Galaus – social grabber and bookmarking

By now, we should all be familiar chapter and verse with the textbook procedure for dealing with the high-profile sporting downfall: Tiger Woods and his reputation fell to earth like a giant, 9-iron swinging Sputnik. Michael Vick, once in handcuffs, ceased to be a person to the Madison Avenue executives who once hitched their stars to him. What we know is now boilerplate: At the first sign of trouble the suits in front offices across America will generally run for cover.

Yet, in a noticeable departure, the Texas Rangers did not dispose of a toxic, embarrassing situation by firing manager Ron Washington when he tested positive for cocaine last summer. The organization could have engineered the usual cut-and-run techniques perfected by teams and sponsors alike whose first and last impulse is to disinfect the brand by discarding the person.

Nobody, at least in the wide world of public opinion, would have even faulted the Rangers for jettisoning Washington, because cocaine — compared with its generally tolerated cousins alcohol and marijuana — is a hard-core drug and an unforgivable offense.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/commentary/news/story?id=5009668