Athletes On Pedestals
We, the Public, Place the Best Athletes on Pedestals
According to William Moller in his essay “We, the Public, Place the Best Athletes on Pedestals,” sports fans are a huge factor in athletes steroid usage and we tend to turn a blind eye to the obvious substance abuse because we want them to be the best. On the other hand they know what choices they are making when using illegal substances and the consequences that follow.
Moller compares the athlete’s substance abuse to his own experience in high school. With the pressure to excel in school he states, “I was giving in to the incentive scheme that was presented to me. The negative of doing poorly on the test was far greater than the negative of getting caught.” (547) The athletes could argue the same, using the drugs bring wealth and fame and it is worth it to them because they don’t think they will get caught. Athletes are more concerned with achieving success that they don’t consider their actions to be wrong. Moller admits, “And knowing full well that what I was doing could be nothing more than …show more content…
Sure he would be great while using but what about when he’s not playing in an altered state? Would he not be able to play at all or would he just be ordinary? In that case he chose steroids over ordinary, he chose the fame and fortune over ordinary. They are called performance enhancing drugs for a reason and now that the truth has come out over his steroid use what do we the public think of this almighty A-Rod, should we praise him for all his homeruns or thank the steroids? As for the other athletes that are simply getting prescriptions from doctors for Ritalin, they are not doing anything illegal but it still doesn’t seem right or even fair. There is a vast majority of athletes using performance enhancing drugs one way or the other, whether we see it or
According to William Moller in his essay “We, the Public, Place the Best Athletes on Pedestals,” sports fans are a huge factor in athletes steroid usage and we tend to turn a blind eye to the obvious substance abuse because we want them to be the best. On the other hand they know what choices they are making when using illegal substances and the consequences that follow.
Moller compares the athlete’s substance abuse to his own experience in high school. With the pressure to excel in school he states, “I was giving in to the incentive scheme that was presented to me. The negative of doing poorly on the test was far greater than the negative of getting caught.” (547) The athletes could argue the same, using the drugs bring wealth and fame and it is worth it to them because they don’t think they will get caught. Athletes are more concerned with achieving success that they don’t consider their actions to be wrong. Moller admits, “And knowing full well that what I was doing could be nothing more than …show more content…
Sure he would be great while using but what about when he’s not playing in an altered state? Would he not be able to play at all or would he just be ordinary? In that case he chose steroids over ordinary, he chose the fame and fortune over ordinary. They are called performance enhancing drugs for a reason and now that the truth has come out over his steroid use what do we the public think of this almighty A-Rod, should we praise him for all his homeruns or thank the steroids? As for the other athletes that are simply getting prescriptions from doctors for Ritalin, they are not doing anything illegal but it still doesn’t seem right or even fair. There is a vast majority of athletes using performance enhancing drugs one way or the other, whether we see it or