If you look at the athletes in sports now and 30 years ago you might notice a little change in attitude, respect, and image.
Players used to come to games in suits because it was the right thing to do, because it was respectful and dignified, because they were responsible for keeping a good image of sports and athletes.
Nowadays, athletes wear suits to games because they are forced to by the league. At first the players had their individuality but they took it too far. Players started arriving in gold chains, baggy pants that show their underwear, and clothes that show gang signs.
Sportsmanship used to be apart of the game too. Now there are players going around spitting on other players and kicking them while their down. Albert Hanesworth stepped on Andre Gurode's head after Gurode had lost his helmet. That just makes me sick.
It used to be that players didn't drink because they had a reputation that they needed to keep, clean, law abiding morally good people. Run ins with the law didn't happen. Drugs weren't an option.
Now you see players on SportsCenter getting arrested for robbery, shootings and drug abuse.They have the world in the palm of their hand and they do something stupid like smoking pot or getting in a bar fight. Do they realize what they have? Do they realize that anybody would give anything to be in their position, playing sports for a living, and getting paid millions to do it.
Yes, maybe it makes a good comeback story if a player beats the addiction to drugs, comes back to sports and is a big hero. But that shouldn't be an option. Players should get glory and respect for staying clean.
Take the Josh Hamilton story for example. He was the first pick out of college. Had everything. Then got addicted. He claims he found refuge in God, he's turned his life around, and wants to be a story of never giving up.
Yes, what he did was a great story. However, wouldn't it be better if he could be looked at as a hero by all the baseball loving kids in America because he had the discipline to reject the pressures of drugs and alcohol.
I don't even want to get into steroids. But now that you mention it, what's the point in winning if you didn't do it by yourself. Just you and your physical abilities. I see people who are on Roids as Cowards. They can't win so they get artificial help, then lie about it.
Long ago, the NFL was a place you went when you didn't have any buisness skills, but were fast and strong. It was looked down apon by others and was ridiculed by others. But the perserverence of players, fans, and owners had made the NFL one of the biggest sports league in the world.
But is it too big? Has all the glory and heart left the game and been replaced by money? Playes hold out from teams because "$5 mill. just isn't enough". These players are set for life after one year of playing football. And don't get me wrong, I love the NFL and sports but the money situation has gotten out of hand.
The problem is, is there's nothing that can be done about it. Fans buy merchandise, and tickets. This makes millions for the team owners. But it's the players who got them that money, so they deserve a share. The more popular and better player you are the more responsible you are for the money coming in, so you get a bigger chunk of change.
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