Sports & Recreation >
Sports Celebrities
Get a Widget for this title
RSS FeedCan sports celebrity speakers really have an impact on today's youth
Results so far:
| Yes | 85% | 104 votes | Total: 122 votes | |
| No | 15% | 18 votes |
Yes
Write now
Print
Invite a writer™
Add to FavoritesWho did you look up to as a child? Did you idolize a performer? Try and jump like Michael Jordan? Or was it a teacher who really made the difference?
All of us have a list of people we look up to. When it comes to young people, they often model the behavior of the people they admire. Especially when it comes to young boys, these are the slam-dunking, ball pitching, body-slamming sports celebrities our youth watch pulling the team to victory and earning six figure salaries with aparant ease. It's no wonder. When you're still gaining a start in life, that lavish lifestyle and exceptional athletic ability are exciting. "Reach for your dreams!" "Anything is possible," is the message.
The impact is far-reaching, for good or for bad. Celebrity sports players don't have a choice when it comes to their influence; it goes along with the territory when as a star, every move you make is caught in the public eye. We see the cars they drive, the houses they live in, know who they're dating, watch documentaries on their lives, and are told as much personal information as the media can dig up. Love it or hate it, what they do does matter.
A lot of sports players are asked to make appearances and speak to groups of young people. The point is to be inspiring, encourage them to stay in school, stay out of drugs, and achieve big goals. Although I admire the time these players devote to such public appearances, I believe that the meat of the message is lost in the novelty of the youth seeing such a famous person up-close and the chance to get an autograph. However, there is still a positive message. But if the positive message isn't followed by a high standard of living in their personal life, this message will turn into a negative influence.
As history would have it, I don't believe that many sucessful people can attribute their drive to a motivational speaker, famous or not, but to someone who has an active role in their life. I HAVE seen young people make poor choices based on negative publicity their role models create. Drug scandals, drunk driving, sexual exploits, and bad attitudes make a longer lasting impression. Some of this is a parent's responsibility to guard what is appropriate and inappropriate for the child to know; some information is too public to hide no matter what.
Ultimately, it is the sports star's social responsibility to not only be impressionable, but leave the kind of impression they can be proud to attribute themselves to. Words only go so far if they aren't backed up by moral actions.
Learn more about this author, Lauren Von Lehe.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
No
Other than a few tear jerking testimonials, I do not really know what the argument in favor of sports celebrity impact is, exactly. So, as opposed to my normal modus operandi of attacking the other sides opinion and then arguing for my own, I'll just argue for my own this time.
THE CELEBRITY MYSTIQUE
I'm willing to admit that in the 70's, 80's and through most (if not all) of the 90's sports celebrities had a particular "mystique" about them that allowed them to transcend everyday citizenary into superstardom. This was also, of course, a time when many if not all celebrity violations of the law (both common and political) were IGNORED by popular media. Sports celebrities transgressions against humanity were swept and kept under the carpet out of the public eye. But, the 00's have seen an onslaught of media attention (real and fabricated) dedicated to exposing celebrity lies, half truths and mistakes. The Steroids Era is upon us and we know more about the lives of sports celebrities than we do our neighbors. Simply put, the "mystique" is gone.
ROLE MODEL?
I'm not sure about any of you, and since I don't have children I speak purely hypothetically, but I'm not sure of a single sports athlete that I want today's youth to look up to. You know who was a really good role model? Michael Jordan. We'll never have another sports star like him. I thought that Brett Favre was close - but after retiring just to come back, functionally turning his back on PackerNation - I just can't see him as a legitimate "Honest Abe" type candidate. (And, I might add, it appears he's about to come back AGAIN.) Maybe someone will come along soon, but right now it just isn't there.
IMPACT
Derrick Thomas (Former Chiefs LB, RIP) came to my school to speak to us about drug use, hard work and dedication when I was in elementary school (probably about 1993-4). It was a moving speech that meant a lot to me - he was my favorite player of all time (and still is). But, we started asking him about his personal life, and found out what a complete and utter mess it was. He was a great athlete - but not a great person. 6 children with 5 different women? Come on Derrick...really?
The moment I found out about that was like a plane sliced a hole in my hot air balloon. I was instantly deflated and it made me want him to take back everything positive he had said about leading a good and moral life.
MODERN DAY AMERICA
By the time today's students make it in to the classroom the battle has already begun. It's difficult enough being a teacher today - what with the internet that's always connected, the television that's always on and the Blackberry with instant updates - students already know more about the world that we give them credit for. They're already getting the message(s) about everything from good hygiene to staying in school to going to college and etc. I don't know what sports celebrities can tell them that they are not already (in their own inflated egos) experts on.
Sports celebrities are already doing good enough if they have no charges against them and the Players' Union isn't fighting to keep them from being suspended. Don't make them responsible for today's youth, too. They are, after all, leading pretty rough lives - who are we to expect them to give a little back?
Learn more about this author, Kelly Thompson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
Difference of opinion? Debate now.
- Sports Celebrities
- Is Nick D'Arcy's ban fair or is it an unfair life sentence?
- Is it fair to send Olympic track star Marion Jones to jail for steroid use?
- Will the Beckhams be able to give their children a normal life in America despite media attention?
- Should Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban be allowed to purchase the Chicago Cubs?
