Image is Everything?

The image of the four major sports leagues have taken a beating as of late. Watching sportscentre the last week or so seems to resemble an episode of the Sopranos rather than a sports highlight show. Whether it’s dog fighting, performance-enhancing drugs, corrupt referees, gambling rings they’re all damaging to the individual sports and the athletes. There is a lot of debate in the media whether the credibility and integrity of these sports will be tarnished, personally I say ‘no’. You may all disagree but sports seem to have a way avoiding long term problems associated to scandals, at least from my knowledge. I think it’s because as fans we love sports and hold our favorite athletes in such high regard, so much so that our tolerance for them seems to be greater.

We won’t know for sometime of Michael Vick’s situation, but I guarantee when he finally suits up and shakes the other teams defense for a game winning touchdown run all will be forgotten. Don’t get me wrong I’m not condoning Vick’s involvement or any of these serious indictments/scandals in the sports world, but just as an example do you really think Joe Blow who has dogfights on his property in Anytown, USA is under the same kind of scrutiny Michael Vick is under?

A comical look at the four major sports past & present.

Vick pleads not guilty in dog fighting case.