by Reynold Conger

Created on: March 19, 2010

At age 66, I am still an athlete.  I run marathons.  I run in the middle of the pack and have never been a professional in any sport, but I am an athlete just as Ron Washington is.  In season, off season and even in my everyday activities, I strive to avoid anything that could degrade my athletic performance.

As a professional athlete, Ron should be more concerned about his self discipline than I am because professional athletes are in the public eye.  Not only does he have to be concerned about his performance on the ball field, but he has a public image to uphold.  There are hundreds, if not thousands, of young people looking to him as a role model.  How many young boys and girls pound their glove and say, "Some day I want to be as good as Ron Washington."

From an athletic perspective, he should have avoided recreational drugs.  Had he become addicted, it certainly would have degraded his performance eventually.   Even a single use could possibly have had an effect on his body, and there is the risk he would not have stopped at a single use.  Think back to the training rules imposed on us by high school coaches.  Athletes were expected to abide by the training rules for their own good and expected to apply the discipline of training rules to their future lives.  One cigarette in high school may not have had any permanent effect on me, but the coach would have thrown me off of the swimming team with good reason.

Baseball is a team sport.  Ron, his coach and the management of the Rangers should be taking Ron's drug use seriously because Ron's actions influence his team mates.   Had the drug use degraded his performance on the practice field or the playing field, it would have hurt the team directly.  Indirectly his drug use undermines team discipline.  Other team members, especially the younger ones, are likely to get a little sloppy about their behavior.

It is to Ron's credit that he admitted his drug use.  It is to Ron's credit that he is cooperating with the team and the league.  I do not think he should be drummed out of baseball in disgrace, but the major leagues and the Rangers as a team need to take this seriously.  Some appropriate consequence needs to be dispensed, and the consequence needs to be made public.

I hope Ron has a long and successful career.  I hope he becomes known as the player who made a great comeback following the consequences of his mistake.  At the very least, I hope he becomes an example of how a professional athlete should NOT behave.

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