Sports figures are above the law.

Sports figures are above the law. They are allowed to openly commit assault and battery with no criminal ramifications.

I submit to you, that if I stood up in the stands at an…

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game and punched the guy sitting next to me, and a law enforcement officer witnessed it, I would be cuffed and stuffed.

Depending on the severity of my action, I would be charged with simple assault or assault and battery at the very least. I would spend the next several hours being booked, printed and posting bail. Later in the month, I would appear before a judge and likely be fined and/or incarcerated. Either way, I would have criminal record.

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Given that the players are men, and I am a man. The players are members of the same society that I am. The players are not granted any immunity from the laws that govern my behavior, I have to ask why they don’t meet with the same fate I would. If a law enforcement officer sees an assault on the field (and they do), why doesn’t he walk out there and arrest/cuff and stuff the player? Why are they not arrested even after the fact based on the videos? Videos of assaults by normal citizens result in arrest and charges.

Now, there are those that will say that fighting is part of the game of hockey, and admittedly it is the whole game in boxing and martial arts. That said, I think there is a difference. The NHL (at least on the outside) fines and suspends, so they seem to be saying they don’t support it.

There are also those that will argue that it’s the heat of the game that causes it, and it should be ignored. If that’s the case, shouldn’t the fan be afforded the same luxury?

From a societal standpoint, I believe we are teaching violence in the USA. Something as simple as a sporting event is an indoctrination into accepting violence as the status quo.

The men in these videos are paid copious amounts of money to play the game. And with that in mind, I have to wonder is the violence part of the game? Are they told by coaches / owners to create a situation that ends in a fight, just to sell seats…or increase viewer ratings?

What are we going to do as it migrates into college and high school and grade school sports. Are we going to be appalled? It is making it’s way into those younger arenas. I would say pervasively. Sometimes the fathers, and in some cases the mothers are bringing it with them. Hell even the cheerleaders are getting into it.

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Granted this wasn’t in a game situation, and the perpetrators were arrested, but it was the sport/game that precipitated it.

Come on ATS make me think about this some more!

I really do not understand the differnces I brought up in the above post, and I come here to let you people make me think...and to see things through your eyes. Tell me what you think!

I think sports figures are definetly above the law. Last year, the guy who killed Nick Adenhart (former MLB pitcher)by running him over, got a pretty big sentence. Then not very long after, Donte Stallworth (NFL wide-reciever) killed a woman in florida, while she was using the crosswalk. Also all the rape accusations that they get away with is insane. I understand it could be a cash grab by the accuser but it could be the real thing too. A regular person accused of rape probably wouldn't get away with no jail time, but Kobe and Ben Rothlisberger do.

reply to post by rotorwing


I think there is a whole different set of rules for what goes on during the games. Most of the sports are rough and physical so a little punching and fighting is inevitable. If both parties involved in the fight are satisfied to let the sports league handle the situation without getting law enforcement involved, I see no problem with that.

Outside the sports arena, they also get away with WAY too much stuff as well. I don't really think this is completely a result of their sports star status (although, I admit it plays a part).

I think, the main reason they are allowed to get away with so much is because of money. He who has the most $$$ generally wins when things go to court.

Most DA's don't want to expend the huge resources it would require to prosecute a rich sports figure, so they most often let them off with a wimpy plea bargain and a slap on the wrist, if anything.

It's not just pro athletes, celebrities in general are treated better than regular folks. These "stars" are more important than regular people and don't have to follow our laws.

[edit on 6-4-2010 by Jay Electronica]

Ok...i'm sorta good with the flagrant foul or two...but to outright go to fists seems like it should be removed from the game. And the best way I can think of to get it out of the game is walk the player off in cuffs.

Putting on my flame retardant nomex flight suit...hold on.

Originally posted by orangeprojectiles
I think sports figures are definetly above the law. Last year, the guy who killed Nick Adenhart (former MLB pitcher)by running him over, got a pretty big sentence.

The guy hasn't even been tried yet. His BAC was triple the legal limit. He's also charged with three counts of murder, Adenhart and two friends. He's currently trying to get his trial moved out of Orange County Ca, as of earlier this week.

Then not very long after, Donte Stallworth (NFL wide-reciever) killed a woman in florida, while she was using the crosswalk.

It wasn't a woman in a crosswalk. It was a 59 yr old man running to a bus stop across a 6 lane highway, that Stallworth struck at around 6am.

Please get the details correct at least.


I do agree that athlete's and celebrities in general are held to a different legal standard than us common folk. Plus they have the high priced lawyers that can drown the local DA in paperwork. The Rothlisberger one is troubling to me. The Georgia police haven't even tried to get a DNA sample from him to corraborate or clear him of the charges. I guess they were too busy getting their pictures taken with him. This is the second accusation against him. I say where there's smoke, there's fire.

I don't know how messed up america is, but atleast over here no criminal act has occured if the guys involved in the fight won't press charges.

If every disagreement and small fistfight would go to court, the courts would do nothing else then going through these cases.

Its an entirely different thing if the other one is beating up the other one, but as long as they both fight, and the fight ends when the other one gives up, its a fair and square "whos who" -situation

above...here it's a matter of witnessed. If a LEO witnesses a crime they are entitled to act. I'm not sure, but I think they are required to act. Now, there is some latitude there and they can always claim they didn't see it...

I know the other thing is if the incident was not witnessed by the LEO, the second party needs to press charges if it's a he said, she said thing for instance. If there is physical evidence that requirement of the second party is not needed. The LEO can arrest on that evidence.

Good responses from all of you though...you are getting me thinking about this. For instance, in the NFL... is a tackle considered an assault? I suppose if I did one of those in the beer line at the concession stand I'd get arrested too.

I still think when it gets to the point where the fists come out in a basketball, football, baseball or hockey game, it would start cleaning it up if a cop were to walk onto the field of play and cuff the the guy and lead him off.

And the social implications still bother me. How do I explain to my kids that they can mess it up in the lane...elbows and all...but can't cold cock the other player after the fact...the pros do it!





[edit on 4/7/2010 by rotorwing]

Thinking here...is an inside pitch @ 95 mph that hits a multi million dollar elbow an assault?

Is the pitcher required to err on the side (outside) of caution? What about the batter that crowds the plate? Or the batter that throws his bat?

I love this stuff.

It's all part of the game - outside of the game, however, they should be treated like regular joes.

The difference of punching the guy next to you in the stands and an athlete getting is a fight is that the athletes are doing something where physical injury is always a threat, and the signed paper work that they can't start a lawsuit if they get into a fight, or hit illegally.

The only sport I'm aware that they "allow" fighting is the NHL, and honestly that is to protect the referees. There is just not enough personnel on hand to stop a fight from occurring. Those are some big boys and even though NHL referees are top notch skaters, they could fall down and get stepped on. Those blades won't be forgiving. Also unlike in many sports, almost all NHL fights are started with both players accepting each others request for a fight, in many other sports it is always a spur of the moment. If you are a smaller, non fighting type...you don't really have to worry about getting in a fight because if you don't accept the challenge the other player would receive a very harsh punishment. The NHL is now even looking into how to completely eliminate the risk of dirty hits and head shots by imposing lengthy suspensions and very hefty fines.


So during the game, I think whatever happens, happens... to a certain extent. Fines and suspensions should be used to deter illegal actions in sports.


But outside the arena, I completely agree. I think its a shame that we see Donte Stallworth playing this season when he killed someone drunk driving. My family almost lost it all when my Dad got a DUI, and he was actually under the legal limit. It really angers me that I see these celebraties/athletes committing all these crimes only to have their picture taken at some private beach the next day. If these so called "role models" break the law I believe (in many circumstances) they should receive harsher punishments than the average joe who got his first DUI.

[edit on 7-4-2010 by kyle43]