“I’m not paid to be a role model” that was the phrase Charles Barkley famously spoke in 1993.
With that said is that accurate? Someone who makes their living on t.v. and in the public eye are they not role models?
For centuries athletes of all sports have been put on pedestals and admired. There are even “who would be on the Mount Rushmore of this or that team” blogs and polls.
Athletes are by and large entertainers. Making millions while generating billions for franchise owners and cities.
But in truth they are self serving beings who are out for their next big payday.
Don’t get me wrong. There are some genuinely good people. But selfishness and self seeking is not admirable in any fashion.
There have been athletes I have admired about how they approach their sport. Or how they lead their team. That’s where it ends.
Athletes are not role models. At the end of the day they could care less if you like them or not or collect their trading cards or own their jersey.
With that said focus instead on the team as a whole. Enjoy what a player brings to the field, rink, or court.
You may find you enjoy the game a little more. I know I have. At the end of the day players come and go. Lions GM Bob Quinn said just last week each season has a 30% roster changeover. That’s a high rate. Don’t get attached to an athlete. Get attached to the team that represents your city, state, or some other reason.
A Blog by Brian Wallace
