The law caught up with two sports icons this week. Tiger Woods' divorce became finalized on Monday and last week, Roger Clemens was indicted by a U.S. Grand Jury on charges that he lied to Congress about his use of performance enhancing drugs during his baseball career.
Yes, they are two totally different scenarios, but there seems to be threads of commonality with both athletes, as both let their egos, arrogance and feelings of invincibility take them down.
Both athletes, based on their successes, had the world on a silver platter. Both are revered as two of the greatest in their professions. Both were at the top of the pedestal in terms of respect, fame, status and fortune. Both spent years perfecting their crafts, performing under pressure and achieving milestones that set them apart from their competitors and placed them in that stratosphere of greatness.
And both bought in to the fact that their status as stars gave them rights above and beyond what applies to others. Both dropped from being two of the most revered athletes in the world to disgraced individuals.
At least Tiger finally admitted to his transgressions in that statement he made in February.
Back then, he admitted he felt he "deserved to enjoy the temptations" that came with his incredible success." He said, "I stopped living by the core values that I was taught to believe in. I knew my actions were wrong, but I convinced myself that normal rules didn't apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn't have to go far to find them."
He continued: "I was wrong. I was foolish. I don't get to play by different rules. The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me. I brought this shame on myself. I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife's family, my friends, my foundation, and kids all around the world who admired me."
Yesterday, nine months after the turmoil over his extramarital affairs started, his marriage had officially ended in a hearing that lasted no more than 10 minutes. Perhaps now, Tiger can re-focus on his golf game and his mission to pass Jack Nicklaus' record 18 Major Championships. Perhaps now, Tiger can re-dedicate himself to being the best father he can be to his two children.
Clemens, on the other hand, is faced with more severe consequences from his indictment which could be a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine. He will be forced to appear at an arraignment through judicial summons. It will be interesting to see what transpires from here. Will the Rocket's friends in high places be able to get him off on some sort of legal technicality?
The Rocket could have ridden into the sunset, praised and heralded as one of the greatest righties of all time. But instead, his vanity got in the way, destroying his legacy and a lot more.
Tiger and Roger Clemens are surely not the only athletes whose egos contributed to their troubles and they'll certainly not be the last.
If Tiger abides by his words in that February statement, he truly could turn his life around.
"I've had a lot of time to think about what I've done," he said in that statement. "My failures have made me look at myself in a way I never wanted to before. It's now up to me to make amends, and that starts by never repeating the mistakes I've made. It's up to me to start living a life of integrity."
He continued: "I once heard, and I believe it's true, it's not what you achieve in life that matters; it's what you overcome. Achievements on the golf course are only part of setting an example. Character and decency are what really count."
Actions speak louder than words obviously. Will the legacies of both of these athletes come under the category of 'still to be determined?' or will they continue to go down the path of self-destruction and shame? Wouldn't it be great if they both could redeem themselves? Only their egos will tell.
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