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What is the Worst Sports Scandal of All Time?

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The NHL agent/owners wage collusion scandal

MLB steroid scandal

Ben Johnson

Fucking 72 Olympics BB gold medal game.

East German steroid/doping athletes for decades

The Spanish paralympics team that were all completely healthy!

Salt Lake City Olympic bribery

Both F1 & Euro soccer have had some major scandals also
 
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A lot of the above-mention incidents are just that...incidents. Big difference between and incident and a scandal.

The Carruth murder is an incident. The 1972 Olympics killings were an incident. The Kerrigan assault was an incident. The Minnesota attack on Ohio State basketball players was an incident. Etc, etc.

A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages, or tries to damage, the reputation of an institution or individual(s), and usually entails some sort of cover-up or attempt to prevent discovery. It also usually entails something sustained or happening over a period of time and not a one-time occurance (the point-shaving scandals are good examples).

The current PSU situation dwarfs any of the aforementioned scandals. Point-shaving, pretending to be handicapped when you're not, doping, steroids, wage collusion, etc., are not in the same solar system as what happened over a period of years at Penn State.
 
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Some that come to mind:

1. MLB Steroid era, Balco labs investigation (already mentioned by a few)

2. Northwestern Basketball point shaving scandal

3. IU basketball scandal - Firing Bobby Knight (and the madness that followed, students rioting, throwing things at Myles Brand's home)

4. NBA officials point shaving scandal - mainly Tim Donaghy


But I think that this Penn State scandal is worse obviously.
 
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'Scandalous' isn't the right word, but this week has been the most surreal unfolding of a now public criminal investigation since the OJ Simpson police chase, at least in my lifetime. I'm not trying to make comparisons as to the severity of the crimes, but rather noting my feeling of disbelief watching it play out in front of a nationwide audience.

The Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta probably goes in there too. I can't even begin to imagine what it would have been like if any of these other events had played out in front of us in an era with smartphones, Twitter, and police scanner radio Web sites.
 
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On the one hand, there are sports scandals - point shaving, game fixing, performance enhancing drugs, pay-for-play, and other forms of cheating. On the other hand, there are scandals involving sports figures - assaults, murders, child rapes, and other crimes.

In terms of strictly sports scandals, the MLB steroid scandal, the Black Sox fixing scandal, and the SMU pay-for-play scandal are at the top of the list.

In terms of scandals involving sports figures, the Penn State scandal is at the top.

I'm not sure that the attacks on the 1972 Israeli Olympic team count as a scandal, but obviously it was a very tragic event.
 
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Boilers Fan;2032747; said:
Some that come to mind:

1. MLB Steroid era, Balco labs investigation (already mentioned by a few)

2. Northwestern Basketball point shaving scandal

3. IU basketball scandal - Firing Bobby Knight (and the madness that followed, students rioting, throwing things at Myles Brand's home)

4. NBA officials point shaving scandal - mainly Tim Donaghy


But I think that this Penn State scandal is worse obviously.
Click to expand...

The steroid era isn't even a scandal at all in my mind for reasons I have elaborated in the thread about it, much less number one.
 
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LordJeffBuck;2032777; said:
On the one hand, there are sports scandals - point shaving, game fixing, performance enhancing drugs, pay-for-play, and other forms of cheating. On the other hand, there are scandals involving sports figures - assaults, murders, child rapes, and other crimes.
Click to expand...

Good point.

In terms of strictly sports scandals, the MLB steroid scandal, the Black Sox fixing scandal, and the SMU pay-for-play scandal are at the top of the list.
Click to expand...

One of those things is not like the others.
 
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I agree that scandal and tragedy are separate......for me, the 8 Chicago White Sox who fixed the World Series, aka Black Sox, was #1. The arrogance of the SMU alums who continued on after getting caught with their hands in the cookie jar, aka Death Penalty, and I'll add a third. The University of Miami blatant 'pay for play' or the 'party for play' enticements (to be continued), will be #3.

Plenty of tragedies, with the Marshal football team plane crash, Penn St pedophile, Woody smacking the kid from Clemson, Charlie Baughman, death of Steve PRefontaine, and could go on.....seems that the more involved, the bigger the tragedy....

:gobucks3::gobucks4::banger:
 
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alexhortdog95;2032708; said:
Munich wasn't a scandal - it was a tragedy.

Scandals require cover-ups. In this instance, I think that this would be my order:

1. Baylor Basketball Murder Cover-up.
2. Rae Carrouth Kills his pregnant Baby's mama.
3. Penn State Sexual Assault Cover-up.
4. BALCO Labs sting.
5. SMU Death Penalty.
Click to expand...

His baby was pregnant?
 
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I know this is an incident, but I wanted to mention it.


Columbian soccer star Andres Escobar is murdered after scoring an Own Goal vs the US in the 94 World Cup, essentially eliminating the heavily favored Columbians from contention.
 
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For scandals that doesn't have an impact on sports, the Penn St. scandal is near the top for me.

SMU is probably at the top for scandals that impacted the playing field/court. Also nobody mentioned the point shaving scandal in the 90s by Arizona State which was huge. Miami (FL) football could also make their way on the list if everything is proven true with their scandal.
 
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Lots of good posts about semantics here. To me, this is how it breaks down.


Cheating Scandals: Breaking the rules for a competitive advantage
  • SMU
Officiating Scandals: Self Explanatory
  • 1976 (I think) Olympics Basketball vs USSR
Sports Corruption Scandals: Any corruption that brings a non-game-related incentive into play
  • Black Sox
  • Pete Rose
  • Point Shaving of all kinds
Athlete Misbehavior: On field misbehavior, usually emotionally motivated, usually violent
  • So many to choose from
Fan Misbehavior: In-Stadium Misbehavior, usually emotionally motivated or alcohol-related or both, usually violent
  • Assault of tOSU basketball team at Minnesota, though this did involve Minnesota players as well
  • Any Home Game at Camp Randall
Crimes by Athletes or Sports Figures
  • Tonya Harding gets a special award in this category as her crime was also a form of cheating
  • OJ
  • Jerry Sandusky - IMHO, worse than OJ. Seriously
Crimes against athletes (doesn't really belong in this list)
  • 1972 Munich
 
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Wasn't there an academic fraud scandal with the Army Academy?

By the way, I don't consider the current Penn State stuff a "sports scandal". Nor the attacks on the Israelis. Or the Baylor thing. Unless that was caused by a sporting issue. "You took my spot on the starting roster!" Wait - wasn't there a case a few years ago where one football player stabbed another to try to get his spot on the roster? I want to say they were kickers, and the 2nd teamer stabbed the starter.
 
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