Although there are several bad characters amongst athletes, the good in the game far outweighs the bad. Despite mishaps both on and off the court, these players deserve to be admired. In today’s world, athletes are put under extreme pressure on how they handle themselves. Every move they make is examined by thousands of critics. Yet, when an athlete does something praiseworthy, they do not receive the credit deserved. Most athletes give fans reasons to idolize them, and the few that do not should not tarnish athlete’s image as a whole.
Athletes give us dozens of inspirational stories. Hundreds of charities have been founded by athletes, not to mention contributions to pre-existing charities. Tiger Woods, an athlete looked down upon because of off-the-course hiccups, has donated over $10 million to help underprivileged kids go to college, proving athletes with a poor image still feel a responsibility to use their wealth for good. Most athletes feel the responsibility to give back to the community.
Despite their work, athletes are ridiculed by many for making an immense amount of money through “a little game.” These athletes are placed in a no-win situation. The poor image placed on athletes is a result of them taking advantage of their wealth and status. Like artists, actors/actresses and other celebrities, athletes are a part of our everyday lives. The technology age has only increased obsession with these people. Fans can track the lives of every celebrity. When a story breaks, there is an excessive amount of people discussing it. Whether a running back receives a DUI, a pitcher fails a drug test or it’s point guard Gilbert Arenas’ gun charge, there is no shortage of scrutinization done by the media.
When athletes make these mistakes, bad media overshadows all the great, inspiring things that made us want to obsess over them in the first place. Lance Armstrong recently admitted to the use of illegal PED’s, causing fans to question their trust in him. Yet he is the founder of one of the most successful charitable foundations, Livestrong.
I hope fans and the media realize that there is more good than bad in the sports industry, and that people are making these mistakes everywhere, but athletes have a much bigger spotlight surrounding them 24/7.
