The controversy surrounding Shaquille O’Neal, his wife Shaunie, Gilbert Arenas, and his former fiancée Laura Govan, is salacious and entertaining to most outside parties that read it, but infidelity in sports isn’t unique to the O’Neal-Arenas debacle. It begs the question: can a professional athlete sustain a faithful and happy marriage?
Is it unrealistic to believe that twenty and thirtysomething-year-old, physically fit, multimillionaires — who spend 60 percent of the calendar year in hotels traveling all over the country — will be faithful to their wives?
Now, everyone will be quick to run to the moral high ground and scream that infidelity is a choice, not some irreversible condition that cannot be helped. But, the choices that people find themselves making are often exacerbated by circumstances, and — let’s face it — being a professional athlete, (for the aforementioned reasons — and more), isn’t exactly conducive to nurturing a successful marriage.
NBA legends Julius “Dr. J.” Erving, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Karl Malone have all been confirmed as having extramarital affairs. MLB pitcher Roger Clemens has been reported as having an affair with a country singer for almost six years; recently, a young woman with whom he was having an affair, tragically murdered NFL quarterback Steve McNair.
In this particularly messy web involving O’Neal and Arenas, the fact that the allegedly infidelity involves two NBA stars is intriguing and undoubtedly has tongues wagging, but there is no reason to view anyone as a victim or as an innocent.
O’Neal’s wife, who is filing for divorce from the Hall of Fame-bound center, has had her own faithfulness called into question. Shaq himself had previously filed for divorce two years ago after what was rumored to have been Shaunie O’Neal’s infidelity.
Maybe, as disheartening as it may be to some, maybe it’s time to acknowledge that pro athletes shouldn’t get married until after their playing days are over. That won’t guarantee anything, but it’s safe to bet that at least a few more marriages would be salvaged, sparing husbands, wives and children the embarrassment of having Mommy and Daddy’s naughty secrets posted on blogs and message boards throughout the World Wide Web. –todd williams
