Defending Sepp Blatter.

Like every year, this year is no different.

We hear about politicians becoming lobbyists and pocketing $16 million a year for peddling influence. We hear about others skimming $11 million off a roads construction contract. And we hear of presidential contenders routinely getting $500K for a canned 45-minute speech you can find on You Tube.

In our industry, we hear of the holding company moguls private jetting and penthousing while collecting 43-million-pound paychecks.

And then there's Sepp Blatter.

Here's the thing.

I'd do it too.

If you put someone that close to that many millions or billions some moral fiber is going to twang. Before long, they have a set of perfect rationales on why they're just taking what they deserve.

Here's what I mean from "On the Waterfront." Rewrite it in your head for any industry.

JOHNNY

I know what's eatin' you, kid. But I got two thousand dues-payin' members in my local— that's seventy-two thousand a year legitimate and when each one of 'em puts in a couple of bucks a day to make sure they work steady— well, you figure it out. And that's just for openers.                               

We got the fattest piers in the fattest harbor in the  world. Everything that moves in and out— we take our cut.                                                    

CHARLEY                          

Why shouldn't we? If we c'n get it we're entitled to it.

JOHNNY                                            (nods)

We ain't robbin' pennies from beggars. We cuttin' ourseves in for five-six million a year just on our half a dozen piers—  a drop in the bucket compared to the traffic in the harbor.

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So back to Sepp Blatter.

If  3.2 billion people watched the World Cup and he takes two-cents from each of them, he walks home with $64 million.

You think you'd, exposed to that much money, do any different?