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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 9, 2003)
SPORTS PHE BATTALION to be ame7 at home, where they nd have allowed 1J the Ducks own — they’ve wontl our — following thei Saturday night bit as decisive as the :e easy wins at 1 the great thing abow go in there and get ee times, so we can’t than we’ve p ucks coach id. “We’ve got to be rod one.” ;ey also must be 'ucks will carry al edge created when n Paul Kariya scored s after being laid out hit by Scott Stevens. The Ducks' Ruslan Salei said the hit angered Kariya’s team mates, while the goal gave them an incalculable boost of confidence and determination. All that could fade away, of course, if the Devils seize an early lead, But, then, what r happens if Kariya ; scores to put Anaheim in didn’t mention tame, but he said the led intent on estab- selves as the tougher illy in Game 6, per- xpense of the rest of ve were out of con- d. “Defensively we 's and tried to make very time we get on seem to be like that, don’t seem to have Opinion The Battalion Page 5 Mr. Virtue craps out Moral watchdog William Bennetfs gambling problem overshadows his work GEORGE DEUTSCH who can become >evils players tow: / dey Cup with lie Iked to some of his iced team males, m what it takes H 7. F or years now, the world has known William Bennett as a champion of ethics and decency. During his career he has been drug czar, secretary of educa tion and an overall moral crusader, writing books such as The Moral Compass and The Book of Virtues. He often travels the lecturing circuit, speaking on the ills of marijuana, divorce and homosex uality. Apparently, Bennett thought what the American people didn’t know wouldn't hurt them. Newsweek reported last month that Bennett, the moral mon strosity, has blown more than a few dollars gambling — $8 mil- to be exact. And while anyone of legal age is free to gamble as he chooses, it reeks of hypocrisy for a moral policeman such as Bennett to have wasted more money on slot machines than some small countries may see in an entire year. He hardly makes one want to hurry out and pick up The Book of Virtues Yes, gambling is legal, but it is also of questionable ethics, at least according to Bennett. The irony of all ironies is that Bennett serves as co-director of the non-profit Empower America, a conservative group opposed to legalized gambling. This is like Robert Downey Jr. heading up a Drug Enforcement Agency task force — there is a conflict of interest to say the least. But say one is willing to let Bennett off the hook for playing slots religiously. Nevada, his admitted favorite hangout, is Ihome to a few other social evils — namely prostitution, drug abuse and violent crime. It’s enough to make one wonder if Bennett has more vices the public should be aware of. Many in the media have been quick to note Bennett’s hypocrisy, and rightfully so. Bennett reportedly makes $50,000 per speaking engagement, money he admits mostly goes toward gambling, according to Newsweek. As Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, said, “During the Monica Lewinsky scandal he was one of the leading voices calling for Bill Clinton’s resignation, typically ethis: ‘Come on, Papa needs a Clinton resignation.’ ” Clearly, sis not a direct quote from Bennett, but it might as well be. Everyone deserves a chance to defend themselves to the media, and Bennett did. But instead of humbly apologizing for his addiction and years of misrepresenting himself, he simply Newsweek, “I adhere to the law. I don’t play the milk money.” Sadly, Bennett’s true crime isn’t gambling — it is lying. He has deceived his public, his friends and his family by not meet ing the standards of living he has set for so many others. Bennett may have done more damage to the conservative moral movement than to his own career. With all the publicity he’s garnered he could possibly have lucrative movie and book deals offered to him, enabling him to further capitalize off things he would consider “immoral.” So much for taking the moral high ground. But it is not an issue of milk money. It is an issue of integrity, something Mr. Bennett clearly lacks. Coming from a moral watchdog, America deserves an apology, not a smug, remorseless quip. This great nation should be embarrassed to have ever had Bennett as its drug czar or secretary of education. Any man can make a mistake, but it takes a real man to sincerely apologize and try to make amends for his actions, things Bennett has only half heart- edly attempted. As Stewart said, “Kudos to William Bennett for not apologizing for his human frailty to morality police like William Bennett.” George Deutsch is a senior journalism major. Graphic by Seth Freeman. uge for your career said. “It’s going lo thing for everybody through. You don't the boat. We havea unity here, but it f...” /ils do a repeat of als, when they led le 3-2, only to be 1 in the last two Game 7 was on ve already proven ey can win a Game cult circumstances, tawa in the Eastern nals after also fail- ame 6 in a series dour cautioned, in a j rely on a bounce , not just to win Ik mnce, to win it all." core on a wild pitch natter before being Schnizer. rove 1-2 pitch high field wall for the id slam of the sea- 3 LSI! lead. Ryan d a solo homer to i struck out one, 1 gave up a single •eplaced by Tyler ve up three hits as ad five more runs i/as called out on e inning. loss for Baylor i promising start, ck out three in the inning, then Chris i second LSD pitch r the left field wall, walked and Mark ought him home own the left field -0 Baylor, ckly, the Bears fell in the top of the ngue tied it with a site field homer, singled in a run to tup 5-3 on a sac- Gill in the fourth, stin Meier (8-3) e for the victory, was the loser. Sosa fiasco may be death nail for baseball Use of corked bat, whether intentional or not, mars Sosa's professional career M uch more than Sammy Sosa’s illegally corked bat cracked last Tuesday night. Sosa was the last heroin baseball, and now that his reputation is irrevocably shattered, baseball and its fans must reconsider their love and devotion to the sport. Baseball is a dying pastime and one for which there seems to be little hope of revival. As fan attendance continues to decline, just as it rises in other more “glam orous” sports such as basketball or football, the game of baseball will pass into a twilight sleep. It is up to the players and the fans to resuscitate the ailing sport. The public may never know whether Sosa intentionally used his illegal bat in the game against the Devil Rays last Tuesday. However, if one takes Sosa at his word, he is at best a fraud and at worst a cheater. But who cares? Certainly not Cubs fans - a group iantalized by the pennant for nearly 60 years. Likewise, baseball fans and the public in general seem all too willing to turn their heads at Sosa’s indiscretion. Using a corked bat in a baseball game is ille gal. Sosa said he owned the corked bat specifically for batting practice so he could put on a better show for his fans. Major League Baseball released a statement after inspecting approximately 70 of Sosa’s bats and declared all were OK. This is easy and hard to believe. On one hand, if Sosa really does own only one corked bat, it is difficult to grasp how the bat is not clearly marked as such. Surely this “special” bat is marked in some way so that Sosa will know which to use for practice and which for the game. Yet Sosa is asking the public to believe that he accidental ly picked the illegal bat — a 1-in-70 chance — and didn’t see the mark and used it in a game. If it broke, as it did last Tuesday, he would be exposed as a cheater and would hardly need a replacement bat. This is quite a chance to take. a The public may never know whether Sosa intentionally used his illegal bat in the game against the Devil Rays last Tuesday. However, if one takes Sosa at his word, he is at best a fraud and at worst a cheater. However, if one takes Sosa at his word, he is still a fraud. He admitted to using an illegal bat to show off for fans, making this incident just as baf fling as it is disappointing. A player such as Sosa, who has hit more than 500 career home runs, should not need the help of a corked bat. If he is in a slump he should not defraud his fans by using an illegal bat. The fact that fans are willing to accept that Sosa technically breaks professional game rules during batting practice is most disappointing. As Chicago news sources show cheering fans with pieces of cork in support of Sosa, it is evident that few care about the integrity of the sport. There was a time when fans would not be so quick to forgive a hero’s error, but that time is gone. Chalk it up as another symptom of a dying sport. Richard Justice of The Houston Chronicle profiled baseball’s decline in April. Fewer and fewer fans are watching games, be it in the stadium or on television. “It's not a precipitous fall this season alone,” said David M. Carter, who teaches sports business at the University of Southern California. “The bigger picture is what appears to be a steady erosion over a longer peri od of time.” Baseball is losing its touch on American society and America is letting it go. Baseball desperately needs a hero. Of the three biggest stars of the past several years, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sosa, no one likes the first, the second is retired and the third is now questionable. Sure there are cult followings of other great players such as Alex Rodriguez and Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez. But none of these players have captured the magic of the game which causes even non baseball fans to become enthralled. Of all the team sports played in America, baseball used to be the most American. Its slow pace and minor league system reflected the values and speed of American life. Baseball heroes were America’s heroes - of whom Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio and Babe Ruth remain the most rec ognizable. And baseball’s antiheroes, such as Ty Cobb, reflected those vices that were all too apparent in society. Baseball was as much America as it was American. But American life has changed and sped up - for better or for worse. And as it continues to do so, without heroes and a dwindling fan base, baseball will become nothing more than a faint dot in the rearview mirror of American society. Michael Ward is a senior history major. MICHAEL WARD MAIL CALL 'Click It or Ticket' campaign justified In response to Mike Walters' June 5 column: I respectfully disagree with the argument made by colum nist Mike Walters regarding the seat belt campaign, known as "Click It or Ticket." He contends that the government does not have the right to enforce the mandatory wearing of seat belts. I will not attempt to counter argue. I will, however, point out that the state does have the right to excercise "police powers (noth ing to do with the actual police) relating to the safety, health and general welfare of the public" without violating the 14th Amendment. Also, Mr. Walters concedes that the campaign has increased seat belt wearing by a "paltry" six percent. Considering the numbers of vehicles on the highway, that should be considered a signifi cant success. My tax dollars are worth sav ing that 16-year-old teenager who just doesn't understand the importance of seat belts until he receives a citation. Incidentally, the government does "interfere" with the per son's supposed right to "hurt themselves." If someone stands on a building threatening to take their own life, the police attempt, with vast resources, to save that person's life. Is that encroaching on an American freedom? I think not. The example is extreme, but the point is valid. The law is looking out for the best interest of the public. The end is rea sonable, as are the means to achieve it. Andrew McCluggage Class of 2004 The Battalion encour ages letters to the editor. Letters must be 200 words or less and include the author's name, class and phone number. The opinion editor reserves the right to edit letters for length, style and accuracy. Letters may be submitted in person at 014 Reed McDonald with a valid student ID. Letters also may be mailed to: 014 Reed McDonald, MS 1111, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1111. Fax: (979) 845-2647 Email: mail- cail@thebatt.com. Attachments are not accepted.
