The Art of Maintaining Standards

We are inundated these days with the pained words of individuals or teams caught in clear violation of the laws/guidelines that govern their sport. This hue and cry is coming not just from isolated corners - it covers the spectrum of participants. From youth sports to professional...male or female...coaches, athletes, parents and administrators are all guilty of bemoaning their circumstances that have run afoul of the guidelines that try to add structure and order to the culture they function within. Let me provide you with a smattering of examples:

• At the youth level, parents fight organizational by-laws that are defined along age and gender parameters. I have seen countless examples of parents who want their son or daughter to "play-up" to the next level (or move to the boys side in the case of some girls) because they believe that the current level they find themselves in does not adequately offer them an environment from which they can significantly improve.

• At the high school level, athletes and parents are always pushing the spirit of the stated laws when it comes to transferring from one school district to another. When athletes and their families find grievance with the program they are currently in, they will seek to leave that school and transfer to another one that gives them a better opportunity to "win", or to showcase their talents with more advanced teammates, or to play for a coach who is more "capable". The "real reason" they openly state on the request is that the academics are better, or that their son or daughter feels safer at another school - that is obviously fairly far from the truth. I have witnessed parents proceed with a "sham divorce" just to allow the joint custody of their child to move from their current address, to a new address of one of their "divorced" parents...which happens to be in a school district they desire to attend.

• At the collegiate level, we hear more and more stories of athletes and programs who have run afoul of the NCAA when they receive "benefits" beyond what the guidelines and regulations state. Currently there is a lawsuit underway that tries to have former NCAA athletes receive retroactive monies from the NCAA and/or their respective university for whom they played; deeming it unfair that athletes - upon whom the NCAA and the colleges realize financial gain - do not get compensated in kind above and beyond the current compensation structure.

• At the professional level, we are constantly bombarded with the offenses of athletes in using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). When an athlete is accused and "convicted" of using PEDs, they rarely go quietly into their suspension. We hear of so much "grey" area or "testing error" that perpetual doubt is cast on the league, the athlete, and the process. And when one athlete finally "admits" to their guilt, they will issue the obligatory "non-apology, apology" for their actions.

My ultimate point found in all of the aforementioned examples centers around the "intellectual" reasoning that tries to excuse away the clear violations that have occurred, and will continue to occur. Among the rationales stated are:

"The policies are outdated"

"The by-laws are not specific enough"

"The definitions used are a little unclear"

"The system is unfair"

"The collection process is open to corruption"

Now, let me state my awareness that all of the previously stated excuses may have great merit. Yes, you heard me right - many of the statements that are used to provide cover and possible exoneration of violators are "correct"...but only in the spirit of the law, not in the substance. What I more clearly mean is that the above statements may be true, but they provide no basis for excusing away violations of the defined guidelines. The crime of this daily drama that unfolds in our athletic culture today is that the perpetrators actually BELIEVE that these excuses should carry the day when they have CLEARLY violated the laws, by-laws or regulations.

Allow me to explain further....

We have a problem in our athletic organizations, associations and teams today (and society as a whole for that matter)....we have become Intellectually Lazy and Morally Obtuse. When we come face-to-face with the laws that govern our behavior, violations of said laws are compartmentalized as being archaic or patently unfair - rarely is there a sense to accept responsibility and offer "true" accountability for the missteps. When we witness people clearly violating the statutes clearly defined for all of us to follow, we will look at the situation and state: "Who are we to judge?" We exist in a world of "Moral Relativism" where misbehavior is excused away as being: "something that would be hard for anyone in their situation to do differently."

The solutions to these issues are rather simple:

1. If a law is archaic, strive to change it through proper procedures.

2. If a system is flawed, work to tighten the process with sound reasoning.

3. If the policy is unclear, tirelessly commit to establish clarity for all.

And, of course, maybe most importantly:

4. Whatever the law, by-law, guideline, rule or regulation states today....FOLLOW IT!

We have become a society that struggles greatly with accepting the challenges we face, and striving to ethically work through those challenges. We also have become a culture where we find it almost impossible to pass judgment on others; as if the act of doing so will brand us as tyrannical and intolerant (funny...we don't seem to have any problem with assigning a name or title on THOSE type of people). Such detached attention to guiding principles and foundational structure typifies a weak culture - and all you ultimately get is a self-fulfilling prophecy of ethical decay.

I would have hoped that athletics - an institution that is defined by structure and discipline - would lead the way and help this culture shift back in a functional manner. Instead, it seems to be leading the charge down the path of confusion, conflict and chaos.

All we can do is try to stem the tide and bring it back....that is my solemn mission.

I hope others will join me....