The Image of Professional Athletes

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to witness two greats in the baseball world inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. What a great atmosphere it was up there. An estimated 75,000 people turned up to watch and roast in sun as Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles, and Tony Gwynn of the San Diego Padres took their place in baseball history. Not only were they leaders on the field, they were and continue to be leaders off the field by showing their support for their communities. Cal and Tony are model examples of how professional athletes should act on and off the field. That said, in the news recently, there have been constant reports of athletes cheating (steroids at the Tour de France, and that guy named BARRY BONDS), committing crimes (uhhhhhhh Michael Vick comes to mind), and just being all around disgraceful (the assholes on the Cincinnati Bengals football team, and A-Rod running around with that blonde tramp and getting caught...)! It used to be that when one was blessed with natural athletic ability they were proud and felt lucky to be able to make a living doing something that they loved. In recent times, many feel it is their right to play football or baseball or basketball or, whatever (take your pick)... and get paid ridiculous amount of money! I don’t even want to start on how MBA players act or the image that they seem to make an effort to display. $(@#$)(!%&$#^(@)#%()*^#$%&!

Anyway, during the induction speeches of both Ripken and Gwynn, they both touched on how they took a good look at themselves, their image, how they impacted the people around them, and all the children that looked up to them. They understood that what they did on the field or in the dug-out or out in public would be seen by thousands of children and adults alike. Their actions represented who they are and also projected a certain image of their sport. There is a need for more athletes like Cal and Tony. Their dedication, their drive, their hard work and solid values earned them a spot among baseballs elite. Congrats to Cal and Tony, and lets hope that the next generation of athletes aspire to follow in their footsteps rather then those of Mr. Bonds, Mr. Vick, or Mr. Landis.