Stumbled upon this article by Elliot Hannon concerning one Lenny Dykstra and the startling allegations he makes concerning the years previous when he played professional baseball:

Lenny Dykstra Says He Hired Private Investigators to Dig Up Dirt and Extort MLB Umpires

Years ago I went through what turned out to be a sports watching phase.  I watched local sports –all sports– that I stumbled upon.  Football, hockey, basketball, and baseball.  I was very lucky because my interest in watching all sports all the time they aired coincided with the then Florida Marlins (they have since changed their name to the Miami Marlins) 2003 World Series winning season (the stats).

I’m not exaggerating when I say I saw almost every single game presented that year, missing no more than a handful (five or less) when they aired on TV (I didn’t go to any of the games).  Of course, going into that year I had no way of knowing whether the team would be good enough to make it to the playoffs, much less wind up winning the World Series, yet there I was, watching it all.

You would think that would make me a fan for life yet the opposite occurred.

After watching that magical year from start to finish, I looked back and realized just how much time I spent -wasted, really- watching these games and realized I just didn’t have the energy or time to do this again.

I still watch football games.  They’re manageable, one game a week for approximately 16 weeks and then, if my team makes it to the playoffs -and they haven’t in an awful long time- a few more weeks at most before season’s end.  I still enjoy watching basketball, though I cut back tremendously on the amount of games I watched from start to finish.  As for hockey and baseball, I essentially cut them out completely.  In stark contrast to the 2003 season, I can say with all sincerity that since that year, I have yet to see a single baseball game all the way through since.

Of course what I find interesting or not so interesting doesn’t apply to others and I don’t begrudge anyone’s enjoyment of watching their favorite teams in their favorite sports.

Which is why the statements Lenny Dykstra makes above are so abhorrent.  I understand the burning desire to win a game.  I can even understand the lengths players will go to get and “edge” and when it leads to them cheating.  This past year considerable focus was on New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady.

Let me be clear here: In time he may well be considered the best Quarterback there ever was, but the things his team -and he– was involved in should give anyone pause.

But that don’t compare to what Lenny Dykstra states he did during his playing days.  There are those who have pointed out in the comment section that Mr. Dykstra is a liar and generally an awful person (I’m only pointing out what the comments state.  Other than a familiar name, I wouldn’t know Lenny Dykstra from the Man on the Moon) and that therefore his assertions regarding investigating Umpires is likely another fabrication.

I kinda hope so.

Yet the fact that he’s willing to go out in public and state he did these things, whether they are true or not, are shocking and, in my opinion, hardly make the guy look good.

The dark side of sports exists, that’s for certain.