.
Question: Which is the biggest sports scandal currently clogging the front pages of sports:
A. Barry Bonds, BALCO and the grand jury
B. Tour de France’s volcanic and rampant drug culture
C. NBA official shaving points in betting scandal; mob connections
D. Michael Vick and dog fighting charges
Answer: D. These allegations are deplorable. The worst part is, police say Vick didn’t spend a lot of time at the house —*that was allegedly housing dog and cockfighting rings. Which means his people were running things and sending Vick the money. I’m sure he checked in periodically, but I really don’t believe he was involved in the day-to-day operations.
In a sick, perverted way, I can understand the sport aspect of dog fighting. Take out all the emotion and it is a competition. Some people are drawn to the action. Why do you think there is so much money bet on boxing matches? If he was there every weekend, watching fights and placing bets on them, at least he had a passion for this horrible, nauseating “sport.” He didn’t even have that. All he wants is the money.
In the other cases, gambling (NBA) and drugs (Bonds, Tour de France) are forgivable offenses. People can relate to those vices. Lot of people do drugs, millions of people gamble. They’re relatively victimless crimes —*they’re destroying their lives. Heck, even boxers and ultimate fighters willingly climb into the ring or the cage.
These dogs had no choice —*and no chance. It was Vick and his boys who took those options away from those dogs.
Vick supporters say dog fighting has been around for centuries and it’s still going on right now. Why don’t authorities go after all dog-fighting rings?
Because Vick suffered from the ultimate disease —*greed. His “business” got so big, so popular, so well known, it was only a matter of time until they got busted.
Vick will have his day in court. He’ll have his day with the NFL. Then hopefully we won’t hear from him again.
***
If you think about it, the NBA betting scandal shouldn’t be all that surprising. There was a red flag sent up years ago and while the NBA dealt with it then, it appears to have smoldered until now.
In the Late 1990s, several NBA officials got pinched in a tax fraud scandal when they took their NBA-allotted, first-class airline tickets and sold them for coach seats and refunds.
People say officials have to be beyond reproach. Why? They’re human. They’re just as messed up as the rest of us.
***
Most people could care less about the cycling in general or specifically the Tour de France.
You might want to keep track of this because it’s not often you get a chance to see the destruction of one of the biggest events in the sporting world —*and possibly the sport itself.
Wednesday saw more arrests and more withdrawls from the Tour de France as a second rider was busted for doping allegations in as many days. The leader himself, Michael Rasmussen, is under close scrutiny after being kicked off the Dutch national team for missing mandatory drug tests.
The race has been ravaged — once again — by the use of performance enhancing drugs. It’s almost comical now. I laugh and shake my head because these elite riders just can not help themselves. They’re addicted to doing whatever it takes to get an advantage.
***
Don’t all these other scandals make the whole Bonds situation seem quaint by comparison?
Nathan Mollat can be reached by e-mail: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 117.