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
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f...”
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als, when they led
le 3-2, only to be
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Game 7 was on
ve already proven
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cult circumstances,
tawa in the Eastern
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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,
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•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
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