565. B. Ph LAB 25 – 1 Apologies.

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25 – 1    Apologies.

In the past years tearful heartfelt apologies have become as much a part of sports as free agency and big money contracts. With a 24/7 media cycle, athletes live their lives under a microscope, and when they screw up, we expect explanations and apologies.

The misdeeds run the gamut - performance enhancing drugs, non-performance enhancing drugs, marital infidelities, guns, and offensive speech are the most common causes for mea culpas. As varied as the offenses are, the apologies we receive span even a greater scale. Some apologists seem truly contrite and we believe them at their word. Others seem robotic and forced. Some read a prepared statement, others speak their mind. Some are tearful, others indignant, but all are memorable.

3. Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is the most famous athlete in the world and as recently as Thanksgiving, we knew almost nothing about his private life. That all changed following his now-infamous car accident near his own driveway. We soon learned that the crash was likely connected to the extramarital affairs Tiger was having. As more and more information about his multiple infidelities came to light, we learned that perhaps it was better when we knew nothing.

Woods issued a quick statement and then disappeared for three months, taking a break from golf and apparently entering some sort of rehab. Tiger re-emerged just last Friday as he made his first public appearance with a statement.

His public apology statement was made in front a group of handpicked wire services reporters with no time allowed for questions. Woods read a prepared statement for 13 1/2 minutes that received a wide range of reviews. Some called it heartfelt and thought it was time to move on, but many found Tiger’s comments rehearsed, and a common complaint was that it seemed that he was sorry for tarnishing his image rather than for his actual misdeeds.

6. Steve Bartman

Playing at home is such a distinct advantage in every sport. There’s something about that home crowd that inspires teams to play at their best. That is, unless you have fans like Steve Bartman.

After the game Bartman apologized:

"I am so truly sorry from the bottom of this Cubs fan's broken heart. I ask that Cub fans everywhere redirect the negative energy that has been vented towards my family, my friends, and myself into the usual positive support for our beloved team on their way to being National League champs."

But the Cubs lost Game 7, cementing Bartman’s legacy as another goat in their franchise’s tortured history.

7. Gilbert Arenas

Gilbert Arenas’ gun charge has been one of the hot topics of the NBA this season. The trouble started during a gambling argument on a team flight in which Wizards teammate Javaris Crittenton said he would shoot Arenas in his knee. Arenas then, as a joke, put guns near Crittenton’s locker and told him to pick one. Unfortunately for Arenas, Crittenton didn’t find the joke too funny and the back-and-forth threats that ensued likely led to the issue becoming public.

 “Joke or not, I now recognize that what I did was a mistake and was wrong. I should not have brought the guns to DC in the first place, and I now realize that there's no such thing as joking around when it comes to guns -- even if unloaded.

 “I am very sorry for the effect that my serious lapse in judgment has had on my team, my teammates, the National Basketball Association and its fans. I want to apologize to everybody for letting them down with my conduct, and I promise to do better in the future."

8. Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson has made a lot of mistakes in his life. The one many people remember is when he bit part of Evander Holyfield’s ear off. On June 28, 1997, Tyson took a bite out of Holyfield’s right ear and spat it out on the canvas. The fight actually continued until he bit Holyfield again and was then disqualified.

“I just snapped and reacted and did what many athletes have done and paid the price for it. I apologize to the world, to my family, and to the Nevada state athletic commission … I apologize to MGM, to Showtime, to Don King my promoter, to my team, to this wonderful city of Las Vegas that has hosted so many fabulous boxing events. … I only ask that it’s not a penalty for life. Evander, I’m sorry. You’re a champion. I respect that. I’m only saddened that the fight didn’t go on further that for that the boxing fans of the world might have seen for themselves who would come out on top. When you butted me in the first round, accidentally or not, I snapped to reaction and the rest is history.”

Wait, so does this count as an apology? He specifically apologized to just about everyone but Holyfield. Does “I’m sorry” followed by basically claiming he would’ve won had the fight continued add up to an adequate apology for biting part of someone's ear off?

The two even appeared together on Oprah in 2009 where, again, Tyson didn’t apologize. He praised Holyfield, who said he forgave Tyson, but Tyson never issued a real apology. It seems like another instance where he’s just sorry he got caught.

9. Marion Jones

It’s always hard to know how earnest an apology is when it doesn’t come until it’s proven beyond a shadow of doubt that you were in the wrong. That was the backdrop of the Marion Jones apology for her use of performance enhancing drugs. Jones was dogged by doping suspicions throughout her career. She worked with multiple trainers and coaches who had drug ties including Victor Conte of BALCO fame. Eventually her accomplishments at the 2000 Sydney Olympics came under question. Evidence mounted and Jones still maintained her innocence, but she could only hang on for so long.

Eventually, on Oct. 5, 2007, Jones admitted to lying about her use of steroids, including during the Sydney Olympics, and to making false statements in both the BALCO case and a check-fraud case. Following her guilty plea Jones made her tearful apology to the public:

"It is with a great amount of shame that I stand before you and tell you that I have betrayed your trust …

"I want you to know that I have been dishonest. And you have the right to be angry with me.”

Jones went on to announce her retirement from track and field, but maintained that she never knowingly used any illegal performance enhancers. Having admitted to use, knowingly or not, Jones was stripped of all five of her Olympic medals and went on to serve six months in prison.

10. Tim Tebow

This apology is a little different from any of the others on this list. Tim Tebow didn't do anything wrong that required an apology, he simply lost a game. Tebow makes this list for the emotional apology he gave after the Florida lost to Ole Miss in 2008. “The Pledge,” as it’s referred to, quickly gained National attention and earned an immortal spot in college football history.

“To the fans and everybody of Gator Nation, I’m sorry. Extremely sorry. We wanted an undefeated season. That was my goal, something Florida has never done here. I promise you one thing, a lot of good will come out of this.

 “You will never see any player in the entire country play as hard as I will play the rest of the season. You will never see another player push his team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of the season. You will never see a team play harder than we will the rest of the season. God bless.”

As everyone knows, Tebow led the Gators go unbeaten the rest of the season and eventually won the national championship. Just to add to Tebow’s god-like popularity in Florida, he didn’t lose another game until the 2009 SEC championship, finishing his career with a 23-1 record after making the promise.

To make sure that the world never forgets Tebow’s words, a plaque was affixed to the football building on the Florida Campus this past season with text of the famous speech. Ensuring that, although Tebow may not be immortal like some people believe; his promise to Gator nation will never die.

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25 - Apologies.

In the past years tearful heartfelt apologies have become as much a part of sports as free agency and big money contracts. With a 24/7 media cycle, athletes live their lives under a microscope, and when they screw up, we expect explanations and apologies.

The misdeeds run the gamut - performance enhancing drugs, non-performance enhancing drugs, marital infidelities, guns, and offensive speech are the most common causes for mea culpas. As varied as the offenses are, the apologies we receive span even a greater scale. Some apologists seem truly contrite and we believe them at their word. Others seem robotic and forced. Some read a prepared statement, others speak their mind. Some are tearful, others indignant, but all are memorable.

When Tiger Woods held his apology monologue on Friday, it was the biggest news of the day. Never mind the Olympics, basketball, or actual golf that was taking place. The most recognizable athlete on the planet was making his long-awaited apology. In our minds there was no way Tiger Woods could come back to golf without a public apology, it’s the way of the world. As is often said in these apologies, everyone makes mistakes and everyone deserves a second chance. Some of them actually make us believe they deserve them, while others fail. Both make for a good press conference and these are the Top Ten Most Memorable Sports Apologies.

3. Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is the most famous athlete in the world and as recently as Thanksgiving, we knew almost nothing about his private life. That all changed following his now-infamous car accident near his own driveway. We soon learned that the crash was likely connected to the extramarital affairs Tiger was having. As more and more information about his multiple infidelities came to light, we learned that perhaps it was better when we knew nothing.

Woods issued a quick statement and then disappeared for three months, taking a break from golf and apparently entering some sort of rehab. Tiger re-emerged just last Friday as he made his first public appearance with a statement.

His public apology statement was made in front a group of handpicked wire services reporters with no time allowed for questions. Woods read a prepared statement for 13 1/2 minutes that received a wide range of reviews. Some called it heartfelt and thought it was time to move on, but many found Tiger’s comments rehearsed, and a common complaint was that it seemed that he was sorry for tarnishing his image rather than for his actual misdeeds.

The final public opinion on Tiger won’t be known for some time. He is still in rehab and doesn’t have a set return date for golf. He likely will never reach the same level of global popularity that he enjoyed prior to his public undoing, but he may win some new fans -- and win back some old ones -- if he can show that he is committed to a new way of life.

6. Steve Bartman

Playing at home is such a distinct advantage in every sport. There’s something about that home crowd that inspires teams to play at their best. That is, unless you have fans like Steve Bartman.

Game 6 of the of the 2003 NLCS was at Wrigley Field, where the Chicago Cubs led 3-0 in the eighth inning with one out - and a win would send them to the World Series. That’s when the Florida Marlins’ Luis Castillo hit a foul ball down the left field line. Bartman reached to catch the ball that Moises Alou had positioned himself under. The ball was deflected and landed in the stands. Castillo’s at-bat was extended and when the inning finally ended, the Marlins led 8-3.

After the game Bartman apologized:

"I am so truly sorry from the bottom of this Cubs fan's broken heart. I ask that Cub fans everywhere redirect the negative energy that has been vented towards my family, my friends, and myself into the usual positive support for our beloved team on their way to being National League champs."

But the Cubs lost Game 7, cementing Bartman’s legacy as another goat in their franchise’s tortured history.

7. Gilbert Arenas

Gilbert Arenas’ gun charge has been one of the hot topics of the NBA this season. The trouble started during a gambling argument on a team flight in which Wizards teammate Javaris Crittenton said he would shoot Arenas in his knee. Arenas then, as a joke, put guns near Crittenton’s locker and told him to pick one. Unfortunately for Arenas, Crittenton didn’t find the joke too funny and the back-and-forth threats that ensued likely led to the issue becoming public.

After heavy criticism from the press, Arenas admitted he'd been storing his gun collection in his locker at the Verizon Center. He said the guns were in his locker because he didn’t want to keep them at his house around his young children. Arenas might have thought the whole issue was no big deal at first, but strict Washington D.C. gun laws turned it into quite the serious offense. Here’s an excerpt of Arenas’ apology after he realized how big of a mistake he had made:

“Joke or not, I now recognize that what I did was a mistake and was wrong. I should not have brought the guns to DC in the first place, and I now realize that there's no such thing as joking around when it comes to guns -- even if unloaded.

 “I am very sorry for the effect that my serious lapse in judgment has had on my team, my teammates, the National Basketball Association and its fans. I want to apologize to everybody for letting them down with my conduct, and I promise to do better in the future."

The whole incident seems even more ironic considering the Wizards' history. The team was originally named the Bullets, but late owner Abe Pollin had the name changed in 1995 because of the escalating violent crime rate in the D.C. area.

In the end, Arenas plead guilty to a felony charge of carrying a pistol without a license. He was later suspended for the rest of the 2009-10 season by NBA commissioner David Stern. In what was perhaps a final effort to prove he’s not such a bad guy, Arenas wrote an Op-Ed piece for the Washington Post detailing how he is learning to be a better role model.

8. Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson has made a lot of mistakes in his life. The one many people remember is when he bit part of Evander Holyfield’s ear off. On June 28, 1997, Tyson took a bite out of Holyfield’s right ear and spat it out on the canvas. The fight actually continued until he bit Holyfield again and was then disqualified.

“I just snapped and reacted and did what many athletes have done and paid the price for it. I apologize to the world, to my family, and to the Nevada state athletic commission … I apologize to MGM, to Showtime, to Don King my promoter, to my team, to this wonderful city of Las Vegas that has hosted so many fabulous boxing events. … I only ask that it’s not a penalty for life. Evander, I’m sorry. You’re a champion. I respect that. I’m only saddened that the fight didn’t go on further that for that the boxing fans of the world might have seen for themselves who would come out on top. When you butted me in the first round, accidentally or not, I snapped to reaction and the rest is history.”

Wait, so does this count as an apology? He specifically apologized to just about everyone but Holyfield. Does “I’m sorry” followed by basically claiming he would’ve won had the fight continued add up to an adequate apology for biting part of someone's ear off?

The two even appeared together on Oprah in 2009 where, again, Tyson didn’t apologize. He praised Holyfield, who said he forgave Tyson, but Tyson never issued a real apology. It seems like another instance where he’s just sorry he got caught.

9. Marion Jones

It’s always hard to know how earnest an apology is when it doesn’t come until it’s proven beyond a shadow of doubt that you were in the wrong. That was the backdrop of the Marion Jones apology for her use of performance enhancing drugs. Jones was dogged by doping suspicions throughout her career. She worked with multiple trainers and coaches who had drug ties including Victor Conte of BALCO fame. Eventually her accomplishments at the 2000 Sydney Olympics came under question. Evidence mounted and Jones still maintained her innocence, but she could only hang on for so long.

Eventually, on Oct. 5, 2007, Jones admitted to lying about her use of steroids, including during the Sydney Olympics, and to making false statements in both the BALCO case and a check-fraud case. Following her guilty plea Jones made her tearful apology to the public:

"It is with a great amount of shame that I stand before you and tell you that I have betrayed your trust …

"I want you to know that I have been dishonest. And you have the right to be angry with me.”

Jones went on to announce her retirement from track and field, but maintained that she never knowingly used any illegal performance enhancers. Having admitted to use, knowingly or not, Jones was stripped of all five of her Olympic medals and went on to serve six months in prison.

10. Tim Tebow

This apology is a little different from any of the others on this list. Tim Tebow didn't do anything wrong that required an apology, he simply lost a game. Tebow makes this list for the emotional apology he gave after the Florida lost to Ole Miss in 2008. “The Pledge,” as it’s referred to, quickly gained National attention and earned an immortal spot in college football history.

“To the fans and everybody of Gator Nation, I’m sorry. Extremely sorry. We wanted an undefeated season. That was my goal, something Florida has never done here. I promise you one thing, a lot of good will come out of this.

 “You will never see any player in the entire country play as hard as I will play the rest of the season. You will never see another player push his team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of the season. You will never see a team play harder than we will the rest of the season. God bless.”

As everyone knows, Tebow led the Gators go unbeaten the rest of the season and eventually won the national championship. Just to add to Tebow’s god-like popularity in Florida, he didn’t lose another game until the 2009 SEC championship, finishing his career with a 23-1 record after making the promise.

To make sure that the world never forgets Tebow’s words, a plaque was affixed to the football building on the Florida Campus this past season with text of the famous speech. Ensuring that, although Tebow may not be immortal like some people believe; his promise to Gator nation will never die.