The following is a true story.  I work in the education profession.  Since the start of my employment, I have received glowing reviews from multiple supervisors.  You might say I am a perennial Probowler.  About a year ago, may Dad called me asking if the date he had set for his wedding would work for me.  You see, we live about a 20 hour drive apart.  Since it was a full week prior to the latest date our school term had ever started, I told him that date would work for me.  So, our family made plans to take a nice summer vacation trip cross-country.  We would site see along the way, go to my dad’s wedding, and be back with plenty of time to spare.  Tickets to concerts, motel reservations, etc were made.  I am sure you can guess what happened next.  When the schedule came out, the term was to start the Monday after my dad’s wedding on Saturday.  I still was not worried.  I have plenty of personal days, because I rarely use them.  I am sure the administration will allow me, a veteran of many years, to miss the beginning of the term staff meeting.  Boy was I wrong!!!  I was told that my contract stated personal days could not be taken within the first five days of the term.  I explained in detail the situation.  Their answer was simple.  “You signed the contract.  We are unwilling to go outside the terms of the contract.”  So, my choices are to spend all day at a wedding, leave immediately afterward (no reception), and drive 24 hrs straight with my wife and two small boys, so I can make it to a meeting I have sat through many times before.  God forbid I fall asleep at the wheel and kill someone.  Or, I can quite my job, putting my future and that of my family in jeopardy.  That is the real world Mr. Peters.  I have told you my sad story.  I will be reporting to camp on time.  What is your sad story Mr. Peters?

I am not intending to make an exact, direct comparison of the two professions. I am not looking for sympathy.  I am trying to make a point about how we treat athletes and how athletes expect to be treated vs how it works for 90% of us.   One thing is irrefutable.  We both signed contracts.  I will honor mine. Peters is not.  All the arguments about why Peters should not have to are excuses we use as fans so we can keep cheering for our favorite players and team.  If Peters was an alcoholic, those fans would be called enablers.