Athletes as role models, or lack thereof

[Sal]

A couple of significant events in sports in the last week and a half have made me question the attention that athletes tend to get these days, particularly those who tend to live less than examplary lives and continue to function as if their fans are secondary to their own personal egos and agendas, and yet are sometimes treated as heroes or gods by fans and the media.

First, of course, there was Barry Bonds' 715th home run, celebrated as a momentous achievement in sports history, yet also permamently tainted due to Bonds' well documented steroid use, and, to a lesser extent, his abrasive and aloof personality.

Then, the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League announced that they have signed ex-Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams, who is currently suspended from playing in the NFL due to repeated drug use. This news was so big that it knocked the NHL playoffs, and the latest Maple Leafs news, off the front pages of the sports section, which in Toronto is nearly impossible. A great amount of controversy erupted afterwards, so much so that the CFL immediately amended one of their rules where, as of next year, suspended NFL players will no longer be allowed to play up north. Good for them, but maybe a year too late.


At the opposite end of the scale, you have the guys that, unfairly, in my opinion, are rarely talked about or highlighted in the media, and that is, the so-called 'good guys' , whose clean-cut reputations are matched by their athletic ability. One such case is 2-time NBA MVP, and native Canadian, Steve Nash. When Vince Carter played for the Toronto Raptors, one off-season activity that he would regularly get involved in was a benefit game that was held every summer at the Air Canada Centre involving some of the NBA's biggest names. Two seasons ago, Carter was traded to the New Jersey Nets, amid his own controversy where he openly admitted that he often didn't try hard enough to win during his last 2 seasons with the Raptors. As you can imagine, this did not win him over with the fans, who now saw their once-beloved hero as greedy and selfish, a fact that became emphasized when he suddenly found his scoring touch and his enthusiasm with the Nets. With Carter gone, his summer charity basketball game needed a new big name to take over, but none of the Raptors stepped forward. Instead it was Steve Nash, who played his ball more than 2000 miles away, but didn't mind returning to his native soil once a year to help out the less fortunate. Since he became involved, the game has become a big hit again, attracting stars like Allen Iverson. Last year, Carter chose not to show up. Nobody seemed to miss him.

I'd like to know why it is that the liars, cheaters, egomaniacs, and criminals of sports, like Williams, Bonds, and Carter, get all of the attention, while the good guys like Nash are sometimes taken for granted and don't receive the headlines that they deserve, at least off the field? Also, which specific athletes would you put on your 'naughty' and 'nice' lists?

[snl 70s show fan]

i would for sure put steve nash on the nice list one i have to put on the nasty list because i witnessed his jerky behavior first hand was former portland trail blazer center kevin duckworth it was back in his playing days i was living near portland at the time and went to a game and i got there quite a while before the game started and i saw quite a few of the players come out and before warmups talk and interact with the fans kids adults .every one who wanted a handshake an autograph or whatever jerome kersey was esp. nice and i saw one child ask him for an autograph just before the team had to go back to the locker room and he very kindly told the child that he couldnt sign anymore autographs just then because he had to go back to the locker room but he would sign his trading card the first chance he got. well about an hour later while he was sitting on the bench resting i saw him go get the card and sign it the kid was very pleased and that act impressed me too. but i sure wasant impressed by kevin the great. di;; worth i mean duckworth he was just so nasty and rude to everyone who wanted to talk to him or get and autograph but why i really cant stand him was because of the way he treated a bunch of kids who wanted him to autograph there cards he acted like he didnt see them and when they kept calling his name the stupid no talent so called center just held his hhead up with his nose in the air and walk away after giving them an im better than you look what an a..hole