Fallen Heroes of the Court and Field

When Latrell Sprewell of the Golden State Warriors attacked his coach, many sports fans asked, “How much misbehavior can be tolerated from out-of-control players?” Sprewell, 27, ultimately lost his four-year, $32-million contract with the Warriors. Converse terminated its endorsement of the basketball star, an agreement worth $300,000 to $600,000 a year.

Sprewell isn’t the only athlete whose conduct has been called into question in recent months: Charles Barkley allegedly threw a fan through a window; Shaquille O’Neal slapped Utah center Greg Ostertag; Robert Horry threw a towel at a coach; Roberto Alomar spit in an umpire’s face. The issue of athletes’ conduct took on racial overtones when Bill Romanowski was fined only $7,500 for spitting in the face of J.J. Stokes. Many asked if African American athletes are treated more harshly than white athletes.

MARY REESE BOYKIN spoke with high school athletes about superstars who have gotten in trouble. ANTONIO McCLINON

17, Inglewood High School junior, basketball

What Sprewell did was wrong, but they shouldn’t take all his money away. The way he apologized put me on his side. Other players have been involved with this type of situation.

There is a limit to everything you do in life. Coaches have too much power over players. In some ways, it’s good when, for example, a coach is helping a player to improve his game. But practice can become too extreme.

I think many good athletes are spoiled at young ages. In summer basketball leagues, boys as young as 12 get all kinds of material things: shoes, money, clothes. In high school, athletes learn that the rules that apply to most of the team--miss a practice, miss playing time in the game--do not apply to the team’s star because coaches want to win. When athletes reach their senior year of high school, many players know that there are college coaches that will give them a car if the player goes to their school. Athletes benefit more when they must play by the rules.

When players become professional, I think that the more money they get, the more freedom they think they have and the more they get away with.

JOSHUA POWELL

14, University High School freshman, football

Y Sprewell should not have expressed his anger by hitting his coach. But the punishment is too harsh.

There is a perception in the black community that black athletes are treated more harshly than white athletes. Many of us talked about how Bill Romanowski was fined only $7,500 for spitting in J.J. Stokes’ face while Sprewell got a year’s suspension. But I think that while both did something wrong, the chance for harm was greater in Sprewell’s case.

Whether they want to be or not, I think that athletes are role models. My favorite athlete is Barry Sanders because he is calm, he doesn’t get into trouble, and he just became one of three rushers to break 2,000 yards in a season. I know it’s not the athlete’s fault that kids look up to them. But kids do. When Tyson bit Holyfield’s ear, some of my friends pretended to bite each other’s ears and nicknamed one another Bite Tyson.

SABINO MALDONADO

18, Manual Arts High School senior, soccer

It’s a bad thing that Latrell Sprewell attacked his coach, because young people may think that they can do that too. I think athletes do things like this to get more publicity.

Maybe he was angry with the coach. But when an athlete becomes angry, he should try to calm down and think about the way the coach wants him to play. Some players just want to play the way they want to play. Sometimes it is a problem because it may not be the best thing for the team, just for the player. But the coach is trying to improve the team.

Professional athletes are role models. My role model is Carlos “Pibe” Valderrama, who plays for Colombia’s dream team. I like the way he controls the field, opens to make a pass and makes new moves, sometimes making new tricks so that he can pass. I even like his big yellow Afro. He is a gentleman on and off the court. I would feel disappointed if he hit his coach.

CRYSTAL VERNON

16, Dorsey Math and Science Magnet senior, basketball

It was wrong for Sprewell to hit any official. I don’t think that he should be able to play again, period. What lesson has he learned? He is going to have a bad reputation and no respect. Maybe he doesn’t care because maybe all he wants is the money.

I think that high school is the foundation to instill some value about sports. My coach is a caring, honest person who knows us and our families. Last school year, he didn’t let the star player play in our most crucial game because of her misbehavior at school. Other times, he has taken players out of the game because of a bad attitude or unfair play.

But I do understand that players get frustrated.

ANTONIO LICON

18, Inglewood High School senior, baseball

An athlete doesn’t just play physically; he plays mentally too. From the pressure of teammates and the coach, the mental game can break down like the physical one does. You become confused, so you do irrational things. But you have to think about the serious consequences that your actions can have. In baseball, Roberto Alomar spat in an umpire’s face. While he should not have done that, he may have felt that he had no other way to express his anger.

The actions of professional players are highly publicized because these players are under the microscope. They are not necessarily role models. They are just people doing their job. Worse things happen in everyday life, but those things are not highly publicized because the people doing them are not paid big bucks.

Maybe our society expects those who are paid millions to act a certain way. But their attitudes and values were set before they got the big contracts. Your parents teach you to respect someone with authority. But with big bucks come big egos.

When I played football a few years ago, a scuffle broke out between a coach and a player. The player intentionally bumped the coach and knocked him down. Minutes later in the locker room, the players cheered the teammate. “Good job!” they said. Players have a common bond and goal: To work together and win. Nothing can take the bond away.