Quote:
Originally Posted by JD10367
I loved the local interview with Patriots fans shopping at the stores next to the stadium, expressing "shock and dismay", and the woman who started yapping about how concerned she is about the situation because her kids like Hernandez and what does she tell them about their "role models". Any time I hear the words "athlete" and "role model", I want to start shooting people in the eyes myself. Any person who looks to an athlete as a role model needs a beating; any person who lets their kids look to an athlete as a role model needs to be sterilized. How the **** does a person's ability to bounce a ball, swing a bat, catch a football, or do anything else athletic translate into making them a good person? From the earliest days of sports (Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, etc.,.) athletes have NEVER been role models. The only role models a kid should have are his parents (assuming they're good parents) and other people who have clearly proven they DESERVE to be role models.
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I understand the sentiment and agree with you for the most part. However, you can't say that about all athletes. There are SOME athletes who make great role models. Particularly the ones who excel at their sport more as a result of dedication and hard work instead of simply being able to rely on natural, God given talent.
Take Ray Allen for example. He'll be in the NBA Hall of Fame some day and will forever be remembered for his shooting ability and his clutchness. He himself said that God doesn't care if he can hit a jump shot. His success comes from preparation, dedication, and repetition...all great qualities for a kid to emulate. Hours in the gym, shooting over and over and over again from every spot on the court and at every possible angle. Even practicing unique shots like off balance ones over and over and over again until every situation becomes familiar and natural.
Those types of guys may be rare, but I have no problem with my kids looking up to them as role models.