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Sports heroes need to be conscious of watchful youth 

Sarah B. Lawrence

As a sports fanatic, I am embarrassed by the way sports figures are being promoted and are portraying themselves.

Young people look up to the so-called heroes. Just because they can slam dunk, hit 72 home runs or score a 72-yard touchdown, athletes are labeled heroes. Kids look to these figures as role models. They also see everything their role models do wrong.

When sports stars commit crimes or show their bad attitude, it usually appears on the front page of the next day's newspaper. Yet they are labeled heroes and stars. What are we as a society trying to promote?

To state a few incidents:

In the '92 Summer Olympics, Charles Barkley disgraced the U.S. Dream Team by slamming the Angola team. He shoved players every time he made a basket, especially when he slam-dunked. It was as if he were saying, "In your face. Look at me -- I am so good. Ha!" This is not what the children need to be seeing.

In 1996, basketball players were pushing referees right and left. Nick Van Exel deliberately bulldogged the ref when he disagreed with a call. Then, after commenting on Van Exel's inappropriate behavior, Magic Johnson "bumped" a ref himself a few games later.

Shortly after that, Michael Irvin, Dallas Cowboys' wide receiver, was busted for being involved with drugs and hookers. Then Roberto Alomar, the Baltimore Orioles' second baseman, spit in an umpire's face before he made crude remarks about the ump's 8-year-old dead son. Alomar was able to file an appeal against his ban just long enough to keep him in the playoffs for the season.

Next we have the Latrell Spreewell outrage. Whether it was exhaustion from practice or just plain idiocy, nothing can be explained to make what he did an acceptable way of showing emotions: Choking his coach because he was angry. If everyone could really get away with that like Spreewell, I am afraid we may have many more.

And how could John Rocker be left out for his unbecoming behavior? So he admits he spoke out of anger and made a stupid mistake. The saying goes, "There is always a little truth is what you say." He has been suspended from the first three months of the baseball season, but feels this is unjust and is appealing.

To get to the latest mishaps, it starts with Rae Carruth of the Carolina Panthers, who was charged with murder in the shooting of his pregnant girlfriend. This was followed by an incident from Super Bowl Sunday that involved Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis, who is being investigated for the murder of two men. His attorney claims that he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe he should choose his friends or hangouts more wisely.

Granted many of these instances have been followed with penalties, but my point is that the damage is done.

It is no wonder parents are having difficulties keeping their children out of trouble. If these youngsters look up to these sports heroes and see them committing crimes, they might start thinking that it is OK for them to do it also.

I am not saying that athletes have to be perfect. We all lose our tempers at times, but if athletes assume prestigious roles, they need to uphold them.

No, sports models aren't here to save the world, and although some cry that the fans are the reason sports figures are put in the spotlight, they should learn to control their attitudes -- especially in a public place.

The ones committing crimes have no excuse either. They made the decision and they should pay the price. They should not be given special treatment because they make more money than the next criminal does.

I like sports for the sport in it, not because so-and-so can slam dunk or hit a home run. People, sports figures mainly, have killed the true meaning of sports. When will we see the "sport" in sports again?