The Legend of O.J.

Earl Smith shed light on an issue related to the behavior of some professional athletes that is rarely addressed. In a discussion of the criminality of professional athletes, Smith references famous names such as Daryll Strawberry, Mike Tyson, and most notably, Orenthal James Simpson. While these three athletes can be associated with various crimes, they were all involved in some form of domestic violence as well. O.J. being the most notorious for his involvement/non-involvement (everyone has an opinion about it but lets not forget that he was found innocent in a court of law) in the brutal murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman.

Smith cites a number of factors that link the glorified world of professional sports the terrifying reality of domestic violence. He notes the increase in reports of violence against women on Super Bowl Sunday. He also notes the famous names mentioned above and their involvement in these crimes. What Smith attributes to this violence against women, among other behaviors shared among professional athletes, is the male camaraderie. In the locker room and on the field--areas where women are excluded--these athletes feed off of each others' ideas and validate their beliefs. This type of environment can breed dishonorable behavior and lead to a vast array of crimes. To this day, we can point to O.J. Simpson as the face of this issue. He believed that his fame and money could and would enable him to get away with anything, including murder. Which is exactly what he ended up doing.