It Pays to be the Bad Guy

2010 has become the year of the bad guy and I'm not talking about Mel Gibson or Charlie Sheen. This year, unlike any other has been filled with stories of redemption in sport. Numerous players in 2010 have risen from the ashes to super stardom.

Since we are in the middle of the NFL season, the most glaring example is Michael Vick. Just 6 months ago, Vick was appearing on Pros vs. Joes to work on his football skills and showcase his talents. With only one year left on his contract and the starting QB situation in Philadelphia already handed to Kevin Kolb, it looked like another year of restitution for Vick. Then Kolb was hurt early in the season, Vick stepped in and won games, didn't make any mistakes (fumbles or interceptions) and was dedicated to the game of football like he had never been (watching game tape in preparation for the next opponent). This led to him winning the starting QB job and winning games for the Philadelphia Eagles. The whole time this is happening, Vick is also doing his community service and giving speeches for the Humane Society against dog fighting.

Vick's name has been on the lips of the sports media recently as a possible MVP candidate as the Eagles have rallied around their new starter. It seems his comeback is complete and although his past will be brought up every time he plays, fans are starting to appreciate his talents on the field again.

Another player who fought with demons recently, did win the MVP award. Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers was the MVP of the American League this year. For a number of years Hamilton had lots of potential but was caught up with drug and alcohol problems. Even as recently as the 2009 season, he relapsed and was caught on camera drinking with some young ladies at a bar after swearing off booze. Although Hamilton might not have affected or reached as many people with his problem as Vick did, he didn't exactly set a good example for young fans and now that he is an MVP, he is either the best case scenario for rehab or just another screwed up athlete who gets away with with abusing his body, but somehow still succeeds.

If drinking and street drugs weren't enough, what about steroids? The number of players in professional and amateur sports that have been caught using performance enhancing drugs is now too long to list. Many of them never get caught, but those that do sit out their suspension, but still collect their millions of dollars in salary. Although most players will recover from these indiscretions, Barry Bonds did not. He was run out of baseball, and although he is the all-time home run king he will likely never be enshrined into the hall of fame in Cooperstown because he embodied the steroid era and someone has to take the fall (Mark McGwire is joining him in this). Although most of the baseball world holds a grudge against him, Bonds was welcomed back with open arms by the San Francisco Giants fans this summer and fall. When the Giants made the fall classic this year they brought out Bonds to thunderous applause, but in any other stadium he would have been booed.

Another baseball player that made a come back this summer after being banned for life for his actions was Pete Rose. Rose famously bet on baseball and was banned for life. Major League Baseball gave him a one day exception so he could participate in an on-field ceremony this summer commemorating the anniversary of his record breaking base hit. Rose was bad, but compared to some of the issues that today's players have brought into the media, it doesn't seem so wrong. Rose has apologized for his behaviour and continues to try to mend his public image.

Other players doing wrong pop-up on an almost daily basis. The website profootballtalk.com has a ticker on their page that counts "days since last arrest" for NFL players. Whether it is a DUI charge, domestic battery or an assault charge for punching a taxi driver (Patrick Kane), it seems like professional athletes cannot stay out of trouble. Troubled or clean, fans still adore them.