The art of discipline

Too big to spank, too rich to fine and in many cases to valuable to bench. What's a coach to do?

Marvin Lewis has promised to get tough with misbehaving players next year. Judging from the reader comments we have gotten during the past, arrest-studded season, that will be a popular move with the fans. But what does Lewis mean exactly?

He acknowledges that fines don't seem to make much of an impression on million-dollar athletes. On-the-field antics that violate rules and draw the league's ire bring fines of a few thousand dollars, that are more than offset by the publicity generated for the hotdog. And face it, high-paid athletes are big investments that business often can't afford not to use.

Pro athletes know that a DUI can jeopardize a career, college basketball players know they have to stay academically eligible to play -- yet every season, in every sport, at every level, we see players who step over the lines anyway.

This isn’t just a problem in the pro and college ranks. High school teams have players who break the training and eligibility rules. Players in recreation leagues and even third-grade soccer tyros have been known to flaunt the rules.

Marvin promises discipline, but what discipline really works? We're going to explore the options on this question in this coming Sunday's Forum. Are you a coach, a parent, an athlete or a fan with an opinion? Do you have ideas about what works and what doesn't? Join the conversation by sharing your thoughts on this blog, or by sending us an e-mail to letters@enquirer.com. Write "discipline" in the subject line and include you name, neighborhood and daytime telephone.