Professional athletes are not punished like other professionals due to their greediness. They seem to belong to a separate group that adheres to a different set of morals.
Team owners prioritize their financial gain over setting a positive example for young children and revitalizing professional sports as an enjoyable activity rather than a mere business. This greediness is exemplified by Roberto Alomar, Warren Sapp, and Dennis Rodman. It is crucial for team owners and their respective leagues to take action and prevent a scenario where individuals guilty of heinous crimes are allowed to participate in sports and earn millions annually. Roberto Alomar’s annual income is $5 million.
Alomar, known for his five Gold Gloves and annual salary of $5 million, is considered one of the best all-around players in Major League Baseball. He is anticipated to be honored with an induction into the Hall of Fame. However, during a divisional playoff game in 1996, Umpire John Hirschbeck declared Alomar out on strikes while he was at bat.
Alomar returned to the dugout and began arguing the call with Hirschbeck. Eventually, the umpire ejected Alomar. Orioles manager Davey Johnson joined Alomar and rushed to home plate to dispute the ejection. While Johnson was pulling Alomar away, he spat at Hirschbeck.
The suspension of Alomar for five games, to be served at the start of the 1997 season in order to allow him to participate in the playoffs, is, in my view, an act that cannot be justified and deserves a harsher punishment. The inadequate penalty resulted in major league umpires considering a strike during the playoffs due to Alomar’s behavior. I believe that Alomar was not suspended during the playoffs because he is a well-known and influential player who generates significant revenue for the league, leading officials to believe that their actions could be rationalized.
Warren Sapp, a standout defensive player in the 1995 NFL Draft, faced drug-related issues during his college football career at Miami. He tested positive for drugs, mostly marijuana, on seven occasions. One of these instances involved cocaine. Initially, Sapp denied the reports, considering them completely false. However, he later admitted flunking one drug test while at Miami. Despite his admission, the NFL, keen on capitalizing on his potential profitability, downplayed the situation by emphasizing that Sapp did not test positive for cocaine while strangely leaving out any mention of marijuana.
In most workplaces, someone who had tested positive for drugs multiple times would not be hired. However, Dennis Rodman, the National Basketball Association’s controversial figure, has a history of getting into trouble. During a game on January 15, 1997, Rodman lost his balance while attempting to grab a rebound. Consequently, he ended up falling into a group of photographers and unintentionally kicking Eugene Amos in the groin.
Amos was hospitalized in Minneapolis, while Rodman received disciplinary action from the league – an eleven-game suspension and a $25,000 fine. He was also advised to undergo counseling. Micheals 12 argues that given Rodman’s annual basketball earnings of $6.3 million, this punishment is relatively insignificant.
That fine is less than 1% of his annual salary and is lower than the fine someone making $30,000 a year would receive for littering. Attorney Fred Wiesman drew a comparison between Rodman’s behavior and that of Major League Baseball player Albert Belle, stating, “It’s the same bullying, arrogant, obnoxious behavior. This is not how reasonable people should behave” (Rodman’s 22).
The mentioned situations highlight the corruption and need for serious punishment in professional sports. Instead of immediately suspending Roberto Alomar, the owners let him continue playing, thereby minimizing the gravity of his actions. If Warren Sapp created anti-drug posters, he would be a better role model for children. However, the NFL permits him to play despite being a known and admitted drug user, giving children the impression that they can still earn millions of dollars a year even if they use drugs.
Not in the real world. Dennis Rodman should be the reason why the NBA does not allow violent individuals into their league. In my opinion, Dennis Rodman’s actions only bring down professional basketball and himself. If prompt action is not taken, professional athletics will suffer from lack of support, and former team owners may resort to illegal means of making money.
