More Stupidity from the Washington Wizards

Oh, to be young, a multimillionaire, have your bags carried by someone else, fly charters, stay in five-star hotels and be responsible for absolutely nothing.

Don't the four Wizards implicated in the linked article realize how good they have it?

Apparently not.

They made a bad situation worse, embarrassed their organization (not that they seem to care at all) and humiliated their teammates that seem to have some sense of responsibility.

Playing in the NBA is both a right and a privilege, but it's much more of a privilege. Sure, you can make all of the constitutional arguments you want that anyone has the right to do anything, but to play in a supposedly elite league, with the compensation and accommodations these players get, is a privilege. Most young kids would do almost anything to achieve this status, and there are many players around the world who would love to play in the NBA. But some guys will never get it -- either ever or until it's way too late.

I forget who wrote "youth is wasted on the young," but whoever said it might have had situations like this in mind.

Sheesh.

Increasingly it seems like Commissioner David Stern is running a preschool for overprivileged, irresposnsible and ungrateful young men. And when the ratings and attendance continue to fall, the league will only have to blame its lack of discipline and ingratitude for the privilege it currently has to demand so much of people's wallets. The trademark is at its weakest, and marginal dollars to spend on second-rate sporting events are becoming even more scarce.

But it doesn't seem like the league gets it until a big crash occurs.