Good Athlete, Bad People

"Take that, emotional abuse!"

Nietzsche once said that insanity was the exception in individuals and the rule in groups.  Somewhere along the way from 19th century Germany to the mid 1990s, that message got lost.  In recent years, we have seen the end of some incredible careers if one views them purely through an athletic scope: Gary Sheffield retired quite recently, Manny Ramirez was just forced in retirement (notes on that later), and Jamie Moyer seems to be done by all accounts but his own.  Looking at these men purely from a athletic standpoint, Sheffield and Ramirez stand as legends of the game, powerful players with amazing statistics.  However, if one looks at sports as more than JUST sports, one sees that these two exemplify insanity in the individual.

Rest assured, both Sheffield and Ramirez are Hall of Fame caliber players.  Ramirez's 550 home runs and .411 career OBP assure that, while Shef's 510 homers get him in the borderline range.  Jamie Moyer, on the other hand, has no chance at the Hall, unless they give longevity awards (better check with the Niekro brothers).  Moyer has only twice had a WAR over 3.6 in his 24 years, and his raw numbers are the product of longevity.  The difference between these three, however, lies deeper.

Ramirez is retiring to avoid a 100 game PED suspension.  While usually a 60 game ban, this is Ramirez's second such offense, not only making him an unarguable cheater, but a bit of an idiot as well.  Even without the cheating, Manny has for years been less than a great person, taking advantage of his talent to do whatever the hell he wanted and not try.  Sheffield lies in a similar boat, half-assing it at each stop of his career, only to blame any failure on the racism of the team.  Both men found success to be their right and refused to give anything back or even give their all.  This, of course, is where Moyer differs.

Moyer has never been all that talented for a major leaguer.  While certainly head and shoulders athletically above us normal people, an 81 MPH fastball doesn't actually make you a big league ace.  However, Moyer has found moderate success, and what has he done with it?  Not once has he requested a trade.  Never have I heard him say a single bad thing about his team or anyone's elses.  In fact, huge chunks of the millions that the man makes go directly to his charity, the Moyer Foundation.  Just about everything he has done has been in the name of his family and his foundation, never once putting himself first.

Perhaps the greatest example of the selfless athlete lies in Dikembe Mutombo.  A superbly talented man, Mutombo was not subject to quite the tough road Moyer had to take.  As soon as scouts saw him dominate defensively at Georgetown, Mutombo's life was made.  Certainly, he could have taken the same road as Manny or Sheffield, two other amazingly gifted athletes who never had to question their success.  Instead, Mutombo has spent ridiculous sums of his earnings on hospitals and improvements in his native Congo.  Mutombo even played an extra couple years just so he could make more to help his people.  This, at long last, brings me to my point.

Men like Ramirez and Sheffield should not be heroes.  Charles Barkley recognized this and attempted to distance himself from any heroic role, making himself as unlikeable as just about anyone when he was playing.  Manny and Sheffield, however, don't recognize and never will recognize their problems.  They are very good at their chosen career, so why should they ever have to try harder?  Why should they give back?

Simply put, it's the right thing to do.  Many poor families tithe.  People donate to the Red Cross regularly.  I am of the belief that those with the most to give, such as the men mentioned above, should give back the most.  Unfortunately, that isn't the way it is, and it is not within the rights of the masses to force charity on men like Ramirez.  However, there is no reason for them to be deified.  "Manny being Manny" is no excuse.  There is absolutely no reason someone should root for a player if they are a bad person.  Success in sports means nothing in the greater scheme of things unless that person MAKES it matter, and that means following the path of someone like Moyer or Mutombo. 

Sports are driven by profit, and fans will always root for those who do best in the game itself.  As such, men like Ramirez will always make their millions and will always be able to essentially be worthless members of society.  Without the self-drive to help others, they won't, thanks to the need of the masses to see their team win.  By all means, except those who seem neutral, who don't necessarily give millions away like Mutombo but understand their role in the world.  It is simply inexcuseable for men like Gary Sheffield (and there have been plenty in every sport) to be given a free pass for their evils.  The moral ground cannot be ignored simply because sports are sports.

Now if you'll excuse me, Milton Bradley's up, and he's my favorite.