Our sports mafia

The desire to win at any cost exists the world over

Inasmuch as I'm neither a drug dealer, gun runner, white slaver nor Olympic figure skating judge, I've had little contact with the Russian mafia ... except for one evening a few years ago at a fine restaurant in St. Petersburg. My wife and I and another couple were ushered to a table, and our cocktails had just been put before before us, when, suddenly, the maitre d', previously the most obsequious of men, scurried back over and desperately pleaded with us to move -- now, pronto, immediately.

I could see that the poor man was nearly hysterical with fear, and since all he wanted was for us to go to the very next -- almost identical -- table, we were happy to comply. The panic subsided from the maitre d's face, but moments later we saw the reason for his terror, when, who should show up but two big-time Russian hoods and their brassy molls. This was their table, and, by god, they expected it.

They plunked themselves down, lit up big cigars, ordered the most expensive champagne and reveled in their glory. They had the best table in the house, and it mattered plenty. You bet it did.

I remembered this the other day when the international gendarmes fingered a Russian crook for allegedly trying to fix two skating events at the Salt Lake City Games. Everybody chuckled at the patent nonsense of some thug fixing figure skating -- figure skating! -- when there was no payoff, nothing in it for him. What a bunch of Bolshevik hayseeds.

But, no. Just as there are people the world over who believe it is very important for them to have the right table, so are there are sports fans who care a great deal about their team winning. Often, as a matter of fact, these are the same people. Apparently, it meant so very much to that Russian hood for his country to win a gold medal.

You see, before we laugh up our sleeves at the Russians, we ought to think about how many of our own sophisticated country-club Americans do exactly the same thing. These are men who often have almost everything in life -- including the best tables at restaurants -- but, in order to help their college win football or basketball games, they willingly lie, break rules. They pay players under the table, contribute to slush funds -- all for no gain for personal gain, just for the joy in seeing old State U. win. Our booster mafia is larger and every bit as egregiously dishonorable as the Russian mafia. An Olympic gold or a bowl game -- it's all really very much the same.

It's not just the alumni boosters, either. There are the college presidents who hire tainted coaches, knowing they will recruit bums. There are admissions officers who let in athletes who don't qualify. Then, there are professors who give passing grades to these athletes, just to keep them eligible. And nobody does this for any real personal gain. It's just to share in the joy of our side winning.

But make no mistake: It's all a fix. It's breaking the rules to win.

Human nature is really very much the same when it comes to athletics in this world. Don't put down the Russian gangster just because he wants to win so much that he'll cheat and finagle to do it. Look who's sitting at the same good table with him. Often as not, it's our own American guys, from your alma mater.

Sports Illustrated senior contributing writer Frank Deford is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com and appears each Wednesday on National Public Radio's Morning Edition. His new novel, The Other Adonis (Sourcebooks Landmark), is available now at bookstores everywhere.

 

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