ADSactly Sports - Heroes? How Much Should We Idolize Professional Athletes?
ADSactly Sports: Heroes? How Much Should We Idolize Professional Athletes?
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Last week I had a student come up to me and start talking about the NHL playoffs and his favourite team, the Philadelphia Flyers. I often have conversations with my students about sports because I am passionate about sports and I am so heavily involved with them. Many of the students I teach and coach are also passionate about sports and they happen to watch a lot of professional sports. During this particular conversation, this young man made the following comment: “Claude Giroux is the best player ever, he is my hero!” He said it with such enthusiasm and passion that you could tell he meant what he was saying. This caused me to pause a moment and think to myself. My thoughts immediately went to a writing assignment I had done with students the previous year. Students were asked to write about someone who was a hero to them. A surprising number of those projects were written about professional athletes. The more I thought about this the more concern started to boil up in me. Heroes? Really?
Hero defined:
A person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.
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A hero is someone who “we” determine to have demonstrated behaviors and decisions that are ethically and emotionally worthy of our awe. We see in them something we think is not in us. Given similar conditions, we “think” we might not make the same moves and decisions they do, so we place them in an elevated place in society or in our minds. What is a hero? Someone who inspires us by their example.
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Hero is a word that is often used to describe great acts of bravery in war or efforts made to lift up the lives of people who are living in oppression and other human inequalities. It is those people who are the ones deserving of the term hero and yet more and more people are referring to professional athletes as heroes. Why is this happening? Does being great at a sport warrant the designation of hero? When did being an elite athlete lift you up to status equal with a police officer or a fireman or even a doctor? Are athletes the people we want our children looking up to as role models. I think that there are many professional athletes that demonstrate qualities that we would like our kids to possess and of course we can admire athletic talents and skills that our children can aspire to equal. All I am saying is that I think we need to be careful how easily we throw around the term “hero”.
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Taking a look at the definition of a hero there is really only one part that stands out as an immediate link to athletes. Elite athletes regularly perform feats of athletic prowess that leave the everyday person in awe. Watching Lebron James take over a basketball game and put up a triple-double in a dominating performance is impressive. Watching Julio Jones get 300 yards receiving in a game leaves us dumbfounded. We see stars do amazing things all the time in their respective sports. Records are broken all the time and we pay homage to the newest and biggest stars in the game. Odell Beckham Jr made a jaw-dropping one-handed catch in his rookie season and a star was born. Are we comparing these actions to the amazing abilities of superheroes?
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We are amazed by these athletic performances because they are things that most of us could never do. It is human nature to admire greatness and cheer for the accomplishments of great athletes. We have been doing it since the days of Ancient Greece and the beginning of the Olympics tradition. We can go even farther back to ancient Rome and the battles of the Gladiators. We put these physical and athletic specimens on a pedestal. I can admit that as a sports fan I cheer for great athletes along with the rest of the die-hard fans around the world. I talk about their accomplishments as though they were great acts of God and envy their abilities but never have I used the term hero to describe even my most adored players.
Once we look past the “outstanding achievements” the definition of hero takes a very moral turn. “Courage” and “noble qualities” jump right off the page. These are the types of character traits that speak to someone who is willing do the right thing when it is not easy. Being willing to sacrifice of yourself in order to look out for the interest, safety and well being. A person who puts the needs of others ahead of their own and even seeks out opportunities to work towards helping those less fortunate or those in need. This speaks volumes to me about how high we should be propping professional athletes up and who we should truly be looking to as our everyday heroes.
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If you are paying attention to the news at all then you have already started to get where I might be going with this. We are regularly hearing stories about some of the “not so noble” things that our “idols” are doing. From drugs to domestic abuse and everything in between we are constantly finding out that these so-called heroes, the people who many children are looking to as role models, are far from. There are stories of athletes being involved in fighting with fans, carrying weapons and even illegal dogfighting. Do we want our children idolizing people who will do unspeakable things and show no signs of remorse?
Aaron Hernendez - Charged with murder
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Over the years many athletes have been at the forefront of unsavoury incidents. Some of the most recent incidents include:
| Player | Date | Incident |
|---|---|---|
| Aldon Smith | NFL | Domestic abuse charges |
| Michael Bennett | NFL | Accused of pushing a 68 year old woman down |
| Tiger Woods | PGA | Charged with DUI |
| Michael Phelps | Swimmer | Charged with DUI |
| Adrian Peterson | NFL | Child Abuse |
| Charles Barkley | NBA | Assault charges and gambling |
| Allen Iverson | NBA | Several arrests including gun charges |
| Alex Rodriguez | MLB | PED’s |
| Manny Ramirez | MLB | Battery Charges |
| Slava Voyanov | NHL | Domestic Abuse |
Source 1, Source 2, Source 3, Source 4, Source 5
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These are just a few of the many cases you will learn about if you pay attention to the sports news. There are new incidents happening all the time. What really stands out about these things is not just the regularity in which they happen but how easily these legal problems seem to go away or how long it takes to actually come to the decision to charge someone. One example of this stands out to me as a fan standing on the sidelines hearing about all this stuff happening. The Michael Bennett issue happened at last years Super Bowl, 2017. Yet, it took until March of 2018 before this man held accountable for his actions. How is it possible that something like shoving an old lady to the ground to get past her swept under the rug for that long? You can be sure that if you or I was the offender, in this case, we would have spent some time in the back of a police car right away. Why are these athletes not being held to the same standards as the rest of us? Not only does this happen at the pro level but also through the college and high school ranks. The papers are riddled with stories of young star athletes that got into trouble and were able to skirt through with little more than a slap on the wrist. We must protect our stars!
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By no means do I want to paint a picture of doom and gloom when it comes to athletes. There are a great number of athletes that are doing things the right way and setting a tremendous example for young people. We do here lots of stories about athletes that donate money and time to charities and who make the dreams some fans come true by spending time with them in the hospital or inviting them to special events. Do these things sound heroic? Or are these things that any public figure should strive to do? There are a lot of people without the same means that do these things every day without being recognized for their efforts the way a pro athlete would be.
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The term role model is defined as “a person whose behavior, example, or success is or can be emulated by others, especially younger people”
Athletes are role models whether or not they choose to take on the responsibility, and whether they are good or bad role models. But athlete “hero worship” wasn’t always as prevalent as it is today. There was a time when others served as America’s role models (civic leaders, clergy, legal and medical experts, etc.). It might be argued that the shift reflects decay in our nation’s moral standards.
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The reality is that the idolization of elite athletes is not likely to change any time soon. Their position in society is such that we are going to look up to them and envy them. It is human nature to stand in awe of those who are about to accomplish great athletic feats. I can understand this glorifying of their abilities but I really think society needs to take a step back when it comes to using the term hero. Next time you go to refer to your favourite player asw a hero, take a moment to reconsider what a hero is. We have people in society that put themselves in harms way every day for the betterment of the world and to keep others safe.
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Do we really think that an amazing goal, or a 50 yard touchdown is more heroic than pulling a family out of a burning building? Admire athletes endeavours on the court, ice or field for what they are and save the term “hero” for the people who truly deserve it.
Do you idolize any athletes? What are your thoughts about athletes being role models or called heroes? I would love to read your stories and hear about who your heroes are.
Authored by @broncofan99
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From childhood children make someone their ideal as a hero which are mostly sports man. They make their standard of viewing and supporting according to their favorite athletes.
It’s true. In many cases people become fans of a certain team because of their admiration of the athlete.
Throughout history people have always sought for idols, someone to look up to, someone to adore. Some people admired tyrants (which was usually problematic as you can't know who really admired them and who was forced to), some admired glorious warriors/archers/knights and some admired Gladiators.
Obviously, today we live in different times. Tyrants are less abundant, warriors, as in soldiers, do get some fame from time to time (as Chris Kyle got thanks to the movie “American Sniper”), but then again, that's pretty rare, and as for politicians, usually they are not exactly "Idol Material", so.... We idolize sports players!
Sport players are often named "The Gladiators of the 20th/21st Century". That's because just like the Gladiators, sport players make thousands of people gather around in stadiums, cheering, shouting and consuming some entertainment, all of that, thanks to them.
Obviously this tells us why sport players are popular, but does not answer your question. Well, one of the major reasons we idolize sports players is the fact that they do what they (and we) love for living! They get to play your favorite sports, do it remarkably well, and get paid for it (like really well paid). Moreover, they are usually good looking, surrounded by pretty girls and very confident, all of which are considered desired characteristics among us, humans. If we want to look into it biologically, the reason we idolize sport players is because we find them better gene carriers than us, and in one level or another we want to be like them, knowing it is not possible, we settle with idolizing them.
Thank you for the meaningful comment. Your statement makes perfect sense. If someone is able to do something that we can only imagine being able to do and we see them have money, cars and the admiration of the world then it is natural for us to idolize them. I just think we need to be careful how much we push that onto our kids. We should look for them to be great people as well as great athletes.
People tend to create idols for themselves. Although this is a violation of one of the commandments of the bible. But there is nothing bad that would imitate a worthy person who shows the right example. It can be simple people who do heroic things. Why do not we imitate those people who help the homeless and sacrifice the time to help those who need help? But apparently it's a utopia.
What do we see in the real world? People become fans of non-existent characters in movies or games. People feed themselves illusions. The same can be said about the "great" athletes. Yes, sport is good and no one disputes with this. Sportsmen perform several roles. In one of them - these are talented people who delight the audience with their achievements (or game). But another role is public life. Yes they are successful and they have all the dreams of millions of other people. This is the main reason for fanaticism.
I read a lot about the "back" side of famous sportsmen or even actors and politicians. Many of them are at the center of scandals. Glory turns their heads. Your article opens your eyes to such right things. We began to forget where the real heroes are. It is not necessary to be famous to perform heroic and worthy deeds.
Thank you, this is a great article that must be read!
You make some very valid arguments and I can understand your frustration. Sports has become such a huge entertainment machine that we are constantly inundated with images and stories of the great things these athletes do and we glorify so readily.
I think heroes come and go. I know a couple of certified war heroes and they are no different today than you and me. When it was time to make a choice they made the choice to do a thing that made them a 'hero'. That made no particular difference in the rest of their lives.
I really see no particular problem with admiring athletes for what they can do. Most of them not only win the genetic lottery, but work incredibly hard to perfect their craft. The problem comes from thinking that their 'heroic action' makes them somehow better or different than their fellow humans. They aren't.
Thank you for an incredibly well thought and presented post. Just the quality and quantity of the comments speaks volumes to the words you wrote. I'd say you are one of my heroes.
I think your comment speaks to part of what makes heroes who they are. They do what they do out of a desire to help and change wrongs. At the end of the day they are just like you and me and do not seek out recognition for their actions. Thanks for the kind words, I am certainly no hero though.
You are right! In my childhood even now (or before reading your post). If you asked me to write an essay about “who is my hero” first thing that pops in my head is professional athlete, perhaps two, three, four... all of them would be athletes. Ok, with one exception, my dad. But he past away when I was 10. Perhaps all kids before writing any essay about “hero”, should be educated about what actually being a hero means.
Reading all this criminal history of well known athletes makes me doubt my hero ideas. For example Michael Phelps. He definitely was in my “hero” book, now he is my idol or a role model. Obviously people representing the law think the same way, just like many of us. Protecting them, making privileges or simply money talks sometimes. You are right. Better definition for honest and hard working professional athletes should be “a role models”. Who is my hero now? I will have to think about it...
Anyway, great post!
Great comment, I am in the same boat myself at times. I find myself putting these great athletes on a pedestal but I think it important that we stop and think about how much admiration these athletes are getting and why. Enjoy them for what they are. Great athletes do not always equal great people.
The trap way too many people fall into is the idea that role models exist as x,y, or z. In reality people that deserve to be looked up to are everywhere.
Role models can also be polarizing people too. Colin Kaepernick and Tim Tebow are two great examples of people that use their platform to make a point or personify an idea. To millions those two are heroes and to that many more those two are opportunists with an agenda.
I understand your point and it's important to teach young people that because a person excels at something doesn't make that person extra in any other way.
I will encourage my children to look for leaders and people to look up to in roles my boys are interested in. If that's sports or music I'll encourage them to find quality role models in sports and music. If it's coding or enforcing laws I'd do the same.
The important takeaway is there are role models and shitty people in all walks of life.
I completely agree with your statement. There are a lot of great leaders in professional sports. People who take the opportunity to use their position to do good things and make strong statements. I even state this in my article. I think we need to take the time to find the good ones and respect and acknowledge their leadership efforts. Does this make them a hero though?
Muhammad Ali, Jessie Owens, and Jackie Robinson are 100% heroes. These guys are civil rights giants and should be recorded in history as peers of Rosa Parks and Malcolm X. I can't think of anything more heroic than doing something to the best of your ability in the face of overwhelming adversity.
Stan Musial, Ted Williams, and my god Pat Tillman are heroes. These guys sacrificed years of their careers, one even lost his life defending an idea. Selflessness and sacrifice are heroic qualities.
Those are some amazing examples!!! For sure there are athletes that are heroes. These people would have been heroes no matter what they did. They were amazing humans.
I don’t think it’s such a problem to idolize someone who works hard and perfects his craft and you realize the value of what hard work, talent and refining your craft has brought that person
It only becomes a problem when they become more than that, when they become a brand, when they become put into cult status while still activiely playing its only going to put too much pressure on the player or it goes to their head and they lose track of what got them their in the first place
Also putting this players under that kinda pressure isn’t for everyone they are still human and if you’re not mentally strong it can easily break you! How many sports stars have we seen fall down the path towards glory and end up broke or with a substance abuse problem, the celebrity status we give sports stars can quickly become toxic
This is such a great point and well stated. Athletes don’t ask to be heroes. They grow up wanting to be great at their sports but they don’t ask to be someone’s role model or idol. This responsibility is thrust on them by media and fans. Then we beat them down when they make mistakes. I am so glad for your comment. Their are many sides to this issue.
Oh I completely agree and yes they get paid a lot of money but it doesn’t mKe them any less human their careers are short and they literally putting their body on the line each week for our entertainment so I think they do deserve a fair compensation if you retired at say 35 you still have 50 years to live off that money raise a family and all that life brings post career! Not every player gets a coaching or media role afterwards
Look we all have a bad day, yes you a proffesional and yes the fans can criticize you if you played badly or did something silly that’s fine but the way the media and fans rip into atheletes these days it’s almost sickening!
The most intriguing point that you made, I think, is that you gave a writing assignment and many students chose, of all possible choices, professional athletes. I'd be quite concerned too! So that I have a little more context, may I ask the general group of your students?
I don't follow professional sports very much, myself. But even I know titans like Tiger Woods and Michael Phelps; I hadn't realized that Phelps also had DUI's! That's disappointing for sure...
You more or less already summarize my thoughts on the topic - the word "hero" might simply not mean to others what it means to us. Some of us think of those who sacrifice or risk much to help or save others, but professional sports players are, as by job description, competing to be the in the top rank. Nothing wrong with that, just doesn't feel heroic. And we can all still at least admire the amount of training that they do to get to where they are, not just anyone can pull that off. Dedication to self improvement is an excellent thing to be a role model for... Unless the training is so intense it might sap willpower from other things that matter? I can only speculate on the lapses of judgment from many famous sports players...
But competing to be the top, in my view, is admirable but not heroic. I feel that many heroes simply are invisible, maybe nameless to us, and therefore we don't have as strong a connection to them. When they're successful, things are normal, if they falter, things become tragic. It's not as fun to think too much about these things - yay, I'm still alive! Or oh no, my pet had to be put down...
Looks line my post is getting really long, so I'll put down a team of heroes to me : all the people of the world who worked together to eradicate smallpox. It's such an abstract thing, it's gone and doesn't affect me, but only because people like William Foege (Author of House on Fire, an account of the eradication of smallpox) and his coworkers dedicated themselves to its destruction. I admire what they did, and yet it feels weird to say so... Their triumph, though monumental, was in the past, and is proven by something that just isn't happening anymore. If I want to cheer them on, I have to learn of more people trying to eradicate different diseases, but then they're facing a lot of hard, maybe boring work, and a lot of frustration...
This is such a great and well thought out comment. I agree that most of today’s real heroism are indeed , invisible. They don’t seek out attention for their actions. I teach grade 8 students btw. Thank you for sharing your ideas.
For sure!