Chris Whalen’s Random Life

Doesn’t the Senate Judiciary Committee have anything else to do? First there was the major league baseball hearings, where famously Sammy Sosa forgot he spoke English, then the subsequent report, and now Sen. Arlon Spector wants more answers to the Video controversy regarding the Patriots and week 1. Are you kidding?

Now I understand the Senator is an avid Eagles fan, and often calls into Philadelphia sports radio, and keep in mind the letter he sent to Commissioner Goodell was sent the week before the Patriots-Eagles game, which is a bit suspicious. But the Patriots broke a rule, were punished, were probably the most scrutinized team in NFL history after that, can we finally let it go? It is time to move on. The commissioner was very clear today that the Patriots broke a rule and were punished for it, that the videotaping had little to no effect on any games, and that trying to steal signals is rampant and actually expected in every sport.  

The problem with getting any branch of the Federal government involved with any sport really is motivation. What would the goal of a government agency be to investigating any sport where an actual crime has not been committed? Sports by definition are entertainment. This just seems like grandstanding to me. What would the government as an organization gain by investigating any sport? We can certainly tell what a given politician would gain, but with no actual crime committed I fail to see the role of any government agency in Sports. Are we next going to have Senators bring Hollywood actors in for testimony if they may have done steroids prior to that last big bicep action flick? Basically the same thing. Just as many young people look up to famous actors as athletes. And what about tennis? With the betting and drug use scandals that have faced the ATP lately, how come there has been no senate investigation there? I was always under the impression that gambling was considered far worse than drug use (see Pete Rose).

As in with anything, I always try to look at the purpose and end point for a given action. Getting any government involved in professional sports just seems to me dubious at best in terms of both. I see no relevant motivation or an outcome that would have any type of effect on the sport or the way a given sport is managed. I just don’t get it.