Hell no they are not role models! Most of them are dumb as hell. Athletes such as Muhammad Ali, Jack Johnson, and those who stood for something other than fame or fortune where role models.

Even in the 80′s, athletes such as Michael Jordan, Charles Barkely, and even Dennis Rodman had SOME decorum about themselves. Nowadays, athletes are nothing but thugs!

The mistake we as the public makes is that we put these athletes, celebs, etc on this pedestal and we failed to realize they’re human just like ourselves. We should not view them (or anyone for that matter) so high that we forget OUR own worth as well as our families. Once we come to that recognition and lot of problems could be avoided.

This is true for most celebrities, not just athletes.

big time NAY!!

THE ONLY REASON WHY THEY LABEL SOMEONE A ROLE MODEL IS TO MAKE MONEY OFF THEIR BACKS. SINCE MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL, THE FORCES BEHIND THE LABELING COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE TRUE CHARACTER!!!

MY FATHER AND MOTHER ARE MY ROLE MODELS!!!

THEY ARE NOT ROLE MODELS THEY ARE SPORTS PLAYERS…QUIT LOOKING FOR CELEBRITY TO BE ROLE MODELS TO YOUR KIDS OR SOCIETY AND BE ROLE MODELS YOURSELVES…HALF OF THESE DUDES CAME FROM THE HOOD / POVERTY. HOW DO YOU EXPECT THEM TO ACT WHEN YOU GIVE THEM LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY ON THE REGULAR? YOU EXPECT THEM TO BE ANGELS WHEN THEY GET PAID MORE THEN COPS, DOCTORS, FIRE DPT… HELLO!!! CAN I GET A AMEN!
4RM THA QUEEN

YAY.

There is no “limitations” on where a “role model” can come from.

EVERYONE has the oppurtunity to be an inspiration and provide a “blueprint” to someone else. INCLUDING athletes.

SMH at this dumb azz sociologist.

PARENTS should always be their children’s role models first and foremost. It’s ok to admire people but parents should be the first best example to their children.

Yay, its the only productive thing american negroids can do so might as well look up to that

Because only children confuse sports stars with humanitarians; the rest of us know better.
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If that,s the case there are a lot of grown azz kids around the world. Adults (mostly males) idolize sports stars because the stars are doing what these adult men fantasize about what they wish they were doing. The biggest difference between stars today and stars in the past is that their discretion’s are now publicized. Former athlete were doing the same things (some even worst) that today’s athletes are doing. The only difference is that no one knew about it because the press didn’t report it.

They shouldn’t have to be role models, but damn, they should at least be good citizens! Pay your bills, stay out of trouble with the law, just like everyone else!

Oh Hell 2 the Naw…them fools could barely manage themselves.

The only role models for my kids are Jesus and their parents.

Children decide their own “role models,” not parents. Be it for good or bad.

EVERYONE IS CAPABLE of being a good role model regardless of their background.

I’ll put it this way:

Raise your own kids and give them someone to emulate. That being said, you should never look for someone to be a role model to your chilren other than yourself. Case in point:

Jimmy Swaggart had one of the largest and most successful churches in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. MIJDC can tell you that it’s right next to Mall of Louisiana, and they’ve since sold off a lot of the land, but before they started developing it, Jimmy Swaggart’s church ran for as far as the eye could see. He had INSANE amounts of money, his own helicopter, and a huge bible college. He was loved and adored by many, and the followers he had sent him millions of dollars because they thought that he was a righteous man, but it was later found out that he was busted with a prostitute named Debra Murphree at the Travel Inn on Airline Hwy. in New Orleans,LA. On a New Orleans morning news show four days later, Murphree stated that while Swaggart was a regular customer, they had never engaged in sexual intercourse. Then in 1991, Swaggart was found, for the second time, in the company of a prostitute, Rosemary Garcia. Rather than confessing to his congregation, Swaggart told those at Family Worship Center that:

“The Lord told me it’s flat none of your business.”

So if a “Man of God” can be tempted, it’s pretty safe to say that a professional athlete with money, women constantly throwing themselves at them, and fame doesn’t stand a snowball’s chance… LOL!!!

good article.

Gatorade could care less about Tiger. If he was neon orange they would have a neon orange gatorade bottle. Look at all of the thousands of athletes and than look at the ones who get no media attention.

The answer is a resounding “nay”–especially for black children.

Nay!

Follow me on twitter.com/Queen_Carmie

Athletes shouldn’t be role models, but society forces that mantra on them. The vast majority of athletes are good law abiding citizens. You just never hear about the good ones b/c that’s not ‘news worthy’. Yeah they might party too hard or have crazy sexual exploits, but any man with money and power have these faults.

NAAAAY

Only Jesus Christ should serve as a role model.

@Daywalker

Your reference to the “man of God” has nothing to do with the post in question. It is always people from the outside looking in that are trying to make a mockery the importance of God. Jimmy Swaggert (I don’t know him personally) was for all intent purposes a pseudo-Christian. THERE ARE MANY PSEUDO-CHRISTIANS ESPECIALLY IN THE U.S. “CHRISTIAN” is a label not an act. True followers of Christ prove their worth through there deeds not trough there tells or accounts.

My point is do not mention a pseudo-christian when you are pointing to examples of who does or does not qualify for the title of role-model. Most of these Pseudo-Christians role models are other Pseudo-Christians (birds from a feather flock together. There is such a thing as false prophets and Jimmy Swaggert definitely fits the description but for you to try and taint the intent of followers of Christ in your rant about role models defeats the purpose.

Peace

Typo: *make a mockery of the importance of God

The three dudes above would be great role models !!

Let me make my case :
1) Allen Iverson : This lil nicca would teach your kid to have more tatoos than baby and lil wayne combined ! Your kid would be at a press conference after the game talking like a ” GOON ” saying ish lke ” ” Yeah son i was in the club and i smashed dis dude in the head with a heiny bottle .. cuz dis nicca asked me for a augo graph ” ! F.u.c.c. outta here wid dat ! ( I`m proud and so are you ! LOL

Sounds good so far how about our next candidate : Ben Rothelesberger
This red neck mufuga ( the only w.h.i.t.e boy )

Will teach your kid to ride a motorcycle 100 mph without a helmet ( according toben he don`t need one )! , He will teach your son to run up on chicks and tell them bish you want a picture ?! ” Well I want some p.u.z.zy ” Ben`s a real charmer aint he ?!

And last and definitely the least this gap tooth carlton banks mad magazine looking m.u.f.u.g.a .. ” TIGER WOODS ”

He`s going to teach your son how to have a 1000 chicks ( all white ) on freaking speed dial ! He`s going to teach your son to have a roon full of women getting it popping and he always insist he must have on a suit cuz he`s a pimp ! He`s going to teach your son after he get`s his a.z.z. whipped with a golf club to call one of his chicks and say ” HEY this is Tiger ” ! Can you please take my name out your phone ?? Yeah your son can truly be a dumb azz like TIGGER !

Sign your kids up fast ! LOL

Nay.

Sanjor~~I agree with you on that one.. for once you make sense the only role models for my kids(when i have them) is Jesus and their parents!you cant even trust pastors and teachers these days!! Even coaches and camp counselors cant be trusted!

That article was on point. Well said.

I have never understood the whole “role model” concept if I wanted advice etc I looked to my parents. Granted I had great parents others can’t say the same so I recommend an adult they know and trust.

I don’t care what athletes do in the personal lives as long as it isn’t illegal

@Mrs. Sophisticate
3/12/10, 11:45:am
@Daywalker

Your reference to the “man of God” has nothing to do with the post in question. It is always people from the outside looking in that are trying to make a mockery the importance of God. Jimmy Swaggert (I don’t know him personally) was for all intent purposes a pseudo-Christian. THERE ARE MANY PSEUDO-CHRISTIANS ESPECIALLY IN THE U.S. “CHRISTIAN” is a label not an act. True followers of Christ prove their worth through there deeds not trough there tells or accounts.

My point is do not mention a pseudo-christian when you are pointing to examples of who does or does not qualify for the title of role-model. Most of these Pseudo-Christians role models are other Pseudo-Christians (birds from a feather flock together. There is such a thing as false prophets and Jimmy Swaggert definitely fits the description but for you to try and taint the intent of followers of Christ in your rant about role models defeats the purpose.

Peace
_______________________________________________

Did you read my post? Wherever did I supposedly taint the intent of anyone’s religion? Please show me where I did so, and I will apologize. You made a long winded post that had little to do with what I posted (to hear yourself talk as far as I’m concerned), but the point I was making was that ANY ONE may be suceptible to the temptations of money, fame and an uncontrolled libido…
_______________________________________________

@Theorius Stylez:

Good morning, sir!

This answer is not black and white. It is normal for people to look to successful people as motivation to push your self–what better way to learn. However, the greatest motivation you will ever find is the motivation that comes from within. Teach a child to be his/her own greatest competition and you see confidence, courage and creativity.

any famous person is gonna be a role model to someone whether they want to or not…they just need to accept that…

just because someone is talented doesnt meant they posses all the best qualities as well.

NAY! THEY ARE ONLY ROLE MODELS FOR ILLUMINATI

I think Charles Barkley already answered this question. When he said…”I am an athelete…no a role model. You should be the role model to your kids….not me.”

Charles can be brash at time, but he was 100% on point when he said this. A loooonnnnnnggg time ago. The problem is…society dosent seem to understand.

NO. The first and only role model any kid should have is their parents not a “star” of any kind. Biggest mistake parents make among other things. All these weak azz parents we have need reinvention.

Athletes have not, nor should they be role models. For anyone who was raised by either 2 parents or one the parent is the childs first teacher. This whole athlete is a role model is ludacris. Charles Barkley caught flack for stating in the Nike ads he and other athletes are not role models. He was right and people need to stop acting shocked and disgusted when a high profile entertainer or athlete slips. THEY ARE HUMAN JUST LIKE US!!! Add to that everyone around them tells them they are entitled to whatever they want. Unless the person surrounds themselves with people who can keep their feet firmly on the ground you have the sexual, drug, and moral transgressions that you have. The problem in the black community is lack of good parenting and so the child looks outside of that scope either to their surroundings or beyond, thus the added burden of blacks saying look you can’t slip up because WE are counting on you and the white race doesn’t think we are worth a damn anyway, so don’t slip and represent like Ali. Very few athletes can measure up to Ali. Hell very few people can measure up to him. With intergration the thinking is blending in and getting yours, all the while the system says your only going to go so far. Role model No Way!!!

Parents should be role models to their children, not some overpaid athletes.

I say Yea, I mean yay, or maybe nay or nea. So confused.

NAY A CHILD FIRST ROLE MODEL SHOULD B THEIR PARENTS OR PARENT.ATHLETE ARE COOL TO MODEL YOUR GAME AFTER BUT NOT YOUR LIFESTYLE BECAUSE PPL SOMETIMES FORGET THAT ATHLETES ARE HUMANS AS WELL AND ARE PRONE TO SLIP AND THAT WOULD BE MADE PUBLIC CAUSE OF THEIR STATUS, BARKLEY IS RIGHT.IT STARTS AT THE CRIB FIRST

parents’ as role models-yay

anyone else, beside family-nay