Who Is A Role Model

One of the web definitions that can be found for Role Model states: “A person who serves as a model in a particular behavioral or social role for another person to emulate.” The last word in that definition, “emulate” means to “strive to equal or match, especially by imitating”. Based on an increasing number of athletes’ behavior it is about time the press and the news media stop referring to many professional athletes as role models. After years of denial, baseball player Alex Rodriguez has admitted to using steroids to increase his performance as a baseball player. This is not the kind of behavior that anyone would want their student/athlete to “equal or match …. by imitating.”

Over the years we have witnessed a parade of athletes acting badly. Without naming names, there is a pro football player doing time for sponsoring dog fights, some basket ball players can not keep their third leg in their pants, other football players have been suspended for drug use and one even shot himself in the leg at a night club. More recently over one hundred baseball players have tested positive for steroid use. Even our Olympic athletes have been caught using steroids and smoking pot. Yes, it can be argued that this embarrassing group is a small percentage of all professional athletes; but the number involved in bad behavior and their frequency of bad behavior is escalating.

It is time to put athletic ability in perspective. Participation in sports is a means to an end. That end could be personal, educational or financial. Participation in sports can lead to better health, scholarships for some and for the few, lucrative professional careers. The publicity that the arrogant, swaggering, foul-mouthed, self-centered highly paid professionals receive does not earn them the title of role model. No doubt there are professional athletes who are worthy and deserving of being called role models; but they are not in the lime light and not the focus of media attention. In fact, these good guys, these role models are usually not in the news at all.

Have you read anything good about: Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, Chicago Cubs reliever Kerry Wood, LPGA touring pro Mi Hyun Kim, Houston Texans running back Ahman Green and teammate Jason Simmons, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, Charles Barkley, Houston Rocket Dikembe Mutombo, New Orleans Saints teammates Drew Brees and Deuce McAllister, Seattle Seahawk Grant Wistrom, Tiger Woods, and three-time Olympic gold medalist Dawn Staley. To read about the heroic actions and good deeds of these true role models visit: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=2950420&sportCat=ncf

The above individuals, by their community spirit, generosity, unselfish behavior, concern for others and good behavior could be called role models. It seems as though it is time for the press and media to pay more attention to professional sports’ real role models and devote less time to those who behave badly.

Thirty Days Ago ….

It has been about thirty days since I last wrote and so much has happened. George Dubyah and his sleazy sidekick, Little Dick are out and Barack Obama and Big Joe are most definitely in. It has been an incredibly educational and informative experience watching the Presidential appointments take place. I had no idea so many Washington players were so confused by the federal tax code. It really is true that two of life’s certainties are death and taxes.

Now we have the continuing saga of the Stimulus Package. Watching the behavior of the House and Senate Democrats and Republicans can be both amusing and confusing. Traditionally, the Democrats were the party of Main Street; but their concern over saving Big Banks and propping up Wall Street and ignoring the plight of the jobless and those facing foreclosure is astonishing. The Republicans, on the other hand, have always been more concerned about the economic health of their brothers in Big Business and Wall Street and less concerned about the difficulties of the middle class on Main street. However; it is the Republicans who seem more concerned about the middle class and are vehemently opposed to the Democratic appropriations (the pork) designed to ingratiate themselves with their special interest groups.

Presently various leadership roles are being filled and some of the choices are very puzzling. Timothy Geithner, the new Secretary of the Treasury, has made decisions both personal and professional that demand further scrutiny and questioning. Furthermore, it is probably a good thing that Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services considering his recent role as a lobbyist and special policy advisor for a health care focused Washington law firm.

While President Obama is setting up his new team one can only hope that he takes a very close look at the federal agencies that were set up protect and safeguard the public. FEMA, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, SEC and the FDA, to name a few, all have miserable track records and basically can not be counted on to serve and protect.

Closer to home we have the unbelievable, unnecessary, irresponsible and continuing budget stalemate in Sacramento, California. Hard working state employees are being furloughed two days a month without pay while the Sacramento dead beats continue to suck up their latte’s and play on their lap tops and bicker over the growing $42 billion dollar state deficit. In the words of Thomas Paine: “Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way!”