"MOCK" TRIALS AND DIRTY DONATIONS

When Roger Clemens recently dodged the perjury trial bullet professional sports purists were provided with a premise for some righteous howling and gnashing of teeth. It has become increasingly apparent that rich iconic sports stars are virtually armor plated against such prosecutions. Are these essentially "show trials" which are conducted and publicized so that "the people" might believe that dishonesty and banned practices in pro sports are punishable criminal acts and are deserving of reform. It's the age old "throw them a bone" routine to pacify their indignation.

In American politics campaign finance reform advocates diligently publicize illegal abuses of how contributions are made to candidates by special interest groups. The intent is to raise the public's consciousness on the cesspool of national politics that was once known as the congress of the USA. A lot of reformist bone throwing goes on there as well.

In the waning months of the year 2012, a national election year, perhaps sports fans and voters alike will become increasingly aware of just how and where corrective action can be applied to remedy some blatant and nearly institutionalized criminal behavior by prominent individuals in highly visible "arenas". 

Big Boys Don't Run From Reality

The many fans of Scott & B.R., AM radio XX 1090's co-hosts of San Diego's prime weekday morning sports-yak show found this announcement posted on the station's website last Tuesday:

"Jerry Sandusky interviews too creepy for airwaves"

November 15, 2011, 10:34AM

"The Scott and BR Show is choosing NOT to air any more of Jerry Sandusky's interview w/ Costas. Is this the right thing to do, or should they talk about what seems to be the biggest sports story?"

The majority of the listeners that responded to the station's survey questionnaire felt that this story is too important to ignore and should be discussed freely for its lesson value to coaches, student athletes and scholastic sports program administrators. The editorial staff at WOS agrees with the show's regular followers.

The two sports savvy commentators are intelligent, witty and mature enough to explore the Penn State scandal from all angles and provide their audience with informed insights and opinions that constructively contribute to the conscientious prevention of such aberrant adult behavior that victimizes innocent, unsuspecting youngsters.

An Instant TV Classic For The Ages . . .

SUPER SCANDAL SCOOP!!!

I just watched the Bob Costas probing phone conversation with Jerry Sandusky that aired on one of his recent TV broadcasts. Great interview! Costas went at him with direct, pertinent and to the point questions about his alleged behavior in the company of pre-teen boys frolicking ("horsing around" is Sandusky's term) sans apparel in a mens' locker room shower on campus at Penn State on several occasions over the last 8-10 years. According to other charges made in this case, that was not the only location where episodes of similar activity took place.

The Bigger They Come...

The PENN STATE SHTINK! (Italics frivolous)

Classic tragedy...fatal flaws abounding...stalwarts of ethical/moral righteousness being revealed as co-conspirators in the attempt to hush-up the bizarre misdeeds of a staff colleague in the mens' athletic department driven by his weakness for sex with young boys.

"Who knew what and when?"

If this question were directly asked of Penn State's sports program faculty, from Paterno on down, it would very likely reveal some ugly double standard issues that resulted in putting the innocent, young victims at unsuspected risk.

Roger Clemens Back in Court

Roger Clemens will be tried again in federal court beginning April 17, 2012. He faces the same perjury charges that were brought against him previously. Due to procedural errors made by the prosecution team, his first trial last July ended in a mistrial. Pending the outcome of the second trial what, if any, other penalties do you feel would be appropriate for Roger Clemens? Make your voice heard by participating in our Roger Clemens specific War on Sports opinion poll found elsewhere on the blog.

Consequences for Barry Bonds

Barry Bonds was recently convicted in federal court on obstruction of justice charges regarding his use of steroids. He currently awaits sentencing and faces justice ranging anywhere from light-to-moderate probation to doing time in a federal penitentiary. In addition to his ultimate sentence what, if any, other penalties do you feel would be appropriate for him? Please make your voice heard by participating in our War on Sports opinion poll to your right.

Unpleasant Sports Shockers

Yo!,
Currently there are some major breaking stories focused on the dark side of NCAA "big college" sports programs. Called into question are the ethical standards regarding recruiting methods and the "scholarship" perks offered to attract highly desirable players. U.of Miami's football program was recently exposed as being in serious violation of NCAA rules governing practices involving the acceptance and distribution of money and "favors" that were received from a con artist convicted of a $900 million Ponzi scheme.

Sports Heroes on Trial

In recent weeks Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens have been in federal court on trial for perjury and obstruction of justice related to their sworn testimony at Congressional hearings probing the use of steroids and human growth hormones by professional athletes. The truthfulness of their testimony before Congress was so questionable that federal prosecutors hauled them into court for a microscopic assessment of their alleged use of banned substances and their alleged lying under oath about such use. Both of these stellar baseball players have amassed phenomenal stats in the official baseball record books and they have achieved iconic status in the eyes of their peers as well as fans of all ages.

When Tigers Cry

I first became aware of Tiger Woods when he was two years old. One of Los Angeles' top sportscasters brought Tiger and his Father to the set of the news broadcast for an impromptu demonstration of Tiger's putter prowess. Tiger was already personable and an awesome performer.

Whining Winners of Sports

Michael Vick was hauled into court for staging viscous, brutal dog fights. At his trial and in public addresses to the media, he put on a repentant face and appeared to be remorseful on camera. Although his sentence included a prohibition on ownership of dogs in his future, now that he is out of prison he is noisily asserting publicly that he deserves a puppy for Christmas. Do you think Mister Vick should be allowed to have a dog as a personal pet once again?

Sports And War in Mother Russia

The demarcation line between sports and war is blurring alarmingly in Russia. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Russian Nationalists have become increasingly, and violently, intolerant of most other ethnic groups. Brutal beatings and vengeful murders have ensued.

Your Athletic License Please

The earliest known instance of crowd violence at a sporting event took place in 532 BC in ancient Constantinople. Two chariot racing factions, the Blues and the Greens, were involved in riots which lasted for a week. Nearly half the city was burned or destroyed in addition to tens of thousands of deaths. This unruly, destructive, aggressive, bullying, often called "hooliganism" is becoming a more frequent behavior pattern associated with rival sports fans, who also vent ethnic and/or political animosities within these encounters.

Blame It on Ken Burns

War on Sports was inspired somewhat by the Ken Burns film “Baseball”. Burns, a reknowned documentary film maker, presents a well researched film that chronicles the early years of the New England cotton mill era. This was concurrent with the birth of industrialization in the United States. At this time 75% of the staff in these dangerous workplaces were overworked women and children who toiled in hazardous proximity to the spinning loom machinery.

Throwing The Game

“Taking a fall," “Throwing a game,” “Fixing,” “Fraud,” whatever one calls it the manipulation of the outcome of sporting events is big business. Last year 15 men were arrested in Germany as suspects in the fixing of football (soccer) games in 15 different European countries. The men arrested in Germany are Croatians but other arrests of multiple suspects have occurred in Turkey, Bosnia, Switzerland, England, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and the Philippines. 

Feets Don't Fail Me Now!

Taekwondo fighters participating in the Asian Games wear custom socks equipped with electronic sensors. The sensors permit an electronic scoring system to tally the point count whenever a contact is made on an opponent’s sensors. If a competitor is wearing more than the permitted number of sensors in his socks the additional sensors that register his contact made by foot strikes is dishonestly increased and can potentially boost that fighter's score unfairly.

Ethicality in Middle School Sports

This popular YouTube video shows a U.S. middle school football team executing a most controversial “trick” play during a regional championship game. The hackles of sportswriters and broadcast commentators have been raised by questions concerning the play’s technical legality and ethical correctness. Concern over these issues immediately attached itself to this well publicized story and continue to trail it to this day.