The Underlying Hypocrisy In Sports Journalism

I was in 9th grade and an honor student and guess what? I cheated on a math quiz once. I got an A. I probably would have gotten a B otherwise.

Now if I had gone to the teacher afterwards and said, Ms. Burleson, I cheated on this test, she wouldn’t give me a pat on the back and say, “Okay Shaun, we’ll give you a makeup quiz after school because you’re a good person.”

I would get an F and have to deal with my parents and a damaged final grade. So I didn’t admit to cheating. Shoot me.

To call Rodriguez names for not coming out about his cheating on his own is not only an unrealistic expectation by Smith, but extremely hypocritical.

I would love to have Stephen A. Smith look me, or anyone in the eye, and admit that he never did anything wrong for which he got an unfair advantage that he otherwise would not have had. If he can do that, with a clear conscience, then more power to him. I, however, have a strong feeling that he wouldn’t be able to.

Which leads me to the root of my annoyance. It’s not about Rodriguez taking steroids. I don’t care one way or the other. It’s not about the homerun record. It’s not about me liking the New York Yankees.

It’s about what’s right and wrong in journalism. If you want to shred someone in your article based on their wrongdoings in the sport, by all means, do it. But be fair and be just.

It may not be a requirement in today’s age of continuous media reporting, but it is certainly a responsibility that should not be taken lightly, no matter how unlikeable the character being prosecuted may be.

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