Disgusted

Today the man who is arguably the best linebacker to have ever played the game of football, Lawrence Taylor, was charged with the rape of a sixteen year old girl. Lawrence Taylor has become of fallen hero in the mind of many throughout his years for drug abuse and after this scandal if he is to be proven guilty then he will have permanently tarnished his hall of fame legacy. This is a man that for so many years and to this day was looked up to by little boys with dreams of playing in the NFL and now he has become a disgrace to the game of football. I am disgusted at what Lawrence Taylor is being accused of doing , and I am even more disgusted about how modern athletes think they are much more special just because of their fat paycheck, I am disgusted at how they believe they can do whatever they want because they think they are special. The worst part of this is that it does not surprise us what LT is being accused of doing because he has taken advantage of his place for many years. Sure, Lawrence Taylor is special football-wise, but that does not give him the right to think he can do something like this.

Now until proven guilty he is innocent and though I shouldn’t jump to conclusions, I do not believe that such an outrageous claim would be made unless true. I could be wrong and he could be innocent but really I do not think so and part of that has to do with the fact that it is Lawrence Taylor and unfortunately it does not surprise us. Lawrence better hope he has a legendary defense attorney because I think it is going to be hard to get out of this one.

There might be a minority out there that argues “Oh he just made a mistake.” Are you kidding me?! I don’t care if it is a mistake, he made the choice and he is in a bright spotlight being a hall of famer and in a spotlight like this you should know that you cannot do things like this. When so many people think of you as their childhood hero, you cannot do something like this. Lawrence Taylor you like many other athletes and former athletes have taken advantage of your place in society and have tarnished your legacy today. Sure we will all remember how you revolutionized the position of linebacker but people will never forget the allegations made today that say what you did to this sixteen year old girl.

Once again an athlete has broken the hearts of many today because he thought that since he was so important to society he could do whatever he wanted, but that was not the case. As we have seen many times with athletes such as Kobe Bryant, Ben Roethlisberger (sure they never pressed charges, but twice in one year…something is going on), Michael Vick and not to mention Tiger Woods among others, athletes think they can get away with anything.

One day I will have kids and when I do, I do not want them to find out that their favorite athlete is a criminal, I do not want my kids to find out that the guy whose poster is on their wall is a criminal. When athletes do things like these, they do not understand that they hurting others just as much as themselves.

I am sick and tired of men who should be acting like role models taking advantage of their place in society. Being constantly in the spotlight with no room for error comes with the territory of becoming a professional athlete. So do us sports fans a favor and next time not just think twice but just not do it, think about what others will think of you because what it comes down to when you are a person of that high of stature is just that.

NV