"Whether you're married, divorced or single, fatherhood is forever."

Ain't that the truth. Thanks to Sports Illustrated opening up their archives, I was able to find the article that opened up the floodgates on this whole phenomenon.

"Paternity Ward," from the May 8, 1998 issue of SI, goes in on the huge number of professional athletes who have children out of wedlock. While fatherless children is a national problem, the number seems to grow within NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL circles.

Paternity Ward [Sports Illustrated]

My favorite excerpt after the jump ...

... Mention paternity suits to athletes, and the word setup inevitably enters the conversation. "Wherever there's money, there are going to be women," says veteran Sonics guard Nate McMillan , who has no out-of-wedlock children but has friends who do. "You find some women who might be a little lazy and don't want to work, and they're cute and have an opportunity to be with some of these players. They're using the kids to take advantage of a situation. If you don't go in as a couple and plan a family, then in a sense I think it's a setup."

"I don't condone players who have had affairs, but the fact is, there are women who hunt pro athletes in the hope of becoming pregnant and filing paternity suits to make an income," says Pat Richie, the chaplain for the San Francisco Giants and 49ers . "I'd say that teams probably have two or three women per year who are purposely looking for this." ...

This is the basis of the trap. There are women out here to target men with money for a paycheck. But what must not be forgotten is that these men are playing 'tag' the cervix [1] of women they don't know, especially unprotected. I understand that tons of women are opening their legs to you and that if its offered to you, why turn it down? But there are too many venereal diseases and fatherless babies out here for you to think you can mess with whatever broad you want to and get away with it. It does take two to tango, so ladies must have more respect for themselves and men should show it.

[1] Thanks to the homie Mac Brown for the sexual metaphor.