Today I want to talk about something that as a sports fan has been really bugging me: the arrogance and unacceptable actions of some athletes.

I don’t understand what is up with some of these guys. They are getting paid huge salaries to play (and I stress the word play) a sport. What could possibly be a greater privilege outside of being the person whose job it is to keep Pamela Anderson covered in sun tan lotion and getting paid for it?

Anyway, I have to start with this whole Roberto Alomar fiasco. I do not understand how there is even a question as to whether he should be suspended. The guy spit in an umpire’s face, and then made comments concerning his son’s death. He should have been suspended immediately without any time wasted on regrets and appeals.

There are those who will say, “But he apologized, so it’s OK.” Of course he apologized. He wants to play in the playoffs, and he would have done whatever it took to get there.

Alomar is a great player; however, that is not the issue. The real issue is that he made a complete jerk out of himself and now he should face the punishment. Instead he will get to take his medicine next season, when he could care less about a five- game vacation.

This will just open the door for other athletes to show their blatant disregard for authority and to put on disgustingly arrogant displays that just humiliate themselves and the game they represent.

Most of the media represent this incident in a negative light (as it should be), but one columnist here at the Daily actually accused the umpire who was on the receiving end of Alomar’s spit as being a bigot who probably said a racist comment to Alomar. So therefore it was not his fault.

Come again? Were you on the defense team for the OJ trial?

We can’t make excuses for the baby-like temper tantrums of athletes just because they are athletes.

Another example of an athlete who “got too big for his britches” is Jeff George. The difference between the two situations is the Falcons didn’t put up with it.

George was suspended by the team after a sideline argument with coach June Jones, and the Falcons immediately started looking for another team on which to dump George.

Now George is stuck in Atlanta for the rest of the season, and they do not want him.

He has to recognize the fact that not one team was willing to go after him, and his career could be on the brink of its demise if he doesn’t get it together.

What I’m trying to say is although athletes hold high esteem in our society, we can’t allow them to be immune to rules and the ensuing punishment when they break them. This isn’t the playground this is professional sports, so be professional.

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Brandon Belisle is a junior in journalism and mass communication from Plainfield, Ill.