Alex Rodriguez was recently suspended by Major League Baseball for 210 games (although he is currently appealing), and a host of additional players received 50 game suspensions for their performance drug violations. ARod is just the latest star athlete to go down because of his connection to performance enhancing drugs, and will now be grouped with others of his ilk including Ryan Braun and Lance Armstrong. These days, performance drugs are just one of the variables impacting sports morals and cheating, as we regularly hear about countless other issues impacting the fairness of sports – bounties in the NFL, and academic and social discretions in the NCAA, to name a few. In fact, it seems not a day goes by anymore where the lead story has something to do with PED’s, cheating, violations, arrests, indiscretions, frauds, and even murder. Will this year’s MLB suspensions finally be the “tipping point” in sports — or at least Major League Baseball?
What is Cheating Anymore?
Increasingly more players these days seem to either overtly state that the mass of elite-level athletes cheat (Jose Canseco essentially called out most of MLB a few years ago), while there is constant speculation around superior athletes who seem like they might be getting some help (i.e. Tiger Woods and his improved physique has been questioned). In the old days there were more clear boundaries about what was cheating — essentially if it involved a needle and created muscles it was clearly bad and a breach of league rules. People also agreed that you couldn’t “cork a bat” in baseball or use clubs, sticks, or racquets that went beyond league specifications. Today, things are markedly different and the lines are more diffused than ever before. Is it cheating when players drink energy drinks? What about those are prescribed medications – like ADHD meds? And what about all the designer synthetic drugs/supplements that seem to fall in the “grey area” between what’s clearly legal and what’s obviously banned?
What About if Everyone is Doing it – is it still Cheating?
Many athletes (current and former) have asserted that nearly everyone is cheating — in fact, Lance Armstrong recently said it was interesting that none of the other cyclists have come forward to lay claim on his 7 forfeited Tour de France championships (with the assumption being they cheated, too). And just the sheer number of Major League Baseball players caught and suspended certainly leads people to believe there are many, many more players who used and simply didn’t get caught. The point is that it’s impossible to know who is using illegal banned drugs, who is hopped up on prescription medications that might lead to an unfair on-field advantage (better alertness?), and who is doctoring the ball, bat, stick, or field so that they have a better chance of winning. If everyone is “cheating,” is it still cheating?
At the college level increasingly more student athletes arrive to football factory schools every year having no intention of going to class or playing by the rules off the field. Still, many coaches and athletic personnel turn the other way — so long as the player is successful and helping the school win. Is this cheating?? The loose definition of integrity is what you do when nobody is looking – these days, it seems fewer and fewer people are even trying to hide their indiscretions. Players who should be suspended are afforded light sentences (or no sentence at all), and special circumstances and considerations for great players, coaches, and programs are made all the time. What lessons are we teaching kids?
Morals, Consequences, and the Impact of Fans
It seems as though morals and integrity really aren’t very important these days, and short of even more severe penalties it’s unlikely that we will see a decline in cheating any time soon. Some will continue to cheat because they think they won’t get caught, while others will cheat because they feel they need to “keep up” with everyone else who is cheating. Ironically, fans may play the biggest role in future cheating, as the dollars they spend (or don’t spend) on sports entertainment will inevitably drive the rules and regulations on the field. When fans reach a “tipping point” and lose interest in watching artificial sports excellence, only then will leagues respond by cracking down even harder on those who break the rules.
The question, however, is whether fans will ever reach a tipping point? Remember, after the last baseball work stoppage in 1994 previously bitter baseball fans came back in droves to witness the steroid-fueled HR race between McGwire and Sosa. The reality is that sports fans love long home runs, faster and stronger athletes, and record times and feats that have never been witnessed. Do fans have it in them to expect more from athletes, leagues, and sport organizations? Or is it all viewed as simply entertainment with complete disregard as to what goes on in order to produce the product? An analogy might be having a wonderful dinner served to you – do you still want to see the kitchen from where it came? Many people could care less, so long as the meal is great.
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