Athletes should take the heat

By Debbie Irmen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Thursday, August 30, 2007

Michael Vick, the Atlanta Falons football star quarterback who pleaded guilty to dog fighting charges this week, was suspended from playing football indefinitely and I say good for the National Football League.

Too often, NFL officials, as well as other sport leagues — hockey, basketball and baseball to name a few — turn a blind eye to the unlawful antics of their players. A simple pat on the wrist and the player is allowed back in the game.

All the leagues could clean up their images by simply imposing suspensions for players who seriously misbehave.

Part of the problem is determining what is serious misconduct these days. There would likely be much discussion about whether DWIs should count against a player or if repeated failed drug tests mattered. I say both should.

Of course, that would mean teams could be forced to play without their best players, but I say so be it. The game is about more than winning.

If players can’t act like adults and conduct themselves within the law — then they should be removed from the public arena.

It is my belief that some players consider themselves invincible and above the law. They are not and I’m tired of hearing about unlawful activity with little or no serious consequences.

So I say kudos to the NFL for suspending Vick and encourage them — and the NBA, NHL, MLB as well — to take a tough stance with other players who act outside of the law.

While I’m on my soap box — What is appealing about watching someone beat another? I’m tired of watching repeated television clips, taken from survellience videos, of some mugger hitting and hitting and hitting some elderly person.

I quit watching America’s Funniest Home videos because it seemed most of the videos were of someone getting hurt. More suprising to me, those were the ones that garnered the most laughs and usually won some amount of money.

Seems the only thing we find amusing these days is watching someone get hurt.

***

We are at discouraging point in the house-building: taping and texturing.

If you’ve built a house, you know most other stages pass quickly, but during the taping stage, one must wait for the mud to dry before applying a second or third coat and this humid weather has been less than ideal for drying wet mud.

Each day, I have to remind myself this too shall pass.

Debbie Irmen’s columns run Thursdays.