# Most sincere apology by athlete caught cheating on spouse **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 24, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808 "2012-04-24T15:21:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/1 "2012-04-24T15:21:45Z")
I must say, I actually feel bad for Chien Ming Wang. I have no idea if he’s a douche or whether he has any other skeletons in his closet, but his apology came off as refreshingly sincere: > **[MLB News, Scores, Standings & Stats](https://www.foxsports.com/mlb)** > > Get MLB news, scores, stats, standings & more for your favorite teams and players -- plus watch highlights and live games! All on FoxSports.com. Any other candidates? ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/2 "2012-05-03T20:35:42Z")
If it’s not sincere, then it’s definitely well-written. The liberal dose of Asian humility didn’t hurt. Not to justify his (or any cheater’s) actions, but don’t the wives of professional athletes kinda expect that this comes with being married to a wealthy, famous jock who is used to easily bedding women? I have heard that baseball wives in particular marry with the understanding that while he’s away, what she doesn’t know doesn’t hurt her, but while he’s home, he’s all hers. They get to live the professional athlete’s wife’s lifestyle in return. I’m not sure how true that is; maybe someone can comment? ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/3 "2012-05-06T04:43:34Z")
I’d have to imagine that the most sincere apology didn’t happen standing behind a mic surrounded by cameras. ---
**Author:** ![Stringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Stringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringer)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/4 "2012-05-09T03:48:19Z")
What is so great about this? It sounds like every other athlete apology speech/press release. ---
**Author:** ![Cowboy8467](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Cowboy8467](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowboy8467)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/5 "2012-05-09T15:43:26Z")
This part is at least a little different. > [@](#): > > At the press conference given to Taiwanese media, Wang said he made a “big mistake” and would not seek to make any excuses. He added that he does not expect forgiveness from his family or fans, but expressed “innermost apology.” He cited growing pressure from pitching in the major league, especially after his surgery in 2009. “I was so depressed at the time. Besides the long road to rehabilitation, the only thing I could do is wait,” said Wang. > > The pitcher admitted to having an extra-marital relationship that lasted for eight months. He ended the affair out of a strong sense of guilt, he said, but added that the woman involved threatened to send a letter to the media if they did not get back together. Wang said he came forward to face the press as he did not want to hurt the woman or his family. > > Breaking into tears during the press conference, Wang apologized for the damage he dealt to both his family and the mistress. “I am willing to pay for my misconduct, but I cannot let my family be hurt again,” he said. Wang asked the media to leave his family out of the incident, saying that they are innocent. [http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20120424000067&cid=1103](http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20120424000067&cid=1103) ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/6 "2012-05-09T17:35:45Z")
This case must be a good opportunity for headline writers. E.g., “Wife Refuses All Contact With Wang.” ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/7 "2012-05-09T17:58:18Z")
“Wang Scrutinized, Humilated” ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/8 "2012-05-09T20:17:26Z")
“Wang Wilts after Humiliating Exposure” ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/9 "2012-05-09T20:25:01Z")
'In Show of Self-Control Wang Takes Matters In Hand; Laments, “No More Balls for the Foreseeable Future.” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/10 "2012-05-09T21:54:03Z")
> [@Cowboy8467](#): > > This part is at least a little different. > > [http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20120424000067&cid=1103](http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20120424000067&cid=1103) The _only_ thing different is that he’s Taiwanese and speaking to the Taiwanese media. And since apparently he did and said nothing until the woman threatened to rat him out to his wife, that tells me his apology is all about getting caught, or perhaps for choosing a woman who couldn’t be relied upon to be discreet. Though – is this unusual in _Taiwan_? Are rich powerful guys expected to screw around on their wives and everyone keeps their mouth shut? I have no idea, I’m just trying and failing to think of some reason this situation would be considered unusual. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/11 "2012-05-09T22:23:28Z")
> [@](#): > > If it’s not sincere, then it’s definitely well-written To be fair it was translated by someone else, which might have improved it(although English speaking athletes often have their statement written by a PR professional). ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/12 "2012-05-10T13:57:27Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > If it’s not sincere, then it’s definitely well-written. The liberal dose of Asian humility didn’t hurt. > > Not to justify his (or any cheater’s) actions, but don’t the wives of professional athletes kinda expect that this comes with being married to a wealthy, famous jock who is used to easily bedding women? I have heard that baseball wives in particular marry with the understanding that while he’s away, what she doesn’t know doesn’t hurt her, but while he’s home, he’s all hers. They get to live the professional athlete’s wife’s lifestyle in return. I’m not sure how true that is; maybe someone can comment? You make these women sound like whores. If you marry a baseball player before you know whether or not he’s going to make it to the majors then I doubt that sort of tacit agreement exists and if you marry a baseball player AFTER he has made the majors, I am going to guess you are also attractive to other financially successful men. I know plenty of lawyers that make more than the average MLB baseball player and are likely to have careers that are significantly longer than the average MLB baseball players career. And there is no tacit understanding that they can fool around when they are travelling for work. And its not like these lawyers all marry Fulbright scholars, some of them just marry really hot young women. ---
**Author:** ![Cowboy8467](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Cowboy8467](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowboy8467)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/13 "2012-05-10T20:01:02Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > The _only_ thing different is that he’s Taiwanese and speaking to the Taiwanese media. **And since apparently he did and said nothing until the woman threatened to rat him out to his wife** , that tells me his apology is all about getting caught, or perhaps for choosing a woman who couldn’t be relied upon to be discreet. > > Though – is this unusual in _Taiwan_? Are rich powerful guys expected to screw around on their wives and everyone keeps their mouth shut? I have no idea, I’m just trying and failing to think of some reason this situation would be considered unusual. Well no, not strictly speaking. He broke off the affair of his own accord out of guilt and the woman threatened to alert the media if he didn’t get back together with her. Faced with this he just decided to out himself rather than continue with the affair. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/14 "2012-05-10T21:41:35Z")
Yeah, well that’s his story and he’s sticking to it. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/15 "2012-05-11T15:50:25Z")
Wang jokes? Never saw that coming. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-sincere-apology-by-athlete-caught-cheating-on-spouse/619808/16 "2012-05-11T17:26:29Z")
Not understanding why this is notable at all. Sounds like every single apology I’ve ever heard by a celebrity who got outed for cheating. Really, I’m not sure why this stuff gets reported at all. Cheating isn’t exactly rare in the general population, that athletes and celebs do it is no shock. That they do it at a slightly higher rate is equally predictable when you factor in the attention and travel time. Salesmen who travel a lot get a lot of strange on the side in the hotel bar too. For most women who marry athletes and actors I don’t have much sympathy for them either, in most cases they knew full well what they were getting themselves into. In most cases they started out as a fling, one among many, and they aren’t exactly innocent bystanders here. When you marry a guy who was into a lot of casual sex before you got with him you have to sort of expect this result. It’s fine to hope for more and that doesn’t make it excusable, but I compare it to going to a late night bar that’s known for lots of drunk brawling and being pissed when someone picks a fight with you. Sure, it doesn’t make the fighting okay, but no one forced you to belly up there and get good an drunk yourself.