Certain players use their own personal attitude to bring their own line of fans. "You cannot attempt to be a role model and then disguise the very thing that makes you unique in the first place" (J. Bee Publications.) Some athletes such as Dennis Rodman are known for their bad attitude and sense of style. These people would not be the same with out these traits which make them unique. Michel Irving use to be a good role model until prying into his personal life showed his love for prostitutes and drugs.
Being an athlete does not mean that you automatically have the personality and habits necessary to become a role model. As a matter of a fact most celebrities in general are not good people to look up to because the majority of them will sell their soul for the right price. An athlete might do a commercial for shoes that he doesn't even wear, or be shown on a billboard drinking a soft drink just for a little bit more money. Advertisements like this are not good examples of honesty, a very important trait to look for when choosing a role model. These are lies that are fed to consumers everyday that can become the deciding factor of whether to buy one product or another. .
A role model by definition is "A person who serves as a model in a particular behavioral or social role for another person to emulate." Professional athletes are still young at heart; meaning that there mind is not yet set on settling down to a stable job. They"re not usually known for a good social standard either, because of their tendencies to over-enjoy life and live like there is no tomorrow. There behavioral tendencies and reckless behavior are usually overlooked or made into special circumstances, based on their fame. .
Increasingly, the names of athletes are showing up on for crimes they commit. In 1999 two NFL players: Rae Carruth and Ray Lewis, where been charged with murder. Ray Lewis by pleading guilty to a misdemeanor and testifying against two co-defendants received 12 months of probation for obstruction of justice.