War, Sports And The Absence of Accountability.

In March of 1968, Lieutenant William Calley by all accounts led his troops of C Company in a slaughter infamously named “My Lai Massacre.” The future hopes and dreams of what was described as a nice young man were washed away in the blood of 109 innocent Vietnamese villagers. An atrocity for which the lieutenant would face a military court martial while offering the defense of “following orders.” None of his superiors would be held accountable.

On a Friday in the fall of 1972, a nameless high school head coach was preparing his undefeated team for a crucial game in their schedule that Saturday. Fridays normally were a non-contact walk thru day conducted with helmets and shoulder pads only. The players lined up on the field for the final drill of simulating the special teams kick off and receiving walk through. The kicking and receiving teams lined up eagerly waiting the head coach’s whistle. The still of anticipation was broken by the words, “Full Speed.” The assistant coaches looked to their leader and one spoke cautiously, “But Coach, they’re in half pads.” The troops on the field braced as the words, “You heard me, let’s go.” The whistle blew and by the time, mass of bodies finished colliding one young man laid on the ground writhing in pain screaming, “My knee, my knee!” The head coach ran over to the young man screaming back, “Get up! Walk it off! Be a man!” The youth after years of following orders and being an over achiever with minimal talents finally found one order he couldn’t obey. The incident resulted in three major torn ligaments and a lifetime of pain and not one of his superiors were held accountable.

The brotherhood shared

While the levels of atrocity in the two incidents do not measure up, their fundamentals of cause rise from the same roots. Athletes are taught to be soldiers. They are revered in victory and forgotten in defeat. The core of their training lies in trust and the obedience of their superiors. Above all, no matter what happens they are taught that being on the field or court of play on game day is all that matters. You are honored and revered for being there and tossed aside when it is deemed you can no longer walk off the field on your own. You go from being exalted as a hero to being subjected to as a mere annoyance. Many times not just by your superiors, but also by the friends you once fought side by side in the trenches with. Again, no one is held accountable.

A common bond

Recently, the world of sports has been shaken up by the topic of neglecting retired players. Many of whom suffer the effects of post concussion syndrome. This is in contrast of the calls to glory pronouncing the greatness of those who have gone before. As at present, it is most on the forefront of the American football arena. Other sports as hockey, soccer, basketball, wrestling, boxing and baseball are guilty of leaving behind their aged and wounded. Their former superiors and friends shake their heads with an acknowledgement of pity and no much more. The games continue devoid of accountability.

When they step on their field of battle, they are warriors. When they can no longer make it through the day, they are unfortunates. While sports has become a mega billion dollar industry, the participants that helped to build it are paved over like forgotten friendly neighborhood fields giving way to new multi-level parking garages. For those now racking in the big bucks, it is hard to pay tribute to more than the memory of what came before. The memory is what is important and the people are an after thought. Time and memory diffuse the call of accountability.

The brutal legacy of sports

In the news, Ted Johnson a former member of the Super Bowl winning New England Patriots has come forth with his plight of post traumatic concussion syndrome. In the year 2006 a man unknown by many now, Mike Quarry, died at the age of 55. Mike was a boxer like his older brother Jerry. In the 70’s and 80’s both brother’s had achieved international fame in their sport. By 1999, Jerry five years older than Mike died at the age of 53. Mike would spend his last years being cared for like a baby as he suffered from pugilistic dementia (a form of post traumatic concussion syndrome). The condition caused by repeated concussions. Most recently, in a sport not known for its physical contact, baseball, Mike Matheny a catcher last with the San Francisco Giants was forced to retire due to post traumatic concussion syndrome. For every forgotten star, there is a litany of unknowns suffering the same ravages from their love of sport like a Mike Matheny. Most of who will live out broken lives in darkness and pain not even an after thought to the sports they left behind. The point being many will be written off as they made their choice. Moreover, many of the superior who guided them will remember them fondly, while moving on. As their memories fade, so does accountability.

More than a voice of a champion

Harry Carson, retired former linebacker for the 1987 Super Bowl Champion New York Giants has been vocal about the neglect of his predecessors and former peers. When inducted into The NFL Hall of Fame, this man chose not revel in his accomplishments. Carson chose instead to rally the cause of his sport’s shame. Harry Carson is a great man not only for all the talk in support of others. He downplays his own personal situation. This crusader of his fellowship of football players suffers the effects of post traumatic syndrome. He like Muhammad Ali has symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Harry Carson is a rare individual who promotes the spread of accountability.

A time test truism

Athlete’s like soldiers are trained to be on the field of warfare is all that matters. To be injured is weakness and failure. If all you know is to be an athlete or soldier, what really are your choices? Present day sports survives raking in million of dollars. It is a big business. We only recognize the million dollar babies like hockey’s Eric Lindros. A star player who will be remembered more for his concussions during his playing days than his points scored. Former stars like the NFL’s Andre Waters, who recently committed suicide due to post traumatic concussion syndrome related depression will be forgotten in a fortnight. Along the way will be a filtering out of the discussions in concern to accountability.

In the aftermath of My Lai, Lieutenant Calley was the only one held accountable. General Westmoreland the architect of the Vietnam offensive went on to become the United States Army’s Chief of Staff. Nobody in the chain of command between him and Lieutenant Calley were held accountable. The head coach of the high school team went on to become a political pillar of his community. No one was held accountable for that day in 1972. William Calley, my friend John and hundreds of professional athletes live with the reminders of the days they followed orders. The common thread is being those that led them live on in absence of accountability.