Image aside, in todays world, athletes are making money in almost every way imaginable. From appearing on commercials to raking in big bucks from a sponsor, if money is to be made, an athlete will make it a million times over.
Athletes aren't athletes anymore. They are trend setters, marketing experts, and a public relations department all wrapped into one. Young people looked up to athletes all the time, trying to imitate the way they play or they way the act. Personally, I've never really understood that. Sure, they may be excellent athletes, but at the end of the day, they are people just like you and me. I don't care if you're Kobe Bryant or Tiger Woods your'e human and you've made plenty of mistakes (just ask Tiger).
To me, athletes shouldn't be role models at all. Like I said before, they are people just like you and me. The only thing separating them from us is the amount of money in their bank accounts. To often these "professional" athletes make poor decision after poor decision, just proving my point that they're human.
Athletes can market themselves all they want but I'll never fall for the "almightier than thou" approach. Sorry Kobe, you're image is still tarnished even though a house is sitting on your wifes ring finger.
Big diamonds, big houses, and fast cars are all part of the label as a professional athlete. All of that is awesome and I'd love to have it, but it isn't everything.
This blog isn't the most uniformed one that I've written, sadly that reflects the behavior of professional athletes. Good today, bad tomorrow. You never know what you're gonna get with them.
I loved how you wrote this blog. I agree with you when you say that they are not just athletes, they have to be a lot more to get noticed and be considered a a good person to the public eye. And once a a famous person does something, it ruins their rep, not knowing if they can gain the people back in their favor. But they are normal people just like us, like you said minus the money.
ReplyDeleteYeah I can't think of any athlete today that's a suitable role model.
ReplyDeleteI agree but, no one ever talks about the good athletes do. I love basketball and I like the NBA cares segments. It's good to see athletes giving back. They help kids and help rebuild the community. I think this might remind the players of were they came from.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very different perspective than mine and I have to agree with you. I still feel that athletes should be role models since they are in the spotlight but you are right that they are just like us, and once they mess up it's difficult to gain that respect back.
ReplyDeleteGood Blog..
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