Athlete or Role Model?

Michael Phelps and the pot. A-Rod and the steroids.

Trying to figure out how I feel about that.

Michael Phelps - stupid decision. The guy is a world famous athlete. The total image of the Olympics. Super human, incredible. Has a devoted mother. Obviously a choice to smoke pot at a party might have some bad repercussions. Someone snapped a picture. And then sold it......

So he apologizes. I believe he's sincere.

And he starts losing his endorsements.

So, here's the dilemma....... is he just a regular college aged kid out at a party? Anyone else wouldn't have the same fall-out if he was in a picture with a bong. Should he be excused and chalk it up to regular old life and the things people do when they're young?

Or is he different from everyone else? Kids and Americans look up to him. Does that mean that his choice is so much worse than anyone else's?

I don't know......

A-Rod - I'm sick of these athletes taking steroids. I can imagine they have pressure from their trainers or friends or agents or whoever to beef up, get stronger, perform better, make more money. But, come on!

Try as I might, I can't figure out why athletes make SO MUCH money. And Alex is the highest paid baseball player. Something like $275 million over a 10-year period. I can't even fathom that amount.

Taking steroids makes the athletes appear as liars. Do they really need to bulk up that much more? How do they convince themselves that it's ok?

So, are athletes who are in the limelight have a responsibility to be role models? To be the kind of people that kids look up to? It's hard talking to 5th graders about the headlines of their favorite athletes. I'm surprised no one has mentioned Michael Phelps in my room yet.....

Or is it like Charles Barkley once quoted, "I'm not a role model... Just because I dunk a basketball doesn't mean I should raise your kids."

So, I wonder....