Yet, if you ask the guy or gal on the street about that, you will get a real guffaw in response and for good reason. It used to be a person read the front page of the newspaper for the bad news and the sports page for the good news. Today, that is no longer the case. We get plenty of bad news on the sports page. That is shameful.
Sports officials feel deeply about the games they work.
More than anything, they want the game played fairly and within the spirit and intent of the rules. Officials are taught that they must adhere to an especially high ethical standard and that they are the protectors of the rules and conduct of the game. That is possible on a sustained basis only if officials firmly believe egregious and outrageous behavior will not be tolerated and that it will be dealt with firmly, quickly and with appropriate penalty. The Alomar incident will continue to be a black eye for baseball. The fan reaction has been swift and unequivocal, while at times excessive.