Where's the integrity?

Last year, Sammy Sosa was suspended for using a corked bat. In getting caught, his integrity was shot, wasn't it? How long had he actually been using the bat? Was it really a "mistake", or was this just the first time the bad broke and everyone could see? If he made this "mistake" now, had he done it before? How many hits/homers had come from the hot bat? People gave him the benefit of any doubt, and he served his time. I don't think there will be lingering effects beyond some loony hecklers at away games, but still...

Also last year, Kobe Bryant was charged with rape. He admitted to the stupidity of adultery, and denied the greater charges forcing himself on the young lady. But where's the integrity? Is this the first time he cheated, or just the first time it got messed up and he got caught? What is his wife supposed to think? What are the fans of this role model supposed to think? Convicted or not, his reputation is tarnished and once again, integrity gets the boot.

Now there's Pete Rose, finally admitting to betting on baseball. The only people really up in arms about this are the sports writers who cover the teams/athletes. Rose was known for playing hard, not for his integrity and model citizenship. I'm not knocking him, just saying that he was a hustler on the field, and evidently with the bookies, too. But there's no remorse beyond what's necessary to sell his new book. He's still trying to spin it in the best light for himself, no one else. Even though he claims never to have bet against his team, that leaves open the inferrence that he did in fact bet on his own teams - and a slew of downstream questions open up as to how that would effect the now-less-than-honest results of real games.

If our "heroes" are such losers when it comes to integrity, what about us? If they're a reflection of the ideal, what about us? If anything, this says to me that we're much more selfish and base than we care to admit. And God is so much more merciful than we care to give credit for...
- posted by Rick @ 10:51