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.