Dear Editor,

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. I disagree with those who believe celebrity football star Dan Marino should not receive a backlash from the media for his part in fathering a love child back in 2005.

As with any celebrity, the price they pay for their faux pas should be commensurate with the fame they have achieved. Dan Marino may have never claimed to be above other people, but he also never shied away from all the trappings that come with being a big sports star. He collected hefty pay cheques for lame endorsements of products like Papa John's Pizza, Hooters, Maroone Automobiles, AARP, FirstPlus Mortgage, Isotoner Gloves and Levinson Jewelers, to name but a few. He also parlayed his football career into an acting career making appearances in movies like Little Nicky, Holy Man, Bad Boys II and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. In addition, Marino was known to charge as much as US$50,000-US$100,000 for various appearances, motivational speaking engagements and autograph signings.

Yet Marino, while publically endorsing himself and touting his so-called "leadership skills" to the world, was using his money to hide the fact that he was secretly engaging in non-leadership, sexual infidelities. And now that he has been found out, he wants all the bad publicity to go away so that he can continue on just as before — keeping his "arrangement private to protect all parties involved". Is such a phony truly beyond our moral reproach? Is he really beyond public scrutiny? I think not. Celebrities who want it all should be ready to take the fall.

Paul Kokoski

Ontario, Canada