Athletes/Celebrities as Role Models

[jjkoestler]

In the wake of the Ryan Braun fiasco I have read numerous posts and comments on Facebook regarding athletes and celebrities as role models. One comment that stuck out was "If your children's role models are celebrities and athletes, you did something wrong." Obviously this is a broad generalization, but it seems like a lot of people feel this way.

 

Would/Are you be alright with your kids using athletes and celebrities as role models?

[jerichoholicninja]

I was once asked during a job interview who my role model was. I had to think for a while because the answer was no one. I guess I just want to be me and do things and act like me so I guess I've never understood all this "role model" business.

[MJLiverock]

I really don't care what celebrities or athletes do with themselves as long as they aren't hurting other people by robbing, beating, murdering, raping, the rest is just their choices. I really don't care that athletes use PEDs, use drugs, cheat on their wives/husbands, blow their money, gamble, etc. I think I get more annoyed with all the trumped up indignation some people feel the need to spew when they hear of something an entertainer did. That is one reason why I haven't posted in the Braun thread. I just don't care that he and countless players going back decades have used PED's, I say let 'em use them, just move the stuff to physician guided and call it advancements in science just as all sports have benefitted from science over the last 100+ years. Most of the self righteous blogs and blasts from MLB connected people don't have to look very far in the rearview mirror to find PED users in their clubhouse.

 

Tiger Woods cheating on his wife along with who knows how many other athletes doesn't diminish the fact he was good at golf, but being good at golf doesn't mean anything else to me in thinking about him since I don't know him personally.

 

I guess I always thought of players and entertainers as role models for their craft that made them famous. Tiger is a great role model for a golfer, he is really good golf, so by all means pattern your golf ideal around him. Robert Downey Jr. is a great role model for an actor, not saying he would be the top choice to emulate a life after.

[trwi7]

Great post MJ.

[JimH5]

Whether we choose to view athletes and celebrities as role models or not, they are in the public eye. They are on the stage while the rest of us are looking at the stage. I think we're wired that way. People have world class talent, and we want to

appreciate it and cheer it. And some of us want to have it.

 

I think it's natural for a kid to look at a star athlete and to want to emulate him. Or to see what a famous actress or singer is wearing and to want to look like her. How does that person conduct themselves when they're off the stage? People pay attention to that.

 

That can be good. NFL players encourage us to give to the United Way, and to volunteer our time. Singers can put on benefit concerts

to raise awareness and money for hurricane victims.

 

But with that star power comes responsibility. When Alec Baldwin goes off on his daughter, it's more impactful than when John Doe does it. When Yovani Gallardo gets a DUI it's more significant than when an anonymous person does. Gallardo is in my living room 33 nights a year, while John Doe isn't.

 

Kids should have other role models, too. . .parents, clergy, teachers, neighbors, aunts, uncles, cousins. Those people should all be more important than an athlete or celebrity. But as a kid, I cherished Marty Pattin's autograph, not my uncle's.

 

Whether we should or shouldn't look to athletes isn't the point. We do look to them, and we will look to them.

 

So they should conduct themselves as though they are deserving of all the attention.

[jerichoholicninja]

I guess I always thought of players and entertainers as role models for their craft that made them famous. Tiger is a great role model for a golfer, he is really good golf, so by all means pattern your golf ideal around him. Robert Downey Jr. is a great role model for an actor, not saying he would be the top choice to emulate a life after.

 

This should be it. When I started pitching I wanted to pitch like Randy Johnson so I tried to learn a slider and throw really hard. I didn't grow out my hair, kill birds, and learn the drums.

[TURBO]

I guess I always thought of players and entertainers as role models for their craft that made them famous. Tiger is a great role model for a golfer, he is really good golf, so by all means pattern your golf ideal around him. Robert Downey Jr. is a great role model for an actor, not saying he would be the top choice to emulate a life after.

 

This should be it. When I started pitching I wanted to pitch like Randy Johnson so I tried to learn a slider and throw really hard. I didn't grow out my hair, kill birds, and learn the drums.

 

 

Yes, but if you could have killed a bird in mid-flight, you would have....Assuming you were a normal kid anyway... That was just beyond belief.

[FVBrewerFan]

I lean toward JimH5. Of course parents, other family members, teachers, etc. should be the main or maybe only role models for kids. In the real world though, it's not that simple. Maybe role model isn't the right term, but kids do pay attention to what famous people do, and the consequences of those actions. So in a sick way, it probably is a positive in all this that kids see Braun took PEDs and is suffering the consequences of those actions.

 

As a parent, I always tried to remind my children that an athlete is just an athlete, a musician is just a musician, etc. Admire them for that talent, but understand they may be wonderful or horrible people in real life. And it's too bad because I really want to like guys like Donald Driver, Robin Yount, LeRoy Butler, etc. But then I have to remind myself of what I preach all the time. I don't really know these guys, and can't get personally invested in them.

 

So, where does that leave us? Athletes are looked up to, whether that should be the case or not. Their actions are noticed by kids. So they do have a responsibility to act accordingly. With all that said, if a public figure has a huge impact on a kid's life, methinks the parenting went south somewhere along the line.