After the whole Tim Donaghy scandal, it would be smart if athletes decided to stop gambling, at least for a while.  Since the Donaghy story broke, we have heard about Charles Barkley and Adam Jones (formerly known as Pacman) getting sued by Las Vegas casinos for not paying their gambling bills.  This week we now hear that Alonzo Mourning is also charged with having an unpaid bill at a Vegas casino.

Barkley has been quoted saying that he [Charles] has a gambling problem, but he has the money to afford it…another great Barkley quote. Zo apparently owes $50,000 to the same casino that Barkley owed his money.  However, reports say that Zo’s debt was not from casino gambling but from reserving a dining room for his charity during last year’s all-star break.

Although Zo might not been in Vegas gambling away his money, why do he and other athletes not pay their bills?  It only costs them more money and hassle in the long run by running away from debt. This gives the athletes a bad image in the media and can hurt their careers.

If they want to keep their gambling habits out of the media and not under the microscope, athletes should pay their checks and avoid going to court.  These athletes are not bums like Tim Donaghy who have much less money and make deals with the Mafia.  They could easily pay their bills and should do so before they leave Vegas.  As the amended saying goes, what happens in Las Vegas should stay in Las Vegas.