role models?

jdb123

from the makers of "does pete rose belong in the hall of fame" or "greatest superbowl team ever" comes another generic sports topic. should athletes be expected to be role models and why?

oldfriends

I don't expect them to be "role models" but I do expect them to conduct their life as you and I would. We are expected to live by certain expectations of society, so should they. Just because they have "fame and fortune" does not release them from the human race. If they live and conduct themselves as such, they become "role models." Just my opinion.

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Life is Tough!It's Tougher if You're Stupid

timberbeast

They have no obligation to do so, but those who have, have lifted themselves above the rest, and will be remembered for it. Vince Lombardi and his teams come to mind, Robin Yount comes to mind. Mickey Mantle was a hero to me as a kid, but the media was different then, and we never knew he was a mean drunk. Most people didn't know way back when that Babe Ruth was a boozer and womanizer, but he was a hero to many. The times haven't changed that much. We just know more about people now.Robin Yount is a true hall-of-famer, but his autograph will never be worth much, since he spent more time signing autographs than he did playing, and not at paid sessions, to anyone who cared to hang around the stadium. A low-key guy, but his record stands as a ballplayer, and as a man. Favre plays catch with the kids at Lambeau after exhibition games, and sometimes before, and many of the Packers still pick a kid's bike to ride across the street to the practice facility on. This kind of stuff gets no press. The "ushers" at Lambeau also still allow young kids into the stadium (sans tickets)after the game starts to watch through the ramps, and the player's parking lot is only a 6-foot chainlink where the kids gather after games to get autographs. I'm sure other teams have similar repoire with their fans, but that kind of stuff never makes the papers.....

niklasal

You hit the nail on the head with that one timberbeast.It used to be that media fostered role models. They focused on the achievement of athletes and painted them in a positive picture for all. Nowadays everyone is into the dark side of media. Who got busted for drugs. Who is an alcoholic. Who has the most illegitimate children. Remember when Marv Albert got into that big sexual scandal? Nobody cared about his personal life until the media pounced on it. Up until that point, he was just a great basketball and baseball announcer, telling us scores for 30 years.Truth is, dirt sells, and those media whores are willing to mar every last person of integrity we can look up to in the name of the allmighty dollar.

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NIKLASAL@hotmail.com

Iconoclast

I agree about the media whores. When they were at the top of their professions, both Bobby Orr & Larry Bird would sneak into Boston area hospitals to spend time in the pediatrics wards, especially with the sickest, often terminal, children. These weren't photo ops. They came quietly, usually late at night and requested it not be reported. Usually those requests were honored, but it did leak out. Many athletes do this sort of thing, but the media is far more interested in the Dennis Rodman types.

will270win

Surely the media need to get their heads and * wired in the same loop. I hear nothing but bad and doctors wonder why we have so many folks on Prozac. I wonder?

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, take it to a mechanic. will270win@aol.com ~Secret Select Society Of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~

concealedG36

Well, I DON'T think that atheletes should be role models. Why? Well, first off, most of them are wealthy beyond what 99% of the American public can ever hope to be. This puts unrealistic ideas in kid's heads, leading them to believe that they need a BMW, a Lexus, a Mercedes and a whole bunch of gold to be like their heros. Also, I can't tell you how many kids in my area can't even perform basic mathematics on paper, much less in their heads. Ask the kids in Detroit to count out a handful of change, $0.25 is pronounced "twenny fi cent". Yeah, they'll make it to Princeton. They count on becoming a pro-athelete, so "school don't mean sh**". If you "ax" them something, they just throw some kind of stupid gang sign with their hands and then pull up their pants again (cause they're already hanging down to their knees). Come on, the odds of that are so slim of them becoming pro atheletes they'd be better off playing the lottery. Second, the majority of the pro atheletes today have let their money and fame corrupt them to the point that they wouldn't be good role models anyway. Many of them gamble to excess, do drugs, sleep with countless women (okay, I'm a little envious there) and basically do everything that parents DON'T want their kids doing.I guess I just think that atheletes are just a bunch of overpaid brats that do whatever they want with virtual immunity from the law. This crap does NOT provide a realistic role model for kids.I think today's real role models should be people that do what they do despite the fact that they DON'T necessarily make a lot of money. People like firefighters, cops, soldiers, doctors, teachers, farmers, etc.I guess they're not nearly as glamorous as some freak-like 7-foot-tall chump with gold teeth who can dunk a ball in a hoop, though. Yeah, there's good role model...G36

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Gun Control Disarms Victims, NOT Criminals

pikeal1

I agree that athletes, and any big name personality shoudn't be a role model because of their job. They should earn that honor if they deserve it. by the same token, if they screw up (ie..Jason Williams)they should be punished as any one on this board would, regardless of how much money they have, or what charities they cut a check to.I think Charles Barkly said it best "I am not a role model" That is a job for parentS.[This message has been edited by pikeal1 (edited 02-26-2002).]

niklasal

It would be nice if role models were doctors, firemen, and the like, but reality is that they are not. It's easier to be play basketball and football all day than hit the books. What would be nice is if those athletes got a nice BIG pay cut. It used to be that people played for fame and love of the game. Now it's all about the cash. It's sickening to go to a game and pay $50 for a basketball ticket and $7 for a pint of warm beer just to supplement the overpriced salaries of many (not all) players. Don't they make enough off of gatorade and Nike endorsements?Still, I'd rather have kids looking up to them than the d!ckhe@ds in rap videos... Glorifying "thug" living, getting kicks out of breaking the law and running from cops. Kids don't know it's all an act, and they follow suit, unaware of the consequences. Whatever happened to scared straight? I know what happened. It was those liberals with "it'll hurt our children's fragile self-esteem." Yeah? Well your kids low self esteem just stole my car. Phew, I steered off a bit there! Sorry, just digruntled.

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NIKLASAL@hotmail.com

mudge

One of my favorite lines was from Bill Russell (a REAL role model). "What do you expect from these guys? Most of them have been on scholarship since the third grade."Most of these jivin', dancin' fools don't have the mental capacity to deal with their success.There are still a few role models left in sport. Cal Ripken, Darrell Green, Howie Long and a few more besides those already mentioned. Charles Barkley had it right though.Mudge the cynic ps. Rose in the Hall of Fame? NEVER!!!!!

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I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS![This message has been edited by mudge (edited 02-28-2002).]

timberbeast

Nobody in the private sector is overpaid. People are paid what the market will bear. Folks say that Super Bowl tickets are overpriced. If they were overpriced, the tickets wouldn't sell. It's called Capitalism. The thing that liberals hate the most!