Bad news easily crowds out the good

8/10/2003

As you read this, let's hope we can enjoy the start of football season without another major controversy. I've had it up to here with negative sports news.

I'm completely convinced that this has been one of the worst stretches in the history of amateur and professional sports.

Yeah, our honeymoon with sports is over. When you start looking at star athletes and coaches as normal people with flaws instead of the heroes they're cracked up to be, it's proof that our love for them has run out.

They're clearly not bigger than life.

Pick a sport - any sport.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Baylor athletic director Tom Stanton and coach Dave Bliss resigned in the aftermath of the shooting death of player Patrick Dennehy, allegedly by former teammate Carlton Dotson. Stanton and Bliss stepped down amid allegations of third-party tuition payments for two players and failure by the athletic department to follow proper procedures when informed of drug use by players.

Larry Eustachy becomes the former coach at Iowa State after he admitted to having a drinking problem and when it was discovered he had attended student parties at visiting campuses when his team was on the road.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Mike Price resigned before coaching a game at Alabama after he attended a Florida topless bar during a golf outing and permitted an exotic dancer to charge a large room service order to his hotel room on his university credit card.

Ohio State star running back Maurice Clarett passed a freshman class despite failing to complete his midterm exam, according to the New York Times. Clarett also exaggerated in a police report the amount of stereo equipment and money allegedly stolen from a late-model car he was driving, resulting in an NCAA investigation. Clarett has not been allowed to practice with the Buckeyes.

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant is charged with sexual assault by a 19-year-old Colorado woman. Bryant, considered among pro basketball's most popular and marketable players, admitted to committing adultery at a press conference attended by his wife.

Sacramento Kings star Chris Webber admitted under oath that he lied to a grand jury about accepting money from Michigan booster Ed Martin.

BASEBALL: Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa is suspended for seven games after being caught using a corked bat.

NHL: A strike appears inevitable as the players union and owners haggle over a new collective bargaining agreement.

We know what's wrong with sports. So what's right about them?

In no particular order, here are five positive sports takes that I'd love to witness:

Lance Armstrong winning a big bicycle race in this country. How come there isn't a Tour de America?

Cooler heads prevailing among city officials and politicians and finally signing off on the Marina District.

Findlay's own and Miami quarterback Ben Roethlisberger becoming a household name in college football.

Rogers High standout wide receiver Fred Davis becoming a Parade All-American.

Mike Ilitch selling the Tigers to a deep-pockets owner willing to make the necessary financial commitment to bringing a winning baseball team to Detroit.