A lot has changed in our country in recent years, and these changes can be seen in the ways in which we look at American sport icons. Athletes and coaches that were once considered “good,” then “bad,” are now seen as good again. Shifts in politics, ethics, law, and culture have reshaped our sense of what’s morally acceptable—and we’ve witnessed some truly dramatic paradigm changes along the way. For example, MLB players from the steroid era were once shunned from existence, but now years later we see many of them returning — including Sammy Sosa’s recent return to the Cubs this summer. The point here is not to say who is good or bad, but to instead highlight the major shifts in how we view former athletes and coaches. You might be a bad guy today, but a hero again tomorrow. Yes, these are some strange times indeed.
Rise, fall, redemption in sports
So who gets to come back from a controversial past and flourish again? Answering this question is challenging, as not every former athlete or coach returns from a dark past to fan support again — but many do. Shoeless Joe Jackson, OJ Simpson, former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, and Ben Johnson (Olympic track athlete who tested positive for steroids) are a few quick names to show that not everyone is welcomed back again, but it is interesting to study the people and related factors that lead to a second chance with sports fans (and organizations). Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick was hated at one time, and even went to prison for dog fighting. Today, Vick is the head coach at Norfolk University, and most would agree that he has successfully rehabilitated his image from years past.
Pete Rose, the all time leader in hits, was once admired by fans for his hard play, then vilified for sports gambling. Today, Rose continues to pick up support for the Hall of Fame posthumously, and likely will eventually get in someday. John Gruden, while not fully “back,” is regaining fan support after it was found that he had written racist, misogynistic, and homophobic email while coaching in Washington. Still, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers welcomed him back to their Ring of Honor in 2025. Former college coach Urban Meyer has certainly experienced his share of criticism, mostly from the program he ran at Florida, and alleged cover ups at Ohio State, yet today he is a member of the college hall of fame and broadcasting college football again. Coincidentally, his predecessor at Ohio State, Jim Tressel, was once reprimanded by the NCAA yet went on to become the president of Youngstown State University, and may eventually have a successful political run in the near future.
Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez are interesting to study — both had similar, Hall of Fame-worthy careers (though neither has been inducted), and both are tied to steroid use. While Manny Ramirez has not been welcomed back, ARod has rebuilt his credibility as a sharp TV analyst and even became a part-owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Why the love again for ARod, while Manny is still seen as a cheater from the steroid era? And then there are athletes like Lance Armstrong (cycling) and Jose Canseco (baseball), two athletes that were once wildly popular, then disgraced, and now trending back to favorable again. Does any of this make sense?
What are the factors that fans and sport decision-makers use when deciding whether a coach or player deserves a second chance? Is it personality? Length of time since the crime and/or incident? Is it the perception of the original charge and whether it should still be taken seriously today? Is it the level of repentance? There does not seem to be one single formula used, but instead a multitude of factors, often persuaded by simply whether or not you like the athlete or coach.
Final thoughts
Athletes and coaches get in trouble just like the rest of society, but what’s tough to figure out with sport figures is who will eventually get a pass from the public? Some athletes, like Shoeless Joe Jackson, never get a break, while others, like John Gruden, seem to only face temporary consequences for their actions. If this is confusing for adults to understand, you can only imagine the questions kids have when trying to develop their own moral compass and using various athletes and coaches to guide them through the process.
drstankovich.com
