In Bay Area, Barry Bonds remains a giant
Hometown fans are often more tolerant of an athlete whose alleged behavior on or off the field has drawn the ire of others.
from the June 1, 2007 edition
Page 4 of 4
Thus, when Terrell Owens – then a member of the San Francisco 49ers – very publicly stomped on a Dallas Cowboys logo, he elicited howls of outrage in Big D and beyond. Now, as a member of the Cowboys, he garners hometown cheers.
Media outlets may spotlight player arrests and embarrassments, but the fans have the real vote – with their wallets.
This spring, USA Today's sports page featured dozens of mug shots depicting NFL players in trouble with the law. The new commissioner has meted out harsh suspensions, but the NFL was never in jeopardy with fans.
Much the same can be said for other leagues. Baseball, tarnished by the lingering steroids scandal over the past decade, nonetheless posts record revenue and attendance, year after year.
In the sports world, everything's relative in an Al Davis kind of way: Just win, baby. Fans turn to sports for escapism and entertainment, making it easy to ignore feet of clay in favor of feet at play.
"They lose sight of the athletes as human beings, as people who have responsibilities," says Dave Czesniuk of the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Boston's Northeastern University. "People should expect more integrity and honesty."
That is unlikely to change.
"It's just part of the human condition," Deford says. "It's a good escape, and everybody understands there are more important things than ballgames. Sports are important to the culture, but they're for the moment. It's here and gone."
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