Last night a Toronto Blue Jay, Jose Bautista, enjoyed a significant personal milestone in a largely forgettable season for his team. He became only the 26th player in the history of MLB to hit 50 or more homeruns. Bautista is a well spoken, rather self-effacing team player, and there isn't a scrap of evidence that he used performance enhancing drugs to accomplish this goal.
This is a nice antidote to a story from last week when New York Yankees star Derek Jeter was hit by a pitch, giving him a free pass to first base. He scored later in the inning on a home run by a team mate. Except that he wasn't hit. The ball actually bounced off his bat but Jeter freely admitted he "acted" his way on base, feigning injury. I think he misspoke. What he meant to say was that he cheated his way to first. The manager of the opposing team was irate, but conceded later that he would have wanted his own players to do the same if possible. So much for good sportsmanship.
There have been a ton of stories in the news lately of cheating, lying, philandering, abusing, drunken professional athletes. Some of them are among the greatest names in their various sports, but they are definitely not role models, whatever their athletic skills may be.
I admit to a love/hate relationship with pro sports and sports in general. I enjoy watching hockey, football, baseball and follow some of it closely. But I struggle with the terrible example many of these athletes set and the whole premise that sports somehow teach life lessons.
I have written before about my concern and that of colleagues that sport in various forms has become the new religion, even to out-muscling worship on Sunday mornings. Why do you think this has happened, given the rather dubious value of organized sport to shape character? Who should our role-models be?
5 comments:
I share the same love/hate relationship with sports that you do, David. I am a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, but when I see the antics of its quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, it makes me cringe. I do admit that every year, I find myself just a little bit less interested in professional sports.
I don't know why professional athletes are idolized. Perhaps for some people it is a form of escape from the reality of their own lives. All I know is that I find people who put all their energy into trying to make the world a better place, a whole lot more interesting. Unfortunately, they don't get anywhere near the attention of these athletes.
Well said Johnny. Big Ben is a prime and infamous example. I'm glad his sport punished him even though a court of law didn't.
I agree that we need to uphold the world-changers more consistently.
Media is the culprit here once again. They focus on the negative, because that what sells advertising. We hear all about A-rod and Tiger, but no one mentiones tohse who attend prayer groupes before games like Kurt Warrner, and Gary Carter. You need to read their books to hear about it.
There are good and bad people, and really the vast majority of us are somewhere in between.
The media chooses to focus on the bad.
Okay sjd, you're showing your age. Point taken though, there are athletes who are involved in their communities, and some attempt to live by their faith.
I heard today that a young Baltimore pitcher managed to make it to the majors despite refusing to play on Sundays.
I still think that far too many consider themselves above morals and even the law because our culture gives them a free pass to perpetual childish self-absorption.
Did you know that Warner tithed his enormous salary. Now, that's a role model!
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https://blog.mindvalley.com/role-models
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