Sports - Do sports athletes tend to get into trouble a lot?

Greaso · 07-30-2003, 05:45 PM

With the charge of sexual assault on Kobe Bryant, Mike Tyson charged with physical assault on two fans, Jayson Williams charged with manslaughter of a limo driver, etc. This asks the question, do famous sports athletes tend to get into trouble with the by breaking the law? How can we society help these troubled athletes?

**NikNak** · 07-30-2003, 08:05 PM

Interesting question, Greaso. I'll have to think about it some more, but I'm looking forward to seeing other's responses. Thanks for bringing this up. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

**BabyJ** · 07-30-2003, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Greaso:
<STRONG> Jayson Williams charged with manslaughter of a limo driver</STRONG>

Woah. Had not heard that.

That's the thing, do famous sports athletes tend to get into trouble with the by breaking the law. It makes it sound as if athletes are supposed to be superhuman. They're not. They're just people with talent to play a certain sport.

Fact is, stuff like this happens everyday. I can't remember the last time when my dad was watching the news when there hasn't been any reports of rape, murder, assault/battery, etc. It's just because they're famous, their stuff ends up in the news and the headlines all over the country.

And if you compare the millions of athletes around the world with the ones that get into trouble, it's not a lot.

Chi159 · 07-30-2003, 08:51 PM

I think it would be stereotypical to say that most athletes tend to get into trouble. But I will say that athletes who were coddled all their life, handed things left and right, and told they could never do wrong by those surrounding them as they grew up tend to be at a higher risk to make poor decisions and get into trouble than others. These individuals are usually never told �no� and get what they want most of the time. When you add in an aggressive/violent personality, or a situation in which the individual doesn�t think about the consequences of their actions, that�s when trouble usually happens.

How can society help these troubled athletes? I don�t think you can do much beyond holding these individuals to the same set of standards as you do everybody else. And starting at a young age. If you don�t do that, a loose chain is created and a sense of entitlement is a result. It�s all about tough love.

I agree, with BabyJ, though. It�s important to recognize that those who fall into the bracket of �troubled athletes� do not make up the majority.

[ 07-30-2003: Message edited Chi159 ]

E Gro · 08-03-2003, 12:22 PM

I think just because their famous every little thing they do gets put on tv and on the news.

Milt Palacio · 08-03-2003, 12:40 PM

Yes, they do get into trouble a lot.

Lots of money + fame + lots of women wanting to sleep with you + shady people around you = trouble.

Hell, if I was a famous professional athlete I'm sure I'd get into trouble once in a while. It's understandable. Plus you're a target and everyone is always watching you.

-Will

**NikNak** · 08-03-2003, 05:40 PM

As mentioned, sports athletes are most likely not doing anything that we haven't heard of before, but sadly, their escapades and antics are highlighted on the 5 o'clock news every day. In addition, I don't think there's anything "special" that can be (or should be) done to help sports athletes. They have the same guidelines and principles in life as the rest of us. It's just that... most of us don't take come a million dollar paycheck each day.