This article was originally published in Loyola University’s student newspaper The Greyhound on September 22, 2009
“I’m going to take this ball and shove it down your (expletive) throat.”
Serena Williams didn’t just use foul language while threatening a line judge during last week’s US Open; she also waved her racquet and pointed menacingly at the judge during her rant. It was a tirade that tennis fans won’t soon forget, not solely because of its ruthless nature, but because it also cost Williams the semi-final match.
When her outburst finally ended, the chair umpired penalized Williams one point, giving the match to Kim Clijsters. What was Williams arguing about? The line judge called her for a foot fault on her second serve, awarding Clijsters a point. Had Williams not gone ballistic, she would have still been in the match, but her actions handed her the loss.
No doubt about it, the double fault was a close call. But close call or not, Williams’s temper tantrum was completely unwarranted, and unfortunately it was just another example of poor sportsmanship by an immature athlete.
When people think about Tiger Woods, they think of his powerful drive, his enthusiastic fist pumps and of course his blazing red shirt. Very few think about his poor manners while on the course, which normally result in the throwing of his club or cursing in front of the camera. But Tiger doesn’t seem to get fined too often.
Baseball is full of temper tantrums. How many times have we seen the manager come waddling out of the dugout and scream into the face of the umpire from two inches away. Or how about when a player gets plunked by a fastball and charges the mound? While these scuffles are often quite funny and entertaining (admit it), they reveal how immature today’s athletes really are.
Of course player outbursts aren’t some new thing. Sports figures like John McEnroe and Lou Piniella made careers out of it. Face it, professional sports are extremely competitive and when things don’t go according to plan, players blow off some steam.
The problem however lies in the punishments that are given out to professional athletes when they act like little kids. Surely Serena will be suspended for her inappropriate behavior right? Not quite. Williams was fined $10,500, which may seem like a lot to those of us scrounging up $10 for a pizza, but it is really nothing for these superstars worth millions. Is the $10,000 going to stop Williams from doing it again? What do you think?
These light punishments seem particularly unfair when they are compared to those handed down on NCAA athletes.
In the opening week of college football, Oregonís LeGarrette Blount threw a punch that connected with the jaw of Byron Hout from Boise State. Frustrated with the loss, and presumably some post-game trash talk, Blount lost his cool for a split second and sucker punched Hout.
How did the NCAA react? They ended Blount’s collegiate career. It turns out Blount’s first game of his senior season was also his last. No light fine or suspension like we see in professional sports. An entire season was lost because of a split second worth of indiscretion.
It helps to examine some suspensions from professional sports to appreciate just how substantial Blount’s sentence really is. Take the altercation between Kevin Youkilis of the Boston Red Sox and Rick Porcello of the Detroit Tigers from Aug 12. After Porcello hit Youkilis with a fastball, Youkilis lost his cool and charged the mound. Both players hit the ground, and both benches cleared.
What kind of suspension did these MLB players receive? Five games each. Five measly games in a 162 game season. A college player throws one punch at the end of a frustrating game and loses his season.The last truly memorable professional athlete that was suspended for the remainder of a season was Ron Artest of the Indiana Pacers.
While the referees were trying to assess fouls after a small skirmish between the Pistons and the Pacers, a fan threw a beer on Artest. How did Indiana’s forward respond? By jumping in the stands and throwing haymakers at every fan in the vicinity of the culprit.
Artest was suspended for 73 regular season games and 13 playoff games. So LaGarrette Blount can throw one punch and receive the same suspension as Ron Artest who jumped into the stands and started a melee with fans?
Blount’s case is not out of the ordinary however. The NCAA enforces very strict rules regarding players conduct on and off the field. For instance, a Loyola student athlete could face serious fines for cheating or receiving help on papers, exams or even homework.
While this may pose an academic as well as ethical issue, in no way are these actions illegal and they have no affect on the athlete’s performance on the field. In fact, a student athlete could face suspension if he or she even requests a tutor meeting without filing the proper paper work.
But Serena Williams can threaten an official and receive a slap on the wrist? While it may seem like NCAA regulations and suspensions are rather harsh, it is time that professional sports start learning from the college model.
Handing out minor fines to extremely wealthy athletes does nothing. Just look at the NFL. Players continue to create extravagant touchdown celebrations despite the fact they will be fined each and every time.Most importantly, it is time that professional athletes like Serena Williams and Tiger Woods stop acting like children when a call or play does not go their way.
Everyone makes bad plays and referees are human. There is no need to berate an official over a call, especially when it is a tough call to make. And cursing is never appropriate when millions of fans are watching on national television. So here’s a message to the professionals, grow up.
The Bleacher Seat 