In the Wake of the Duke Lacross scandal (that may not really exist), it has become apparant that to many fans and media members, atheletes are guilty until proven innocent.  According to police reports, a black stripper was raped by 3 white kids from the Duke Lacrosse team.  Ok, i'll bite.  The entire team was swabbed, (except for the only black player on the Duke team) and not a single came back with any DNA.  According to many reports, the woman was extensively tested, and every possible area was swabbed.  Because of this scandal, Duke canceled the entire season.  A talented group of kids and one of the best Lacrosse schools in the nation is forced to lose a complete season without any hard evidence linking ANYONE to the stripper.  Fans and Media were immidiately on the scene to trash these kids at the beginning of the scandal, and now many are coming out with a little egg on their faces. 

This isn't an isolated issue.  Remember Kobe Bryant?  He spent a considerable amount of his season dealing with rape allegations, of what he believed to be a consentual act.  He was crucified and subjected to hate, but was aquitted of all charges.  (He settle a civil suit out of court).  O.J. Simpson is still called a murderer and is the subject of many a joke at his expense.  Regardless of the fact that he was not found guilty of the charges. 

Daunte Culpepper was villified by fans and media alike after the Boat party incident when he was charged along with Moe Williams for Lewd conduct.  Daunte's charges have since been dropped because of credible evidence that he did not take part in the festivities. 

These atheletes are targets, and even blue collar type of players like Jerome Bettis are not immune, he too was caught up in a scandal, that was eventuallly found to be a false accusation as well. 

Steroid accusations are just as bad.  They have proven nothing on Bonds, or others, yet they are still crucified by the media and fans.  Bonds is America's most universally hated athelete.  People use circumstantial evidence such as weight gain (and weight loss after the new testing was introduced) to base accusations at players based on circumstantial (at best) evidence.

Whenever a player is charged, with anything.  They are automatically assumed to be guilty of whatever offense it is.  This is a culture that I believe needs to change.  I know people seem to need something to be angry about, but let's find some proof first. 

On a side note, anyone else find it funny sports illustrated.com decided to throw out their token black woman's opinion on the Duke Scandal?  Never seen her on SI.com, and probably never will again.