Brett Favre, Tiger Woods, Marion Jones and 47 More: Have We Forgiven Them?
Brett Favre and Tiger Woods have become the latest athletes to have their legacy damaged by scandal.
How long will it take for the world to forget and forgive their infamous transgressions?
If history is any indication, it might not take as long as you would think.
The pioneers of scandal in sports can be traced all the way back to Shoeless Joe Jackson and the Black Sox Scandal.
Then came Pete Rose and his affinity for gambling, followed by more than 20 years of lying and deceit.
And of course, there were the legal trevails of O.J. Simpson and Mike Tyson.
Then came the decade in Major League Baseball where steroids were all the rage.
And last but not least, the torturous television special that define the legacy of LeBron James.
For one reason or another, dozens of athletes have rubbed us the wrong way throughout history.
Has society already forgiven some of them?
Here's a look at 25 athletes in need of forgiveness for a variety of different reasons.
No. 50: John Daly
1 of 50
Transgression: Trashing a hotel room at the British Open and passing out drunk in a Hooters' parking lot.
Penance: His antics have torpedoed his game and made him the laughingstock of the PGA.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Yes. The first tragic figure to appear on this list, Daly can barely stay out of his own way.
No. 49: Michael Phelps
2 of 50
Transgression: Posing in pictures taking hits from the bong.
Penance: Phelps was suspended by USA swimming for three months and lost his sponsorship from Kellogg's.
Have We Forgiven Him? Yes. Chalk this one up to a foolish mistake by a relatively young athlete.
No. 48: Darryl Strawberry
3 of 50
Transgressions: Constant battles with addiction have led to numerous arrests for drug possession. Strawberry has also been arrested for spousal abuse, tax evasion and failure to pay child support.
Penance: Jail time and suspension from Major League Baseball are bad enough, but Strawberry's lifestyle has led to failing health.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Yes. In many ways, Strawberry and former teammate Doc Gooden are tragic figures, creating a cautionary tail of the dangers of fame and fortune.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
No. 47: Rafael Palmeiro
4 of 50
Transgression: Telling a bold lie to Congress, then promptly failing to cover his tracks.
Penance: The sweet-swinging first baseman probably will never get a chance to see himself enshrined into the Hall of Fame.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. One of the most prominent figures in the steroid era has made little attempt to apologize. At least pretend you're sorry, Rafi.
No. 46: Manny Ramirez
5 of 50
Transgressions: It's difficult to put a price on acting like an absolute idiot, but it gets easier when a failed test for PED use leads to a suspension.
Penance: After years of being glorified by the national media despite playing with questionable effort, Manny Being Manny is no longer a good thing. It took a 50-game suspension to sway public opinion.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. It depends who you ask, but Manny's sour attitude in Boston and later in Los Angeles have made tolerating his antics difficult. His declining production doesn't help matters.
No. 45: Sammy Sosa
6 of 50
Transgression: Steroid, steroids and more steroids. Don't forget about the corked bat incident, either.
Penance: Few superstars plummeted into irrelevance faster than Sosa, who went from being a five-tool player and a darling in the home run race in 1998 to struggling to even get a job in the Bigs.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Sammy's ego is so big that he will never even think about apologizing or admitting any wrongdoing. At this point, society couldn't care less about Sosa.
No. 44: Ben Johnson
7 of 50
Transgression: Had his gold medal stripped after a failed drug test, leading the unraveling of his career. More positive tests followed and he dealt with suspensions constantly.
Penance: By the end of his career, Johnson's bans forced him to compete against the clock instead of other sprinters. It was that bad. He finally admitted doping, but just kept right on testing positive.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Yes. Anyone who gets caught, apologizes, then keeps getting caught deserves sympathy for being an idiot.
No. 43: Allen Iverson
8 of 50Transgression: Allegedly kicking his girlfriend out of his Philadelphia home naked and his famous rant against practice that defined his sense of entitlement.
Penance: Despite being arguably the best NBA player shorter than six feet, Iverson never really got the respect he deserved. Now he is taking his talents to Turkey.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Iverson probably won't be glorified until well after he retires from professional hoops.
No. 42: Latrell Sprewell
9 of 50
Transgression: Choking his head coach, P.J. Carlesimo.
Penance: The hot-headed Sprewell was suspended for 68 games and never played for the Warriors again. His attitude scared off numerous NBA teams, both in the immediate aftermath of the incident and in the final moments of his career.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Yes. After leaving the Warriors, Sprewell took his talents East and helped lead the Knicks to the NBA Finals. Spree will be remembered more for what he did with the Knicks than what he did to poor Carlesimo.
No. 41: Jose Canseco
10 of 50
Transgression: Using steroids than telling the world about everyone else who used steroids.
Penance: Canseco's statements have proven to be accurate, yet people still have a hard time believing him. It's safe to say he has some credibility issues.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. A whistle-blower like Canseco has done nothing but cloud the last 15 years of baseball history. Even to this day, the steroid era remains a colossal mess.
Writing a tell-all book to make money isn't a great way to earn forgiveness.
No. 40: Plaxico Burress
11 of 50
Transgression: Shooting himself in the leg by accident, leading to a weapons charge.
Penance: The Manhattan D.A. went on a crusade against Burress, ending with a guilty plea and two years in prison. That should do the trick.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Yes. Burress' sentence will be long enough to make society forget about his act of stupidity.
No. 39: Jason Giambi
12 of 50
Transgression: Admitted to using steroids and initially lying about it.
Penance: Giambi came clean to a federal grand jury, then authored a vague apology.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Yes. In an era of lies and deceit, Giambi was one of only a few players who eventually came clean. Even though he never really admitted what he apologized for, we all knew.
No. 38: Andy Pettitte
13 of 50
Transgressions: PED use and throwing Roger Clemons under the bus, with help from his wife.
Penance: His career will forever be tainted with PED use.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Yes. Pettitte actually apologized, even admitting what he was apologizing for.
No. 37: Michael Irvin
14 of 50
Transgressions: Multiple arrests for cocaine possession and accusations of sexual misconduct. His latest gaffe was saying Miami should recruit more "thugs."
Penance: Irvin has no problem tearing up on camera, but it remains to be seen if he actually will learn from his mistakes.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. It's unfortunate that Irvin still has a spot in the public eye, because more acts of stupidity are certain to come. Society wants to see remorse, and at this point Irvin simply hasn't shown enough.
No. 36: Tonya Harding
15 of 50
Transgression: Arranging for her henchmen to plug Nancy Kerrigan in the knee at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
Penance: Harding ended up getting probation for her actions, but her image was tainted beyond repair.
Has Society Forgiven Her? Not a chance. Apart from forcing us to hear, "Whyyy?" over and over again, Harding has kept her nose in trouble following the end of her skating career.
No. 35: Gilbert Arenas
16 of 50
Transgression: Bringing guns into the Wizards' locker room.
Penance: Suspended by the NBA, plead guilty to felony gun possession and served 30 days in a halfway house.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Arenas hasn't stopped being a clown since the incident occurred, whether it was mocking his actions during a pregame warm-up or faking an injury. If he wants forgiveness, he had better be on his best behavior moving forward.
No. 34: Francisco Rodriguez
17 of 50
Transgression: Arrested after punching his father in-law in the Mets' clubhouse in August, the latest in a serious of events in New York suggesting anger-management might be a good option.
Penance: His season was lost after he sustained a torn ligament in his thumb in the fight. The Mets are trying to void the remainder of his lofty contract as a result.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. K-Rod's immaturity makes it difficult to view him with any degree of sympathy.
No. 33: Dennis Rodman
18 of 50
Transgressions: Kicking a cameraman, skipping a playoff game to presumably sleep with Madonna and multiple arrests for assault.
Penance: Multiple suspensions and a constant struggle to gain respect for being one of the best rebounders in NBA history.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Yes. Rodman is an absolute nut, but it has never seemed like his stupid actions were intended to be harmful. He will be remembered as a cross-dressing icon, not as a bully who couldn't keep his pierced nose out of trouble.
No. 32: Marty McSorely
19 of 50Transgression: Blasted NHL bully Donald Brashear in the head with his stick.
Penance: Suspended for 23 games by the NHL, later plead guilty to assault with a deadly weapon and was sentenced to probation. He never played in the league again.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Brashear is nothing more than an enforcer, but there is no place for that in sports.
No. 31: Todd Bertuzzi
20 of 50
Transgression: Sucker punching Steve Moore.
Penance: A lengthy suspension by the NHL and a guilty plea on charges of assault in British Columbia.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Again, there is no place for a brutal cheap shot in sports. Bertuzzi has apologized and continued his career. Moore suffered a broken neck and never returned to the NHL.
That settles it.
No. 30: Reggie Bush
21 of 50
Transgressions: Taking money from a sports agency and being largely responsible for landing USC on probation.
Penance: He simply wiggled out of it by returning his Heisman Trophy.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Bush has never apologized, never admitted any wrongdoing, and shows no signs of taking responsibility for his actions.
No. 29: Chris Henry
22 of 50
Transgressions: Numerous arrests for just about everything in the book.
Penance: Suspensions forced his promising career to be put on hold before his life came to an end when he fell out of the back of a truck driven by his girlfriend.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. There were strong indications that Henry's girlfriend was trying to get away from him in the events leading up to his death. It doesn't appear that he ever learned from his mistakes.
No. 28: Isiah Thomas
23 of 50
Transgressions: Besides running the Knicks into the ground, Isiah's sexual harassment suit made him a mainstay on Page 6.
Penance: Thomas was found guilty of making demeaning comments to Anucha Browne Sanders, forcing his employer to pay her $11.6 million. That, coupled with his poor basketball sense, has banished him to Florida International.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Isiah was brash when questioned about the lawsuit, and probably wouldn't even think about apologizing.
No. 27: Tiki Barber
24 of 50
Transgression: A divorce and an lengthy affair with an NBC intern who babysat his children.
Penance: Once known for his spotless image, Barber has little support as he tries to fight his way out of bankruptcy.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Based on the his reception during a Giants' Ring of Honor ceremony earlier this year, it appears that Tiki has a long way to go before he will be forgiven.
No. 26: Dany Heatley
25 of 50
Transgression: Reckless driving that led to a crash and the death of teammate Dan Snyder.
Penance: Heatley was indicted on charges of vehicular homicide, but agreed to plea to a lesser charge with support from Synder's parents.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Yes. Snyder's parents have made their feelings clear, and Heatley has been a model citizen since the wreck.
No. 25: Jim Leyritz
26 of 50
Transgressions: Accused of DUI manslaughter, later arrested after domestic incident involving his ex-wife.
Penance: Leyritz is still awaiting trial on DUI charges, but settled a wrongful death suit with the victims' family earlier this year.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Leyritz's life has completely fallen apart since his MLB career has ended, and he hasn't done anything to deserve our sympathy.
No. 24: Leonard Little
27 of 50
Transgression: Charged with DUI manslaughter in 1999 after he struck a woman following his birthday party. Little was arrested on DUI charges again in 2004.
Penance: Little got 90 days in jail after the manslaughter incident and was suspended for eight games by the NFL.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. There is no evidence Little learned from his first fatal mistake.
No. 23: Lawrence Phillips
28 of 50
Transgressions: Besides getting in numerous tiffs with his coaches in both the United States and Canada, Phillips has also been charged with domestic battery and assault with a deadly weapon.
Penance: Phillips is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence stemming from the incident where he drove his car onto the field and struck two teenagers after a pick-up game.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Phillips made about four too many mistakes during his football career to deserve any sympathy.
No. 22: Donte' Stallworth
29 of 50
Transgression: Stallworth was charged with DUI manslaughter after his car struck and killed a man in Miami in 2009.
Penance: The NFL suspended Stallworth for the entire 2009 season and he served a mere 24 days in prison after reaching a financial settlement with the victims family.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Stallworth has kept a low-profile since returning to the NFL, but there have been numerous articles written about his remorse. Still, in a society that wants justice, you have to wonder if the punishment fit the crime.
No. 21: Pacman Jones
30 of 50
Transgressions: Multiple arrests and inciting a strip club fight that left a security guard crippled following a shooting in Las Vegas.
Penance: Jones received reduced charges in exchange for his testimony in the shooting, and was suspended and nearly booted from the NFL.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Jones has officially dropped the "Pacman" moniker and has started listening to others telling him to shed his relationships with troublemakers.
It will take some time for society to forgive on of the most notorious modern-day punks in professional sports.
No. 20: Jayson Williams
31 of 50
Transgressions: The infamous shooting of his limo driver and numerous arrests since.
Penance: After years of delays, Williams was sentenced to five years in prison stemming from the accidental shooting. He has battled alcohol problems and depression in recent years.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Williams was one of the well-liked and charismatic players during his NBA career, but he still has a lot of healing to do in the public eye.
No. 19: Ray Lewis
32 of 50
Transgression: Arrested on murder charges following a stabbing in Atlanta in 2000.
Penance: Plead guilty to a misdemeanor in exchange for his testimony.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Yes. Just follow the money.
Ray-Ray has been praised for his leadership and intensity and even become a marketing commodity in recent years.
No. 18: Maurice Clarett
33 of 50
Transgressions: Constantly spouting off, accusing Ohio State of NCAA violations, making up false statements to police, then getting arrested on weapons chargers.
Penance: Served nearly four years in prison before being released to a halfway house for good behavior.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Not yet. Clarett started taking classes again at Ohio State after his release, only to try to return to the gridiron by playing in the UFL.
No. 17: Bill Romanowski
34 of 50
Transgressions: Steroid use, spitting issues, and obvious anger issues that came to light in 2003 when he literally broke a teammates face during a fight.
Penance: Romo's career came to an end, and he was eventually ordered to pay Marcus Williams $340,000 after the fight.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Romanowski's documented acts of pure hatred are difficult to explain. For his part, he has tried to apologize. Too little too late.
No. 16: Lawrence Taylor
35 of 50
Transgressions: Numerous arrests and a well-publicized battle with cocaine.
Penance: Suspensions and the slow, painful unraveling of his life.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. L.T. always says he is sorry, but those pesky transgressions just continue to pile up.
No. 15: Alex Rodriguez
36 of 50
Transgressions: Admitted to trying PED's after being put on the spot by Sports Illustrated's Selena Roberts and one messy divorce.
Penance: His remarkable accomplishments will be forever scrutinized. It might be more difficult for A-Rod to make the Hall of Fame than we ever would have imagined, and his reputation for loving the ladies doesn't help his image.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Not even close. A-Fraud apologized for lying, but appeared to be lying when asked about the details of his steroid use.
No. 14: Marion Jones
37 of 50
Transgressions: Lying to investigators looking into the BALCO mess, only to eventually come clean.
Penance: Her credibility is completely shot, and suspensions and injuries derailed her track career. At least she still has a chance to make in in the WNBA.
Has Society Forgiven Her? Not yet. She admits to lying to investigators and possibly using steroids, only she continues to plead ignorance and said she didn't know what she was doing.
Nice try.
No. 13: Kobe Bryant
38 of 50
Transgressions: The infamous accused rape at the Colorado Resort
Penance: Besides buying his wife a ridiculously expensive rock, Kobe had to deal with an absolute public relations disaster.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Yes. Winning championships without getting in trouble has done the trick.
Does Kobe really care if we forgive him? Probably not.
No. 12: Mark McGwire
39 of 50
Transgressions: One of the biggest faces of the steroid era, the prickly Big Mac finally admitted his use of PEDs in order to be allowed back into baseball.
Penance: A spot in the Hall of Fame seems like a long shot at this point.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. He wasn't the only one doing it, but there is plenty of evidence to suggest he never would have admitted PED use if the Cardinals hadn't hired him to be a hitting coach.
No. 11: Mike Tyson
40 of 50
Transgressions: Several arrests, including on rape chargers during the peak of his career, and the whole human flesh-eating incident.
Penance: Prison time, loss of his boxing license and his promising career being put on hold.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Apparently, yes. His fledgling acting career has solidified his place as an unlikely cultural icon.
No. 10: Lance Armstrong
41 of 50
Transgressions: The accusations of doping have intensified in recent months even as he tries to force his "Livestrong" mantra down our throats.
Penance: Absolutely none, as of yet.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Not yet. The jury is still out on exactly what Lance has done, so we haven't had the chance to forgive him.
All we can do is decide if we believe his vigorous denials...
No. 9: Roger Clemens
42 of 50
Transgressions: Lied to Congress about his steroid use, then accused Andy Pettitte of "misrembering."
Penance: The worst is yet to come for Clemens, who was caught in the act.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Not even close. We might not know exactly what he did, but the evidence against him is mounting. Not it's time for some proof.
No. 8: LeBron James
43 of 50
Transgressions: The Decision. Enough said.
Penance: A profound loss of respect, a public relations disaster and millions of lost fans.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Unless LeBron wins at least a couple of titles, he won't be able to repair his image as a spoiled athlete who turned his back his Northeast Ohio roots.
Fame can be a terrible thing.
No. 7: Brett Favre
44 of 50
Transgressions: The texts, voicemails and pictures to Jenn Sterger. The constant flirtations with retirement don't help either.
Penance: To be determined. Favre likely will avoid a suspension, but it's beginning to look like Karma will get the better of him.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Not even close. Favre's act has grown tiresome, and his egotistical actions apparently go beyond the field of play.
Has Deanna forgiven him?
No. 6: Ben Roethlisberger
45 of 50
Transgressions: He was never charged, but his actions in Georgia and his bullying behavior in Pittsburgh has created plenty of enemies.
Penance: A four-game suspension and a conviction in the court of public opinion.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Not yet. Winning helps blind the masses. If the Steelers keep rolling along, Roethlisberger's actions could be forgiven sooner rather than later.
No. 5: Barry Bonds
46 of 50
Transgressions: A career spent acting like a spoiled jerk and a home run record tainted by steroid use.
Penance: It remains to be seen what will happen with Bonds' perjury trial or Hall of Fame fate.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Years of treating the media like dirt will make it difficult for him to make the Hall of Fame. Years of lying to the rest of us will make it hard to gain forgiveness.
No. 4: Pete Rose
47 of 50
Transgressions: He bet on sports and he bet on baseball. He didn't tell the whole truth until he needed to sell his book.
Penance: The Hit King's lifetime ban from baseball is a great example of justice.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Yes. The steroid era has only helped Rose's image, and there is mounting support to get him elected into the Hall of Fame.
No. 3: Michael Vick
48 of 50
Transgressions: His leadership of a dog fighting ring seems like a distant memory now.
Penance: Prison time and suspensions had Vick threatening to fall off the face of the earth.
Has Society Forgiven Him? No. Vick's play has made many remember his incredible skills, but it's still much too soon to forget his inhumane acts.
No. 2: Tiger Woods
49 of 50
Transgressions: The man made the using the word "transgressions" trendy following his salacious affairs.
Penance: The most expensive divorce settlement in sports history and a life spent under the constant glare of the rumor-thirsty media.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Not yet. In the end, most people just want to see Tiger play golf at a high level.
Now that his personal life has been exposed, we can stop wondering what is going on behind the scenes and start hoping he will make golf worth watching again.
No. 1: O.J. Simpson
50 of 50
Transgressions: One of the most famous homicide trials in history and his arrest for armed robbery.
Penance: O.J. got plenty of help from the prosecutors to escape conviction in the murder trial, but his luck ran out when he was sentenced to at least nine years after a armed robbery in Las Vegas.
Has Society Forgiven Him? Not a chance.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
