sportsjabber.net

The proliferation of the media has drastically changed what the public digests when it comes to sports news and information. Gone are the days of covering for the big stars, like womanizer Babe Ruth, in an effort to preserve their spotless images and ensure their play on the field remains the story. In some ways, the sports media has become the enemy of athletes due to its lust for controversy. Mundane write-ups featuring brief locker-room interviews and accompanying box scores don’t sell subscriptions. On the other hand, it still serves as a check and balance, highlighting issues that affect fairness and the well-being of athletes on and off the field. The following 10 sports controversies were covered ad nauseum by the media, for better or for worse, in 2010.

1. The Decision: The unprecedented ESPN special, “The Decision,” masterminded by LeBron’s longtime friend Maverick Carter, proved to be both a PR disaster and ratings hit. Sports fans were stunned by LeBron’s announcement that he was taking his “talents” to South Beach to form a super-team with friends and fellow highly-coveted free agents Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Just in the matter of a few minutes, LeBron James went from perhaps the most liked athlete in NBA to the most resented, becoming a pariah in his second hometown of Cleveland where he previously was thought to be the savior. His decision regarding where he’d sign during free agency, which had been anticipated for years as teams were clearing payroll and planning elaborate ways to court him, revealed his massive ego before the American public.

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