Friday, July 20, 2007

Sports Heroes or Sports Criminals

This week the media and the sports world were shocked by the charges against Michael Vick of the Atlanta Falcons. He is charged, among other things, of sponsoring a dogfighting operation.

Is this what it took to focus attention on the criminal behavior of some NFL players? For years, these players have had run-ins with the law and charges of sodomy, rape, assault, drug possession and trafficking and dui's. They were crimes against people, now they are accused of crimes against animals.

Back in 1998, Jeff Benedict and Don Yaeger wrote a book entitled PROS AND CONS The Criminals Who Play in the NFL. They go into detail on Patrick Bates who was charged with aggravated assault and false imprisonment, but pled to reduced charges. Then there was Willie Beamon who was convicted of assault. Cornelius Bennett was charged with rape, sodomy, unlawful imprisonment and sexual abuse, but pled to reduced charges.

There are many other stories in this book. Evidently, they didn't get the coverage that Michael Vicks did.

I don't like pit bulls, but what those dogs allegedly went through was terrible. I can't understand why anyone would enjoy watching and betting on a fight that will end in death to one of the participants. I hope that everyone involved, if found guilty, will receive the full punishment possible.

Maybe now there will be more media attention on all criminal activity by professional sports players. Too many of them are held up as heroes.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

All I can say is that today's news provides ample proof that:
1. There has to be a God.
2. A Strong Power will help all
of us rise above the evil
that is sucking us under.
Remember the days when a football game meant rosy red cheeks and a big yellow chrysanthemum? That might have been only Brooklyn, but still, it was a little piece of heaven!

Anonymous said...

PF/SSS

APPARANTLY THIS KIND OF ANIMAL FIGHTING HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME. WE HAVEN'T REALLY HEARD ABOUT IT, BUT A COMMENTATOR MENTIONED THAT IT THRIVES AMONG CULTURES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND EVEN HERE IN AMERICA, BUT MOSTLY IN THE SOUTH. I CONCUR THAT IT IS EVIL. AS FAR AS SOME OF THOSE NFLers, THEY HAVE NO BRAINS AND TOO MUCH MONEY. HOWEVER, I'M IMPRESSED WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR SHENANIGANS. YOU SURE KNOW YOUR FOOTBALL STUFF.