Role Models

I was out posting on a Packers blog last night (http://www.packergeeks.com/) in case you are interested - and over the last day I have had an exchange with a guy named Phil Hanrahan. Phil is a Wisconsin native who wrote a book called "Life After Favre". Phil seems to be a really nice guy and a good writer - we've chatted a bit at Cheeseheadtv.com (no, it's not an internet stalker thing, we briefly discussed my old flame Fuzzy Thurston). I highly recommend his book - not just because you might be a Packers fan (and yes you should be, Steven) but because it's an interesting portrait of a town and its kindred spirits (like me) that kind of lost its center a little over a year ago, and how they began to recover that center.

Should a sports team, or a first round Hall of Fame quarterback be your center? Perhaps not. And maybe I'm exaggerating a bit. But the town of Green Bay seemed a bit hollow after last summer. So did I, in a way, sadly enough - and that brought me to the next thought.

Sir Charles Barkley once famously said that athletes "shouldn't be role models". Bullshit. Yes, I said it. I agree that pastors, firefighters, policemen, honest politicians, teachers, parents and so on should be role models as well. But here's the thing - athletes get paid for doing what they love to do for a living - and often quite handsomely. Is it a bad thing to show kids that you really can do what you love for a living, even if that things is "playing"? (I don't think it installs in these kids that "I too can be Sir Charles Barkley - at least in most kids). Do you think that if you asked most firemen if they'd rather be the starting quarterback for (insert favorite team) instead of what they're doing that they'd say no? I really, honestly think not.

Kids figure out that parents, teachers etc. are not perfect WAY before they figure it out about the athletes they admire (if any, of course). It isn't right they should believe that an athlete is right about anything, or perfect by any means, but the longer they look up to that example - a good one - the more they can be inspired to do what they love and to do good things for others. A lot of these guys have charitable foundations and endeavors that are quite worthy.

That's why Judas showing his colors bothered me so much. It wasn't that I thought he was perfect - far from it. Child out of wedlock, Vicodin and alcohol addiction, you name it, he's probably done it - and been caught at it. And, seemingly, had taken responsibility for it and grown as a person, as one does in these situations if handled in the best way possible. It's that he displayed, in a very public way, what he thought of the people he professed to love, those who supported him through his very public trials and humiliations with true forgiveness and not just because he was a "winner". Packer Nation loved him also because of the personality he displayed, the joy of playing and the joy of sharing those moments with fans. Professional athletes, people are watching you.

So if you are in a position where you get to do what you love to do, and get paid handsomely for it, you are a role model (this goes for actors too, but more so sports figures). It doesn't mean you have to be perfect. It means you should be honest, you should never be Tiger Woods (that many mistakes, anyone can screw up in life, but really on this one sheesh), and you should accept that you have a responsibility to the kids of this country.

Whether you want it or not.


'Nuff said.