Drugs, alcohol and guns don’t matter

Matt Meyer

Do you know who has as many NBA Championship rings as LeBron James?

Me.

James is already one of the greatest basketball players of all-time, but since taking his talents to South Beach, he’s also become one of the most hated. After the Heat’s abysmal start, he’s begun to whine about head coach Erik Spoelstra playing him too much. Get this straight: 44 minutes on a basketball court is too much for the greatest player since Michael Jordan.

The best aren’t always brightest, and they certainly aren’t the nicest. It’s apparent in sports, movies, music, and all facets of entertainment. To bring this point closer to home, name the following player: A talented, left-handed, duel-threat quarterback who has changed the face of football. If you answered Tim Tebow, you’re a delusional Broncos fan. Or an idiot. The correct answer is everybody’s favorite dog-killer, Michael Vick. Tebow may be the nicest guy in the world, but that doesn’t make up for a slow throwing motion.

Ever wonder how Christian Bale or Mel Gibson became so popular? Bale was arrested on suspicion of  abusing his family, throws temper tantrums on set, and occasionally fails to show up on shooting days. Gibson is a homophobe, an anti-Semite, a sexist, an alcoholic, a man who throws racial slurs around like they’re nothing and  alledgedly abused his wife.  But they’re both phenomenal actors whose movies make hundreds of millions of dollars and are generally loved by critics and fans alike.

Clifford Harris Jr., also known as T.I., is widely regarded as the “King of the South” in terms of rap music. He also has a notoriously long rap sheet which includes more than two dozen state charges a federal weapons case, and is currently serving his third jail term.  He’s had numerous #1 singles and three #1 albums. His last album, Paper Trail, sold more than half-a-million copies.

Even the best of us make mistakes, but people in the limelight get a free pass because what they are good at sells. That isn’t right or wrong, that’s how the market works. Some people may call for these stars to be thrown in jail and to toss away the key. But I’m still going to watch Vick on Sunday because he is the most dynamic player in the game. I own the all the modern Batman movies that star Bale, and The Dark Knight is one of my favorite movies of all-time. Two of T.I.’s albums are on my iPod.

I honestly could care less what these folks do outside of their chosen professions, and numbers show America doesn’t either. Vick’s jersey is a top 20 seller despite protests from animal rights groups. Bale made $38 million on The Dark Knight alone. T.I. has five consecutive platinum albums. People want to see these stars do what they do best despite their wrongdoings. This isn’t to say the hammer should come down lightly on them. They should serve the same prison sentences as everyone else. But, when released, the court of public opinion shouldn’t, and often doesn’t rule against them.

Forget what they do outside of their chosen profession and enjoy what they do in it. Nice guys don’t always finish last, but jerks often finish first.

Categorised in: Opinions

This post was written by critedev