The Limits of Accountability

Down by one with no time left on the clock, our hopes rested on the free throw shooting of an untested sophomore. Clank…clank—neither one ever had a chance. Game over.

Afterward, he admitted missing them on purpose. While we stared at him incredulously, he explained that the defender never touched him; the ref blew the call. He couldn’t, in good conscience, make the freebies and “steal” the game from the other team.

This was a meaningless summer league game, not an official high school one, but still, I never in my life would have thought up that scenario, and I certainly would have tried to make the free throws. After all, how many times has a legitimate foul gone uncalled? In basketball, the players don’t decide what is or is not a violation-- referees do.

I remembered this bizarre moment while listening to the story of golfer J.P. Hayes, who accidentally played an illegal prototype ball for one hole in a PGA qualifying tournament. When he realized the ball was not approved by the PGA—hours after his round ended—he admitted his mistake to an official, both disqualifying himself and ending his hopes of earning his PGA tour card.

The question I now ask: what would you do in that situation?

Golf is admittedly a different animal than, say, basketball or football. Officials don’t watch every stroke, waiting to blow their whistles at violations. The integrity of the game resides solely on the integrity of the players. In sports with referees, however, the circumstances are completely different. The refs must spot and call infractions; it is perfectly acceptable for players to toe the line without crossing it, or even cross the line without getting caught.

On ESPN radio, Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg discussed this story. Golic said that while this is acceptable for the sport of golf, football players should not be expected to self-officiate themselves. A listener sent an e-mail vehemently disagreeing with him. If a wide receiver knowingly traps a ball, but the refs rule it a catch, it is unethical for the receiver to go along with the call.

But how far should this be taken? Each time an offensive lineman holds a defensive end, should he tell the official to throw a flag? Every time a defensive player hacks a point guard driving to the hoop, should he stop play and make sure free throws are awarded? That would be utterly ridiculous, would make referees completely irrelevant and slow the pace of the games immensely.

I am all for integrity (and against moral relativism), but getting away with a hold or a foul is not unethical—it’s part of the game.

Perhaps that e-mailer was the same guy who purposefully missed those free throws.

In both instances, though I respect the quest for truth and honesty, I am going to have to politely insist these people are 100 percent mistaken.

Editorial