Professional Athletes as Role Models.
Sports have played a major role in society since the beginning of man. From the Greeks to present day, the influence of great athletes has been tremendous. However, today's media has elevated sports and the people who play them. Athletes are seen all over the place, we see them in commercials, on television shows, we read about them in magazines, and we watch them on television. Sports are a big part of our society. There is a strong need for positive athletic role models in society. In this paper I plan to show the importance of having positive athletic role models in society and the influence they have on and off the field. .
Sports are an American pastime. Sporting events have taken on an extraordinary importance in our society. Fair play and sportsmanship have taken a backseat to hype and promotion. Children watch and mimic their favorite athletes. They act like them; they play like them; they watch their every move. The hope that this hype and promotion has given fans across America is amazing.
A majority of proffessional level athletes provide hope for young athletes all over the world. For example, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball and gave new hope to black athletes everywhere. So what happens if the athlete does something wrong and gets away with it? Younger fans think that they can do the same thing without repracussions.
Terrell Owens of the San Francisco 49ers taunts his opponents and the crowd. Fans that look up to Owens see his actions and it causes them to act the same way. This is not bad, but good in that Owens is giving these kids and adults inspiration. When Owens fans act like him they are picturing themselves as him, scoring touchdowns, rubbing it in the opponents face, and it makes them want to become a great athlete so that one day they can perform the same acts in front of a crowd and have people looking up to them.