On and Off the Field Behavior

Link to the Website: http://www.philosophynow.org/issue41/Sports_and_Deviant_Behavior

In class on November 3, 2011, we discussed deviance in sports.  In Coakley’s text on pages 163-165, he discusses the four primary norms of the sport ethic.  I feel that it’s these four primary norms that lead athletes to perform deviant acts.  The first primary norm is athletes are dedicated to “the game” above all other things. The second primary norm is athletes strive for distinction.  The third primary norm is athletes accept risks and play through pain.  The fourth primary norm is athletes accept no obstacles in the pursuit of success in sports.  These four are what strive athletes to perform deviant acts such as performance-enhancing drugs or taking a cheap shot at an opponent.  These athletes feel the need to win and will do so at all costs.

In the article, Tim Delaney discusses the deviant behavior not only on and off the field, but also in the stands.  First lets talk about the off-the-field deviant acts.  Many athletes struggle with behaving off the field.  Some of the violent off field deviate acts include:  fights; sexual assaults; attempted rapes; domestic violence charges; and drunk driving.  Athletes also perform nonviolent deviant acts off the field like:  sex solicitation criminal charges; fraudulent autographed sports memorabilia; illegal gambling, point shaving and basketball referees investigated for tax evasion. 

"Ndamukong Suh of the Detroit Lions on
Thanksgiving stomped on another player
after the whistle and is getting suspended for his actions."

Now deviant acts performed on the field is often a grey area because most fans consider it as apart of the game.  Dirty plays happen all the time in sports, some acts are worse than others though.  Chin music in baseball (a pitch that brushes back the hitter) has always been apart of the game but is a deviant act.  The pitch has the potential to hit and hurt the player.  Late hits in football are also deviant acts.  Ndamukong Suh of the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving stomped on another player after the whistle and is getting suspended for his actions.  Whether athletes are on of off the field, deviant acts occur all the time.

Sport mirrors society and there is deviant behavior everywhere.  Athletes tend to perform deviant behaviors because of the ‘win at all costs’ mentality.  Society values winners so athletes feel the pressure and perform acts that are deviant just to have an advantage because winning is everything.