By Stephen Cooney

I have realized one thing about politicians in the last few months. They are a lot like athletes. Politicians are out there trying to destroy their opponent by any means necessary. They want to show their dominance by winning the championship, except for it isn’t as much a championship as control of a country. The only problem is athletes are more honorable in there craft.

Both athletes and politicians have had their fair share of hookers, prostitutes, and interns, and I am also sure if there was a performance enhancing drug for debating, a few politicians would probably be on “the clear”, or wishing they were. Either way, scandal tends to follow both.

The major difference that I have noticed here is that what athletes do is completely different and far more acceptable than what politicians do. Think about it. When an athlete is running his mouth or talking trash, there is a playing field where everything will be decided. People can talk and have an opinion, but ultimately what happens will be decided between the trash talker and the trash recipient on the field.

Even more so on the side of athletes is most of their trash talking comes out face-to-face. They do not dig into the history of individuals and make commercials or slogans trashing the person’s character. Athletes usually stick to another athlete’s abilities and not their life. Politicians could learn a lot from athletes if they followed this procedure.

Would it not be far more effective for a politician to attack the policies or the performances of another politician instead of their pastor?

Anyone who has ever gone to a religious service knows spiritual leaders say things that most people do not agree with, but still practice that faith. A far more honorable argument would be to attack the actions and abilities of the person, and not those around him. Personal history is just that and should remain that.

Also, I do not want to say that politicians are not real people, but they are by no means genuine to the audience. Athletes are the person they portray for the most part. They are not trying to impress anyone with anything other than their on-field performance. But politicians are lumps of clay; clay that they mold into an image for people to consume and believe and have faith or (often false) hope in. Is it not far more honorable to project yourself as you are?

There are always going to be athletes that people will hate, and there are always going to be politicians that people will hate. When you are in the spotlight that much you cannot make everyone happy. The only thing you can do is make people respect you by being genuine. There is no fault in a person who is real. You do not need to like them, but you have to respect them and should that not be the most important thing for politicians and athletes.

I am by no means saying that athletes and sports are more important than politicians and politics. I do enjoy sports more than politics, but I understand that a government is far more important than entertainment and athletic skill.

It is a whole lot harder to run a country than to catch a touchdown pass, even though one is far more thrilling. Both of these groups work all day long, every day of the year. All I am saying is there are a lot of similarities, but there seems to be more honor amongst athletes. They stick to the issues, and they are also always accountable for their words.

They have to answer to the one they are talking about in the media, and also on the field. Muhammad Ali always had to go out and take a few punches after he talked trash. It is a shame that some modern politicians have never had to answer for their trash talk enough to make it honorable.