High school sports usually steer clear of scandals
Sports scandals are everywhere, and I'm not talking about in the movies.
This is real-life stuff.
From an illegal dog-fighting quarterback, to a possible steroid-using home run king, to a Tour De France race with more drug users than an Alice Cooper concert crowd, sports in general is taking a public relations hit.
But none of those compare to the allegations against a former National Basketball Association referee accused of gambling and shaving points of games he officiated, all while owing money to low-level New Jersey mobsters.
It's kind of like "Blue Chips" meets "The Sopranos," only this isn't found on any television screen.
Everyone has an opinion on gambling.
Some think it's a sin, others try to use it as a source of income. But no matter who you are, even the accused ref Tim Donaghy, you know it's wrong to bet on sporting events where you have possible control of the outcome.
Which brings me to high school sports.
Don't get me wrong, nothing is pure. There is corruption at every level. But the one thing high school sports doesn't have as much as college or professional sports is the one thing that keeps it the most pure — money.
Collegiate and pro sports generate billions of dollars each year.
High school sports generate blood, sweat, and tears.
Even if it isn't perfect, it's a lot closer than the other two.
With all the scandals going on I'm getting excited for the start of the high school season: Friday night lights, screaming volleyball kills, and girls and boys sweating through two and three-mile runs.
It sure beats over-paid athletes, money-hungry owners, and scandals that would make the higher-ups in Washington, D.C., blush.
Less than a month away, the high school sports season may bring some relief to those looking to actually watch sports figures on the field, not in the courtroom.
