Over the years, athletes have committed selfish acts. Whether it’s shooting themselves in the leg “accidentally” or taking part in dog fighting events. These iconic figures haven’t been the role models they are supposed to be. Young men and women look up to these athletes, some even think of them as their heroes.
As time goes on, athletes don’t care about what they do. If they’re famous and their rich, it’s apparent that they seem to have the idea that they can do whatever they want. But this shouldn’t be happening. America is “supposed” to be a place of promise, redemption, and most of all perseverance.
All of this has an effect on the every day lives of most Americans. However, athletes take advantage of their freedom and love from the fans. But they can’t be at blame as they’re getting paychecks left and right in the seven digit range, passing the stature of becoming a multi-millionaire. This has led them to show less support for what their supposed to love the most, their job.
Athletes become just that for one reason, they “love” the game. But in the 21st century, it is time to realize that isn’t true anymore. Star players, especially in baseball, don’t “love” the game like they always did.
They may want to always have it in their life, but they surely don’t love it. Love for a sport can be compared to love in a marriage. When loving a sport, it’s impossible to give up on it. There will always be fights over it, but in reality, it is in a person’s life for a reason. That reason is because they “love” and cherish it just like their significant other.
When loving something, it’s never alright to cheat. But, that’s exactly what athletes have been doing. Even the best of the best do it.
According to MLB.com, The Mitchell Report, which came out in 2007, exposed roughly 89 players which have used performance enhancing drugs within the years before it. Out of all sports, baseball.
America’s national past time is now full of cheaters. One of the most known cases has been the recent scandal from the Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player, Milwaukee Brewers’ star Out Fielder, Ryan Braun. Braun has been suspended for the first 50 games of the 2012 season even though he has appealed Commissioner Bud Selig’s decision. That is not a passion for the game nor is it dedication in any way possible.
There are substances on the ‘black market’ like HGH, which is a frequently used banned substance across the sports world. Baseball in particular has seen numerous players suspended since 2005. According to baseball-almanac.com, there has been 32 suspensions throughout the MLB since 2005. The increasingly high number continues to grow throughout the MLB and other sports.
Compared to most other sports, the MLB has the unfortunate edge with more “cheaters” than any other. Players throughout the league has proved to fans they don’t love the game anymore. In many cases within other top sports organizations such as the National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, and even the NFL, have all been victims to this outrageous, irresponsible behavior.
Athletes always attempt to make themselves the “innocent victim” in numerous cases, most famously, the Barry Bonds/Mark Mcgwire saga as both set records throughout the MLB. They lost thousands of fans from their atrocious behavior, but their respective careers were finished but, it didn’t matter to them because they were where they wanted to be in life.
Without the fans, the players would never have made the money they did. They wouldn’t have became heroes to young children, local baseball players attempting to become something based off of their successes. That’s what “true love” really is.
Fans continue to watch these sports. With the disappointment of their favorite players, former Most Valuable Players, being suspended for a quarter of the season, they will think again about following that athlete for the rest of their lives. If this traitorous era will end, sports may just get back to what it used to be. The love for the game will be back, hopefully stronger than ever.
