Scrapbook Item 7: Deviance in Sports

Here is the link to the article dealing with this topic:  http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110408&content_id=17514236&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb.

The topic of  deviance in sport is discussed on pages 175-184 in Coakley's text, and was discussed in class on March 29, 2011.  During class on this day we talked about deviant behavior in sports, including the use of performance enhancing substances, and the different leagues drug testing policies.  Manny Ramirez who is featured in this article is a great example of an athlete showing deviant behavior in sports.  His actions on the field were continuously out of line during his career, as he would go to the bathroom during games, and not act professional. Now he has tested positive for a banned substance for the second time, and would have received a 100 game suspension if he did not choose to retire.  By threatening to suspend star player Manny Ramirez before he chose to retire, this shows that Major League Baseball is once again serious about their drug policy after their policy was a joke up until recently.

 

In class on March 29 we learned that the definition of performance enhancing drugs was; any substance taken that is not prescribed by a doctor, and does specify the purpose of improving performance by increasing strength, power, speed, and endurance.  With the announcement of Ramirez’s positive test, not many fans were surprised at all since drugs have become rather common in the sports we watch today.  In Coakley's Text on page 180 he says that the reasons athletes do in fact dope is to maintain their level of greatness, prolong a career, meet others expectations, and to receive financial rewards.  All of these factors contribute to Ramirez’s drug use.  He was an aging Hall of Fame player who was making millions of dollars a year.  So if he could take a substance and remain playing at a high level, why wouldn't he?

As noted above Ramerez conducted himself in a deviant way while on the field as well.  In Coakley’s text on page 177 Coakley suggests that players may do this on purpose to create a ‘commercial persona”.  He says that athletes use their bad behavior as a way to gain fame, and endorsements, which Ramirez did throughout his career.  He used his bad boy brand to receive endorsements and become one of the more popular players in the world.

Manny Ramirez comes out of the bathroom during the middle of a game at Fenway Park.  This is just one of Ramirez's many acts of deviance throughout his career.