An offseason of distractions

[Kelly the Dog]

I disagree with that point. I think that that is just something society is now using as a way of excusing the players bad behaviours. What you are basically saying is that as long as they do the job they are payed to do, nothing else they do should matter. The thing is, rightfully so, or not, they are in a position where young children will look up to them and idolize them because they are living out a dream that most young kids have. If this is the case, who should people/children look up to? Why should people care that Clinton had sex with an intern if he was doing his job as president? Should kids not look up to the president as a role model?

 

When you are a public figure, like an athlete, actor, politician, etc. People (especially children) will look up to you and idolize you, looking up to you as a role model/hero, it comes with the job and that great pay.

This is a big pet peeve of mine. Without question this is all conjecture, and we all just have varying opinions on this. There are no facts to back up anyone's opinions. But it's an interesting discussion.

 

I think people confuse the terms role model and hero when applied to sports stars. And I think that basically all kids know right from wrong. They may not act it, but they basically know it. And I don't think it happens all that much that a kid sees a player do something off the field, and then copies it, or accepts it as cool, or brushes it off as being right when they know it is wrong because their favorite player did it. I bet millions of kids watched Pete Rose over the years and looked up to him as a player. A huge amount hustled like Rose because they saw him do that. They barreled into catchers coming from third because they saw him do it. They copied his swing or his toughness and/or wore his jersey and saved his baseball card because they watched him play and he was a great hitter and player.

 

I doubt there was more than five kids ever that thought it was okay to bet on baseball games as a player because Pete Rose did. And if they did, they were hopeless to start.

 

No kid, or extremely few, IMO, thinks it's okay to hit and run now because Marshawn Lynch got away with it. I just don't think that happens. They will cheer for him and wear his jersey and maybe copy his hairstyle, and mimic things he does on the field, but the role model and hero stuff ends there. They basically know right from wrong.

 

The same way that I doubt kids copy the NFL's great citizens actions off the field. I doubt many 12 year olds see that Donte Whitner is a great guy off the field and start to invite younger kids into their house because they want them to succeed and they know how hard it was being 10 years old two years ago. They, instead, wear Donte Whitners jersey and take 10 year olds and beat the snot out of them and give them wedgies and swirlies because that's what kids do.

[obie_wan]

This is a big pet peeve of mine. Without question this is all conjecture, and we all just have varying opinions on this. There are no facts to back up anyone's opinions. But it's an interesting discussion.

 

I think people confuse the terms role model and hero when applied to sports stars. And I think that basically all kids know right from wrong. They may not act it, but they basically know it. And I don't think it happens all that much that a kid sees a player do something off the field, and then copies it, or accepts it as cool, or brushes it off as being right when they know it is wrong because their favorite player did it. A bet millions of kids watched Pete Rose over the years and looked up to him as a player. A huge amount hustled like Rose because they saw him do that. They barreled into catchers coming from third because they saw him do it. They copied his swing or his toughness and/or wore his jersey and saved his baseball card because they watched him play and he was a great hitter and player.

 

I doubt there was more than five kids ever that thought it was okay to bet on baseball games as a player because Pete Rose did. And if they did, they were hopeless to start.

 

No kid, or extremely few, IMO, thinks it's okay to hit and run now because Marshawn Lynch got away with it. I just don't think that happens. They will cheer for him and wear his jersey and maybe copy his hairstyle, and mimic things he does on the field, but the role model and hero stuff ends there. They basically know right from wrong.

 

The same way that I doubt kids copy the NFL's great citizens actions off the field. I doubt many 12 year olds see that Donte Whitner is a great guy off the field and start to invite younger kids into their house because they want them to succeed and they know how hard it was being 10 years old two years ago. They, instead, wear Donte Whitners jersey and take 10 year olds and beat the snot out of them and give them wedgies and swirlies because that's what kids do.

 

They may not actively conduct hit and run pedestrians.

 

However, the bigger message is that Marshawn made out by avoiding responsibilty - and everyone else should do it too because it works.

[ricojes]

They may not actively conduct hit and run pedestrians.

 

However, the bigger message is that Marshawn made out by avoiding responsibilty - and everyone else should do it too because it works.

Good to know, thanks ML...

 

Next weeks lesson, how to get away with ___________

[Kelly the Dog]

They may not actively conduct hit and run pedestrians.

 

However, the bigger message is that Marshawn made out by avoiding responsibilty - and everyone else should do it too because it works.

Right, I'm sure 21 year olds, ten years from now who are 11 today, will run into pedestrians crossing streets and immediately think to themselves, "Ten years ago my main dude Marshawn Lynch got away with it, I can, too!" and speed off when, without it, they would have stopped.

 

Anyone, who is 21 now, who thinks it's okay to hit and run because a player on the Bills got away with it should be run over by a car, any car.

[Endzone Animal]

Right, I'm sure 21 year olds, ten years from now who are 11 today, will run into pedestrians crossing streets and immediately think to themselves, "Ten years ago my main dude Marshawn Lynch got away with it, I can, too!" and speed off when, without it, they would have stopped.

 

Anyone, who is 21 now, who thinks it's okay to hit and run because a player on the Bills got away with it should be run over by a car, any car.

I think what Obie means is that children may be tempted to think honor, accountablity and responsibility are not important values when their favorite players act this way. Of course, this doesn't mean quality parenting won't overcome it, but it does mean parents have to be more alert than ever in raising their kids NOT to be like the guys they are cheering on the field.

[Kelly the Dog]

I think what Obie means is that children may be tempted to think honor, accountablity and responsibility are not important values when their favorite players act this way. Of course, this doesn't mean quality parenting won't overcome it, but it does mean parents have to be more alert than ever in raising their kids NOT to be like the guys they are cheering on the field.

I know the theory, I simply don't subscribe to it whatsoever.

 

I didn't do it myself as a kid, and never thought to. I never met a kid anywhere who did. And I don't even see why they would do it, for the reasons I described above.

 

It's the same thing IMO as watching violence on television. Some people think it makes kids more violent, I really don't. If that were true, why wouldn't kids who watch good shows act better and be more good if it has that kind of influence? The kids that grew up on TV in the 50s, where most of the shows were WAY less violent and more along the lines of "Father Knows Best" and "Ozzie and Harriet" and "Leave It To Beaver" turned into the 60s teenagers and hippies going one extreme to the other, either throwing ox blood on draft files and killing cops or being flower children abusing dope and loving everyone (until you did anything to them they didn't like, then they turned to pouring ox blood on draft files and killing cops).

[Endzone Animal]

I know the theory, I simply don't subscribe to it whatsoever.

 

I didn't do it myself as a kid, and never thought to. I never met a kid anywhere who did. And I don't even see why they would do it, for the reasons I described above.

 

It's the same thing IMO as watching violence on television. Some people think it makes kids more violent, I really don't. If that were true, why wouldn't kids who watch good shows act better and be more good if it has that kind of influence? The kids that grew up on TV in the 50s, where most of the shows were WAY less violent and more along the lines of "Father Knows Best" and "Ozzie and Harriet" and "Leave It To Beaver" turned into the 60s teenagers and hippies going one extreme to the other, either throwing ox blood on draft files and killing cops or being flower children abusing dope and loving everyone (until you did anything to them they didn't like, then they turned to pouring ox blood on draft files and killing cops).

I see what you're saying, but keep in mind there is a reason parents shouldn't let their 10 year old kids watch porn or the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Kids are impressionable and formative. Parents need to be the ones who impart values on a child's life (obviously), and now athletes are more and more becoming a bad element that parents need to monitor. It's not all or nothing, properly raised kids can think and reason right and wrong for themselves to a degree, but if you aren't careful as a parent your kids will be more vulnerable to the bombardment of pop-culture trash that they constantly face.

[ndirish1978]

I think what Obie means is that children may be tempted to think honor, accountablity and responsibility are not important values when their favorite players act this way. Of course, this doesn't mean quality parenting won't overcome it, but it does mean parents have to be more alert than ever in raising their kids NOT to be like the guys they are cheering on the field.

 

Honor, accountability and responsibility are for sale in today's world as long as you have enough money. That's simply a fact. People get away with things because they have money. Kids aren't looking to become famous so the rules won't apply to them anymore, but they need to be more realistic about how life works out. Basically, you have a choice, like all other situations in life, to teach kids an object lesson when you see things like this happen. Life is not fair. Good guys don't always win. Do I think Marshawn hit the girl, knew he hit her and didn't care? No. Frankly, I don't really care. If your kid is busy copying EVERY action of his heroes, then I suggest you spend more time with your kids, cause it would take a pretty dumb kid to aspire to the errors in other's lives.

[BillsWatch]

The biggest distractions are to the players' agents who need to spend more time than usual on the clients who will be making less money than usual on endorsements.

 

Peters not honoring his contract is a bigger distraction.