| The Super Bowl, World Series, Stanley Cup, and NBA | | | | is a good model for any young person to see, whether |
| Championship are broadcast to tens and hundreds of | | | | the object of their attention is Christian or atheist. In |
| millions of people around the world. In fact, they are | | | | fact, I would not hesitate to describe Martinovich |
| watched by many times more viewers than each | | | | himself as a good role model to other atheists, in that |
| sport has fans, because the games have become as | | | | some of them find it very difficult to put aside their |
| much celebrity and cultural celebrations as sporting | | | | acidic disdain, their often undisguised contempt, for |
| events. In fact, it can be argued quite easily that since | | | | Christians and Christianity. |
| at least the 1990's they have become much more the | | | | Role models are drafted |
| former than the latter. The professional sports industry, | | | | Charles Barkley, recently retired basketball star and a |
| if we can somewhat vaguely construe it as some sort | | | | Republican, famously remarked that he was most |
| of cultural institution, has become way more than | | | | certainly not a role model, but a basketball player. I |
| organized athletics. Some of the evidence for this is | | | | found much to identify with in his further remarks on |
| the fact that sports celebrities today enjoy fame and | | | | the subject, the gist of which was that he neither |
| recognition (not to mention vast sums of money) out | | | | sought nor made use of the soapbox that his fame |
| of all proportion to the active fan base of their team | | | | brought him. Erroneously, however, Barkley equated |
| and sport. That is, there are only so many L.A. Laker | | | | being a role model with having to take some sort of |
| fans, but everyone has heard of Kobe Bryant, and | | | | specific action vis-à-vis young people, like a |
| everyone knows that he is among the best basketball | | | | public service commercial against smoking or a |
| players today - even if all they know about basketball | | | | "Special Olympics"-style basketball camp. |
| is that Kobe plays it. | | | | By the definition we are using now, volition is |
| The fame gamerom the sports world and into general | | | | unnecessary to one's status as a role model. The |
| cultural consciousness have come a slew of players | | | | media anoints you with fame and gives you access to |
| from various sports, fueled by money and media | | | | the airwaves. And that, Mr. Barkley, makes you a role |
| attention; and by dint of the money and the attention, | | | | model. |
| the more charismatic and motivated of these rich | | | | In just the past few years, athletes including footballers |
| athletes segue into the big bucks Hollywood-New York | | | | Rae Carruthers and Ray Lewis, baseballers Barry |
| media axis. There they join their counterparts from TV, | | | | Bonds and Jose Canseco, and basketballers Allen |
| movies, the music biz, Broadway, the New York Times | | | | Iverson and Jerry Stackhouse have been implicated in |
| bestseller list, and all the other profit centers of the | | | | drug dealing, money laundering, assault, grand theft, and |
| multimedia celebritainment universe. | | | | about half a dozen murders. Along with others of the |
| This is the cover photo pool for People and Us and | | | | "protocriminal element" - a not insignificant fraction of |
| National Enquirer, and sports stars are now an | | | | the whole, as documented in a mid-1990's book about |
| accepted and undifferentiated component of it; they | | | | convicted felons in professional sports, Pros & |
| have been absorbed. Since they have achieved the | | | | Cons - these wealthy, probably spoiled, and certainly |
| ultimate post-modern status, of being famous for being | | | | insulated pro jocks have been elevated to a special |
| famous, they are in the pool, like it or not, and this is the | | | | station in American cultural life. Certainly they know this. |
| same pool from which the mainstream media fishes | | | | Whether or not these "stars" even contemplate the |
| out its hip representatives of modern lifestyles. | | | | nature of their influence on young people, in and out of |
| Perhaps we should call them "rockin' role models" so | | | | sports programs, is mostly unknown; perhaps they |
| as to distinguish them from those of the bygone eras, | | | | never wanted to be role models, and feel no |
| such as, oh, your mom, dad, pastor, or professor, who, | | | | responsibility for the broken hearts and dreams of their |
| of course, were bigots and hypocrites and ate veal | | | | fans. But they are in the headlines and in the public eye |
| and may have even smoked! | | | | nonetheless, and people will draw their own |
| Roles and responsibilities | | | | conclusions about these men, their guilt or innocence, |
| These scattershot observations seem to tap dance | | | | and their essential characters. It's not like they can |
| around the point because, in fact, it takes a whole lot | | | | avoid being caught doing no-no's, given that "the public |
| more complicated and thoroughgoing thinking than has | | | | eye" is bigger than ever, with paparazzi, video |
| been displayed here thus far to contend with the issue | | | | surveillance cameras, news crews, gossip-show |
| of "celebrity role models" in Third Millennium A.D. | | | | stringers, and stalkers with cellphone cameras |
| America. Specifically, for instance, what are the "role | | | | snagging images 24/7. |
| model" responsibilities of celebrities, particularly sports | | | | Congruent behavior |
| stars? | | | | In the end, it doesn't matter if you want the role model |
| In televised Sunday (and Monday, and sometimes | | | | designation or not. Once you rise high enough above |
| Thursday and Saturday) games both important and | | | | the rest of the crowd, in whatever endeavor or |
| pointless, we see the best and the worst of the | | | | business or art or craft, your influence will begin to |
| National Football League in action. After throwing a | | | | grow, and people will begin to point you out and ask |
| winning touchdown pass in the closing moments, many | | | | your opinion and value your insights - even (sometimes, |
| an excited quarterback has offered up an enthusiastic, | | | | it seems, particularly) if you're a nitwit. Perhaps, if you're |
| obviously heartfelt, "Thank you, Jesus!" shouted to a | | | | a star running back in the NFL, you are not responsible |
| national, even worldwide, audience. Many Christian | | | | for the moral education of the nation's youth. But kids |
| athletes are positive, inspirational forces in their families, | | | | will emulate those they admire and, like it or not, it might |
| teams, and communities, and, given the opportunity to | | | | be you. |
| communicate to the entire world during the | | | | As an adult, you are always responsible for your own |
| media-saturated weeks of playoffs culminating with | | | | actions, and part of being an adult is acting right |
| the Super Bowl, generally comport themselves with | | | | whether or not the nightclub's video security system is |
| grace, style, humility, and sincerity. | | | | targeting you. If you're a public figure, you should |
| Walking the talk | | | | certainly know by now that you must comport |
| These are solid fellows, and it's not just about being | | | | yourself in a dignified manner, in both the private and |
| Christian. Steve Martinovich, the atheist editor of the | | | | public spheres of your life. Of course, with the |
| political website known as Enter Stage Right, found | | | | mega-famous, the latter has just about completely |
| much to commend in believer Kurt Warner following | | | | subsumed the former. |
| Super Bowl XXXIV back in 2000, and did so quite | | | | Honest, principled, congruent people act the same way |
| publicly in a widely read editorial that reverberated | | | | in both spheres, regardless of who is watching. And |
| among "unbelievers" for several years. | | | | they do not mind being called role models, either. You |
| Warner's story, in Martinovich's synopsis, is about | | | | may draw your own conclusions about people who |
| walking what you talk, about living your principles. That | | | | do. |
