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Cheating? In sports and life, it's all too common
There's been so much talk the last couple of weeks about Patriots' coach Bill Belichick and the video flap. (He was even referred to as "Bellicheat" on a sports radio talk show I was listening to). Let's take a step back and examine this issue.
Cheating is so common throughout life, but it seems to engage fiery opinions when sports are involved. The baseball steroid issue, for instance. We've got a war going on, a deficit growing to Biblical proportions, the medical costs in this country are spiraling out of control and our elected leaders jumped all over the steroid issue. Sounds like a nice diversion to the real problems the world was facing at the time and are still facing today. In sports, at every level, people try to get an edge. Is it cheating for a basketball player to knock a ball out of bounds with an opponent in close proximity, but that player pretend it went off the other guy? Intentionally holding someone in football and not getting caught by the official; then trying to do it again on the next play? A catcher "Framing" a borderline pitch? How about stealing signs in baseball? In soccer, players fake injuries all the time to try and get an opponent yellow- or red-carded. Then once play resumes, the player is miraculously playing at full speed when moments before it looked like he was dying on the field. Look away from sports for a minute. How common are cheating spouses? Cheating on income taxes? Cheating on election results (Hello Florida, but then, Gore couldn't even carry his home state, so what does that tell you?) Is it cheating for a standout incoming high school athlete to use open enrollment (or any other option available) to abandon the school in his residential district for a better athletic school elsewhere in town? How about a standout wrestler who repeats eighth grade (called a redshirt year, if you can believe it) so he'll be a year older than others in his grade when he's in high school. Maybe he'll be a 19-year-old senior wrestling against 15- and 16-year-olds. Let's face it: No one wants to admit it, but cheating is a way of life. The well-publicized cases get a lot of attention, but there's plenty of stuff happening in all walks of life. If your comments about sports cheating seems a bit harsh, look in the mirror. Me? I've never cheated on a spouse, I haven't cheated on my taxes. In my own sports days? Yeah, I've pretended my basketball team should have possession when I've knocked the ball out of bounds. And it's been awarded to my team a couple of times. That's what I mean about looking in the mirror. I'm still a sports fan, and bending the rules, looking for an edge or even (wink, wink) a little cheating isn't going to alter that. 2 comments from 2 users
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posted by
sagefever
on Sep 19, 2007 at 07:21 PM
So really it the cheats your a fan of, not sports? Sports is physical ability, eye hand coordination~ beyond the ability to hold a video camera and see the other guys signals. A friend married a man who told me "If your not cheating your not trying", I wish them all the luck in the world:they'll need it. I'm old school that way, but your correct that these days it doesn't seem to matter how you get there. Cheapens the whole deal to me.
posted by
adampayne
on Sep 20, 2007 at 08:08 AM
Your post explains why the country continues to be viewed with suspicion around the world. From your observations cheating seems to be the normal thing to do. It is not. The fact that some people engage in the types of behavior you note does not make it right, or the usual method of gamesmanship. The fact that cheating has become so prevalent might mean that fewer people believe there is a level playing field to begin with. One of the greatest basic elements to all games is the trust factor that the rules of the game will be observed and that the rules don't get changed in the middle of the game. Referees and governing bodies overseeing the games are in place to enforce the agreed upon rules. We have watched our leaders change the rules of engagement these past few years. We no longer call the captured enemy prisoners of war, or soldiers, but enemy combatants to avoid the articles of convention governing types of behavior warring factions must abide by. Many in this country don't seem too bothered by the change, since, they argue the other side will stoop to any measure we must stoop, as well, to the enemy's level of barbarism. We have allowed our country to become a cheat in the eyes of the world. Political office cannot be obtained by presenting the best ideas, but by obtaining the most cash to spin the loudest message. When it is obvious that the political will of the people will result in a decision for one idealogical side, we see the other idealogical party involved try to subvert the process or change the rules. Here in California there will be a ballot initiative to change the winner takes all allotment of electoral votes now in place. It does not seem to matter to the current losing party that no other state portions out electoral votes, the rules just need to be changed for this particular election to cheat the certain outcome. Losers cheat. Americans should not allow losers to control the games any longer.
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