FREE ESSAY ON PROFESSIONAL SPORTS

PROFESSIONAL SPORTS

Professional Sports 
Due to the greediness of sports figures, professional athletes are not punished in the
same manner as other professionals are. It is like they are in a completely different
group that uses an entirely different set of morals. Team owners care more about making
their money than they do about setting a good example for young kids and making pro
sports fun again rather than a business. Three good examples of this greediness are
Roberto Alomar, Curtis Joseph, and Dennis Rodman. Team owners and their respective
leagues need to do something to turn this situation around before they have murderers and
rapists playing sports for millions of dollars a year. 
Roberto Alomar makes 5.5 million dollars a year due to his stellar defense and five Gold
Gloves. He is one of majors' best all-around players and destined for the Hall of Fame,
but he has performed one of the most unthinkable acts in all of sports. In a 1996 playoff
game, Alomar was up to bat and then Umpire (John Hirschbeck) called Alomar out on
strikes. Alomar went back to the dugout where he started to argue the call with
Hirschbeck who finally tossed Alomar. Oriole's manager (Davey Johnson) along with Alomar
went racing to home plate to argue the ejection. As Alomar was being pushed away by
Johnson, he spat at Hirschbeck. Alomar was suspended for five games, which was to be
served at the beginning of the 1997 season, so he could continue to play in the playoffs.
In my opinion, this act was indefensible and warranted a stiffer penalty than a five-game
suspension. Major league umpires threatened to strike during the playoffs due to Alomar's
behavior and inadequate punishment. I believe that the league did not suspend Alomar
during the playoffs because he is such a high profile player that he brings in enough
money for the league that officials felt they could justify their actions. 
Curtis Joseph is one of the premier goalies in the league a favorite among fans and the
media and on his way to getting the Vezina Trophy for the best goaltender in the NHL. He
is currently leading the Toronto Maple Leafs in the stanley cup playoffs but in a recent
game he lost his concentration and his temper. In a recent playoff game an Ottawa
Senators player was bumped into Joseph and the go ahead goal was scored. Joseph stormed
out of the net and collided with the ref knocking him to the ice. In the NHL rulebook if
a player makes contact with an official they will be suspended and punished by the
league. In this case Joseph received no suspension and no fine and the league didn't even
review the play. Since it's the playoffs and Curtis is a star player he wasn't punished
and didn't even get a minor penalty in game. In a similar play Ottawa Sen's player Andre
Roy shoved an official aside in a much less harmful incident but received a three game
suspension mainly because he is minor player.
Dennis Rodman, the National Basketball Association's bad boy, is notorious for getting in
trouble. In a January 15, 1997, game, Rodman lost his balance after going for a rebound.
He fell into a row of photographers where he kicked one of the photographers in the
groin. The photographer, who doubled over in pain, was removed on a stretcher and taken
to a nearby hospital. Rodman only received an eleven-game suspension, was fined $25,000
by the league, and ordered to get counseling. Compared with millions of dollars in salary
he is paid a year for playing basketball that fine is just a slap on the wrist. That fine
is less than one percent of his annual salary. Someone who makes $30,000 a year would be
fined more for littering. Attorney Fred Wiesman compared Rodman's behavior to that of
Major League Baseball player, Albert Belle, when he said, It's the same bullying,
arrogant, obnoxious behavior. This is not the way reasonable people should conduct
themselves 
All of the situations mentioned prove one point. Professional sports are corrupt and need
to have a serious facelift when it comes to punishment. Roberto Alomar should have at
least been suspended immediately rather than the owners allowing him to continue playing,
lessening the severity of his actions. Curtis Joseph shouldn't get special treatment just
because he's an all star and a fan favorite. All players should face the same punishment
and follow the rules that are in the rulebook. Lastly Dennis Rodman should be the reason
the NBA does not allow violent people into their league. In my opinion Dennis Rodman does
not do anything but degrade professional basketball and himself with his actions, thank
god someone stood up and decided to kick him off their team. If something is not done
soon, professional athletics will crumble due to lack of support and former team owners
will have to turn to illegal activities like some of their players to make money.