Searching for the answer
Less than a week ago now when I sat down to write my column for last week's paper, my mind was focused on the bomb shell that had just been dropped on the world of Major League Baseball when the long awaited Mitchell report was finally made public. The revelations and implications in that report, coming on the heels of retired U. S. Olympian Marion Jones' admissions in November of having used performance enhancing drugs during her illustrious career in track and field, should have left no doubt in any one's mind that there is definitely a drug problem in the world of sports. Not that this is something necessarily new, but the reality of all the suspicions and accusations, which have been raging since the mid 1990's, being confirmed or at least raised to the level of likely, has the general public casting a skeptical eye at any significant accomplishments that might occur in any sport now or in the future.

If that weren't enough, this week we find out that Florida State University may be forced to play this years' Music City Bowl Game against Kentucky, scheduled for Monday, December 31, without as many as 25 players who are being suspended because of their alleged participation in an academic cheating scandal in 2006. Of course that is just the latest in a plethora of off the field problems affecting college athletes ranging from the illegal receipt of text books to drunken driving, assaults, and brandishing a firearm. Here again the problems in these areas didn't just begin but have been a growing pain for Colleges and Universities to deal with for more than two decades now.

Shoot, there have been enough off the field scandals and incidents involving athletes at the three major universities in the state of Florida alone in the last few years for everyone to know this bad behavior among some college athletes has reached epidemic proportions. Sadly, the problems can't be isolated into one geographic region of the country or even one or two conferences. They would be a lot easier to address if they could, but unfortunately no college or university seems to be exempt as evidenced by all the different places that have had problems this year and in the past.

As the old saying goes realizing there is a problem is the first step in the process of correcting it. Once you've taken that step as we have here, what usually follows is a fact finding process to determine its cause. In this case I believe the root cause is something we've all known for a long time but were never willing to admit. Simply put, it is the continuing moral decay in this country.

Believe it or not, there once was a time that the fabric of our society was built on honesty, integrity and dependability. During that time for the most part people took full responsibility for their actions and a person's word was his bond. Those who chose to participate in sports in that era did so fully intending to demonstrate good sportsmanship and to give their opponents the respect due them. They wanted any success they enjoyed on the playing field to have been earned fair and square, because then and only then could they feel like they had truly accomplished something. Off the field that wanted to live in a way that not only brought honor to themselves but to the institution and/or organization they represented. One might say it was a time when people chose to do what was right because it was the right thing to do rather than doing what was merely expedient.

Knowing there is a problem and understanding the reasons for it are two critical steps toward solving it. But often it is that final step of taking the necessary actions to correct it that stops the process. There are some who would say harsher punishment for the offender is the answer. For example they believe any athlete who steps across the line and breaks the rules needs to be summarily dismissed from the program rather than receiving suspensions or other forms of punishment. That might be the best course of action in some cases and might work in some instances but still you are ultimately only dealing with a symptom and not the problem itself. To get to the root of the problem we must start working with people at a younger age. Parents and other family ultimately must do a better job of teaching their children at an early age about proper behavior. They must show them through their lives that there are certain moral principles that each person should set as their rules to live by. And finally they must teach them about the consequences for bad behavior through fair and equitable discipline. Then and only then will we see a significant change for the good in the behavior of athletes and for that matter the public in general.

Until that day comes, for us to make the best out of the mess we are in, I do believe there are some offenses by athletes which should fall under a zero tolerance rule regardless who the athlete is or what ability level he or she possesses. Maybe through terminating the scholarships and/or contracts of those who won't conform to what's right and replacing them with someone who can behave will send a message throughout the system that learning proper behavior is as important as learning an athletic skill. At least it's worth a try.

Until next time……be safe!

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