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FIRST-PERSON: The politics of sports Friday, Feb 14, 2003 By Brad Locke |
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TUPELO, Miss. (BP)--I would like to believe that sports and politics share no similarities outside the winners/losers aspect of each. I would like to think that in the sports world trust, not cynicism, is the defining virtue of those involved. Unfortunately, sports and politics, seemingly so opposite in nature and significance, are too often fused together to the point of being inseparable. The case I point to is that of Charlie Francis, the professionally exiled sprint coach who isn't allowed to forget his involvement in the Ben Johnson steroid scandal of the 1988 Olympics. Francis was Johnson's coach when the Canadian sprinter was stripped of his 100-meter gold medal after it was discovered he'd juiced up. Fifteen years later, Francis has been cleaner than Tim Montgomery's silky running style. Montgomery, you see, began consulting with Francis in November. Montgomery is the world record holder in the 100 meters. Montgomery, along with girlfriend Marion Jones, was coerced by the international track and field community into dumping Francis last week. Like a politician who's forever castigated for a long-ago misdemeanor charge, Francis is still reviled for a mistake he made years ago but has not repeated since. He is one of the best technical coaches in the sport, which is why Montgomery and Jones sought him out. But thanks to pressure from the International Amateur Athletics Federation, Francis is being denied the chance to wring even more greatness from these superb athletes. I believe in punishment -- I'm all for keeping Pete Rose out of the Hall of Fame -- but I also believe in forgiveness. Unlike Rose, Francis was not banned from the sport, only from training Canadian athletes. Also unlike Rose, Francis hasn't exhibited any further miscreant behavior (Rose reportedly frequents Vegas). And also unlike Rose, Francis deserves a second chance. The sports world isn't big on second chances, though, as if sport is some sacred bastion of physical Puritanism. It's never been that way -- witness the early days of baseball or soccer's centuries-old bent towards mob violence -- and it never will be. Why, if we were to weigh good deeds against miscreant behavior, then Pete Rose is no worse than football Hall of Famer (and self-professed gambler) Paul Hornung. Of course, certain sins can be overlooked. Take Marv Albert, who is once again the premier NBA play-by-play voice six years after his infamous sex scandal. Then there's Michael Jordan, who gambles on the golf course and gambles with his wife and kids' hearts (he did the latter by being unfaithful and putting a game ahead of everyone and everything else). There's also media mogul and former Braves owner Ted Turner, who is as bigoted against Christians as any al-Qaeda member but is never taken to task for his ignorance by the mainstream media. And the fact that Mike Tyson is still getting paychecks is most disturbing of all. I guess if whoever you offend isn't someone in power, then you'll be let off the hook eventually. Too bad for Charlie Francis that he offended folks with long memories and a tight grip on grudges. --30--
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