LEGALLY BINDING?

     Are the words "Legally Binding" an anachronism in today's world? Is any contract or agreement binding anymore? I wonder!
     Consider professional athletes. You often hear of an athlete who beats all the odds and signs a multiple year professional sports contract. After one year, they decide that they are being underpaid. They next demand to renegotiate the terms of their contract demanding more money. To press their case they refuse to honor the terms of their initial contract and they stop working.
     A recent example of this comes from the New York Jets professional football team. By way of full disclosure I am not a fan of the NY Jets. I'm a New England Patriots fan, and proud of it!
     Jarelle Revis, a cornerback, played his rookie season. His performance was outstanding and showed him to be one of the best players to play that particular position. People lavishly heaped praise on his abilities, from his head coach to other players and coaches, to sports reporters. Come the next season, Revis refused to report to training camp until the Jets gave him a new contract with vastly more money.
     Consider the state of marriage in America today. Experts say that one out of every two marriages end in divorce. When people marry they make a solemn vow before God, family and friends to love, honor and cherish each other, forsaking all others until death do they part. Doesn't their vow really mean anything? What happens to cause them to abrogate their vows?
     I concede that some marriages are ended legitimately where one of the partners commits adultery, or becomes abusive towards the other partner. However, a vast majority of the marriages end for much less serious reasons. Again, do vows mean anything anymore?
     A final example comes to us from Brigham Young University. BYU students must read and sign a statement of understanding regarding standards of personal conduct. Violation of the standards is grounds for suspension or expulsion from school. A star athlete engaged in pre-marital sex with his girlfriend. The act was consensual between the two parties and no allegation of criminality is even suggested. However, the act constituted a violation of the standards of personal conduct and the athlete was kicked out of school.
     In response, a great hue and cry arose condemning BYU for enforcing their standards. No one forced the student athlete to attend BYU. He could have chosen to go to another college with a less stringent code of conduct. However, he freely chose to attend BYU and freely agreed to conform his personal conduct to the standards set forth by the school.
     There was a time when a handshake was a binding contract. How far we have fallen from that standard!
     What do you think? Am I wrong?