Oh, Baby! Welcome to the Mother of All Sports Controversies
— -- Oh, baby!
Seattle Seahawks star Richard Sherman hasn't said whether he'll miss the Super Bowl this weekend if his pregnant girlfriend goes into labor - a difficult decision many pro-athletes and expectant dads have faced in their careers.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Sherman said, according to ESPN.com. "We're not thinking about the possibility."
Art Caplan, a medical ethicist and a co-director at New York University Sports and Society Program, said each couple needs to decide for themselves what they feel comfortable with.
“You owe your strongest duty to your spouse, your wife,” said Caplan. “I think if she wants you there...you should be there.”
It's an issue many expectant fathers who are pro-athletes have faced: whether to show up for the big game or be present for the birth of a child.
Mets Second Baseman Daniel Murphy Skips Games, Gets Hammered
Mets player Daniel Murphy missed the first two games of the season so he could be with his wife during the birth of their son. Murphy’s decision led to baseball fans, including talk-radio hosts, criticizing his decision to take two days off, according to ESPN.com.
Murphy defended his decision and was later invited to a White House summit on working families: “Long after they tell me that I'm not good enough to play professional baseball anymore, I'll be a father,” according to ESPN.com.
Golfer Leaves PGA Tourney
Other athletes have also made headlines for taking the day off to see their children being born. Golfer Hunter Mahan left in the middle of a PGA tournament to see his daughter be born, even though the golfer was in the lead and on his way to winning $1 million, according to ESPN.com.
Flacco Passes On Birth Day
At least one time a player faced some criticism for staying in the game during the birth of his child. Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco missed the birth of his second child as he warmed up for a Sunday football game.
Flacco later said he felt a duty to his team, but that missing his child’s birth was difficult, according to the Raven’s website.
