May 8, 2007

During my latest appearance on the "Mike And Mike" radio show, I recently spoke about alcohol being prevalent in locker rooms for pro sports teams.

This has really bothered me for years. I could never understand how, in a job situation, liquor has to be provided after a game. After all, how many of you reading this have alcohol available at your work place? Are you kidding me? I could never buy that … why can't a player just wait until he gets home?

I'm not talking about the sad ending of Josh Hancock's life. In many cases, you promote alcoholism with a lot of these kids getting to the major leagues. They jump into that locker room and it starts with one beer, then two, then four, then going out to the bar after that. I don't see anything good in having beer available after a game.

I am not naive. I know guys are of the legal age to drink, but having it in the clubhouse leads to temptation. Whenever I do public speaking, I talk about a key in life being about making good decisions or bad decisions. When you make a good decision, life is a lot easier. When you make a bad decision, you pay the consequences that come with the negative impact of your action.

When you put liquor in the locker room, you are setting a bad precedent. I don't see what you gain by having it there. Why can't that wait? I can't understand why the players' union would support that, it is absurd and ludicrous and you're just asking for trouble.

Most people know how to drink responsibly, but there are those who simply don't. I read one time that Mickey Mantle was shocked that beer was in the Yankees clubhouse and that started him on the terrible roll that eventually took his life so prematurely.

I just think it has affected a lot of people. After you have a great game, you want to celebrate and grab a beer. If you have a bad game, you are ticked off and grab a beer.

I will never forget the first time I coached on the NBA level. I had some kids in the locker room, going to meet some of the players. I saw all of the beer available and it blew my mind. I never had to deal with that issue when I coached in college.

I simply think it should not be there. If the idea of banning alcohol in the locker room saves just one life, that's important enough.

Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in December 1979. Send him a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.