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The Hot Corner
Every month Sports Media Challenge discusses at least one incident or issue in the world of sports news. Most will be case studies or commentaries prompted by exposure in the news. We especially welcome ideas and comments from sports professionals including athletes, coaches, executives at all levels of sport including professional, collegiate and other amateur ranks. We will periodically include your comments and observations.
ByMatt Kinney
March 16 , 2000
John Rocker Update!
Follow-up to:
New Year Resolution for Teams: Have a Crisis Plan
An Analysis of the John Rocker IncidentWhy even separate the front page of the newspaper from the sports section any more? The line between the two is blurred lately with athletes' wrongdoings becoming weekly, sometimes daily features in local papers, TV news and sports radio call-in shows not to mention web sites designed solely for that purpose. The latest, of course, is John Rocker's earlier-than-expected return to baseball.
Baseball's arbitrator Shyam Das shot down commissioner Bud Selig's fine of $20,000 and 28 day suspension levied on Rocker for his inappropriate comments in a December Sports Illustrated article. Instead, Rocker must pay only $500 and sit out 14 days. This latest chapter in the John Rocker epic is receiving mixed reviews. Selig has already sounded off against the decision, saying, "the decision doesn't reflect any understanding or sensitivity to the important social responsibility that baseball has to the public." Fans on the other hand seem to agree with the decision. In a USAToday.com poll, fans voted almost 2 to 1 for the arbitrator's ruling. At the same time, Civil rights groups are mobilizing outside Turner Field and at the Brave's spring training headquarters to voice their displeasure. No matter what anyone says, though, Rocker is back.
Obviously, Rocker's comments were inappropriate and alarming, but perhaps even worse was his initial apology. When he apologized after the story ran, most saw it as insincere. Had he appeared truly remorseful, he might have gained some favor with the public. Our modern society has shown it's forgiving. Instead, limited progress was made and the saga continues.
Now, as he rejoins the Braves at Spring Training, Rocker has issued another apology. Why should we believe him now? We don't…yet. Even teammate Tom Glavine is reserving judgement. "He can issue all the apologies he wants," Glavine told reporters, "That's the easy thing to do. But we'll see if he means it by how he acts every day after that."
That sums up what Rocker's public life will be like from here on out. He will constantly be under an even more powerful microscope than usual. Everyone will be watching to see if he was really sorry. Many will all be waiting for him to fail and when he does, be there to let him know it. That's not what I'd call an ideal life. For those who feel that Rocker's punishment isn't harsh enough, that should make you feel better. And for Rocker, it does give him a chance to show if he is indeed sincere. In time, we'll discover through his actions whether the real John Rocker is the man who offered his home to minorities and foreigners, or the man who called a Hispanic teammate a "fat monkey".
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