Soapbox Time

Okay, so here's the deal: people tend not to take responsibility for their actions.
I know that's not a new one on anybody, but athletes take it to a whole new level.

The latest examples:

Maurice Clarett thinks he can drive around with a tenth of vodka in his system, wearing a bullet-proof vest and wielding four guns, including an AK-47. We all know, though, that this isn't his first run-in with the law. Compounding the issue is the fact that this "man" has entered the gene pool and is madly in love with his baby girl. The life guard must not have been on duty that day. And the worst part is that people are making excuses for him.
Says Dan Shanoff on the 8/11Daily Quickie: "Meanwhile, I can't help wondering if all this would have been avoided if the NFL had let Clarett into the league after his freshman year."
HUH??!!
No, this all could have been avoided if people quit glad-handing him and giving him special privileges since he can tote the rock. If someone said no to him. Maybe spanked him whenever he did something wrong. It's not the NFL's fault for not letting him in early. It's not the Denver Broncos' fault for "not connecting with him [sic]". It's Maurice Clarett's fault for making bad choices and for those in position of authority for not enforcing punishment, and therefore reality, to let him know he's not above the law.

Next up, Jeff Allison. After his second, not first, second, OD on heroin, his friend tells ESPN that "He screwed up a few times before, but he always had baseball to fall back on, and I always believed as long as he had baseball he'd pull out of this thing. It's possible that he doesn't have baseball anymore and I also think that's a deciding factor in what's going on and whether or not he'll be able to pull out of this."
So it's the Florida Marlins' fault that this kid likes to sniff the line, not walk it. Unbelievable.

People need to stop making excuses and start taking responsibility for their actions. Their family and friends need to stop being sycophants (yes-men). Authority figures need to stop brushing their "little indiscretions" aside and make sure that they understand that every decision has a price tag.

All right. I'm done. Taking a deep, cleansing breath. In with the good air, out with the bad.