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Commentary
Athletes not always role models
By Bobby Hart
Published:
Thursday, July 24, 2003
Bobby Hart
I, like many other children, grew up idolizing some of the greatest athletes in the world.
I still have many posters, autographs, sports cards, and jerseys decorating my room in worship of the Larry Birds, Tony Olivas and the Kevin Garnetts. The sports world has been something of a culture to me. To this day, I still see nothing wrong with that. Athletics is a great tool for competition, conversation, exercise, and relaxation.
However, my experience as sports writer for the last two years and as a fan for as long as I can remember has forced me to do a lot of growing up. It hasn't been easy. One of the most difficult tasks I've had to deal with is learning how to disconnect an athlete from his or her personal life.
Recently a very controversial court case has arisen in which a 19--year-old girl has accused NBA star Kobe Bryant of raping her. Bryant has had one of the most popular fan bases in the world since he successfully made the jump from high school to the NBA in 1996.
Three championship rings later at the ripe age of 24, people are saying he could become a bigger legend than Michael Jordan himself. "There is no way he could he do such a thing," was the first impression many sports fans had.
It was that same response that people had when O.J. Simpson was accused of murdering his ex-wife, Kirby Puckett was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a bathroom, and Magic Johnson became HIV-positive from an adulterous relationship.
To go more in-depth, there's Baltimore Raven linebacker, Ray Lewis, who was tried in a murder case, New Jersey Nets guard, Jason Kidd, whose wife accused him of domestic abuse, Sacramento Kings forward, Chris Webber, who illegally accepted gifts (cash) while attending the University of Michigan and Randy Moss who faced assault charges after pushing a traffic officer half a block with his car.
The best example of athletes breaking the law belongs to the Portland Trail Blazers. In the last two years, five Blazers accounted for three drug cases and two assaults; a team suspension for fighting, spitting on an opponent and threatening a referee.
How could our beloved heroes do these things? It may sound ridiculous, but behind the jerseys, advertisements and championships, these athletes are human. Humans make even the worst of mistakes.
Charles Barkley said it best in his Old Spice slogan: "I'm not a role model." Because of the media's growing role in society, athletes probably have the smallest margin for error and have gained the largest baggage of responsibility.
The question is: Are these athletes targeted because of their money, or do they feel that because of their prestige the law doesn't apply to them?
This could be a possibility in both the Puckett and Bryant case, but the fact is that both of these men still messed up big time.
Puckett received domestic abuse complaints from his wife and admitted to having a mistress, and Bryant admitted to adultery in his current case. It's hard to love a player that does these things, and many fans feel betrayed.
Bryant, Puckett, and the long list of other sports heroes had their chance to be role models, and skewed them. Let that be a lesson to all sports fans.
We must enjoy and respect these people for what they are: talented athletes. If you're looking for a role model, look no further than your parents, grandparents and teachers. It's usually the people who take the most time to personally touch our lives that we take for granted every day.
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