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TR,
Couldn't get link to go to story.
It says, "We're sorry. The projo.com story, feature or page you are trying to access either has caused an error or is no longer available on this part of our site".
Could you cut and paste or post different link.
Thanks
Couldn't get link to go to story.
It says, "We're sorry. The projo.com story, feature or page you are trying to access either has caused an error or is no longer available on this part of our site".
Could you cut and paste or post different link.
Thanks
SBK
I just hit it and went right to the story
Try again
I just hit it and went right to the story
Try again
This time I went to a page that needed a lengthy registration.
Since most people will not register, below are the first few paragraphs as well as the story credits.
<Beginning of excerpt>
Blaming athletes for the problems a parental cop-out
01:00 AM EST on Sunday, March 27, 2005
BY RON COOK
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Former NBA star Charles Barkley is a man who was ahead of his time.
"I don't believe professional athletes should be role models," he said more than 10 years ago. "I believe parents should be role models."
Barkley was right then. His words are even more appropriate now.
Just about everything that happened at the congressional hearing about steroids last week -- from Mark McGwire's instructive silence about his use of performance-enhancing drugs to Bud Selig's and Don Fehr's weak, inane defense of baseball's inadequate drug-testing plan to Sammy Sosa's ridiculous use of an interpreter even though he speaks English well -- was nauseating. But the most offensive part, by far, were the parents who blamed baseball and its stars for their kids' suicides.
I guess that beats looking in the mirror.
Where were the parents when their kid first starting using steroids, which, they insist, led to his suicide? Did they sit their son down and explain the dangers? They had that little talk about other drugs and alcohol and ***, didn't they?
<End of excerpt>
Since most people will not register, below are the first few paragraphs as well as the story credits.
<Beginning of excerpt>
Blaming athletes for the problems a parental cop-out
01:00 AM EST on Sunday, March 27, 2005
BY RON COOK
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Former NBA star Charles Barkley is a man who was ahead of his time.
"I don't believe professional athletes should be role models," he said more than 10 years ago. "I believe parents should be role models."
Barkley was right then. His words are even more appropriate now.
Just about everything that happened at the congressional hearing about steroids last week -- from Mark McGwire's instructive silence about his use of performance-enhancing drugs to Bud Selig's and Don Fehr's weak, inane defense of baseball's inadequate drug-testing plan to Sammy Sosa's ridiculous use of an interpreter even though he speaks English well -- was nauseating. But the most offensive part, by far, were the parents who blamed baseball and its stars for their kids' suicides.
I guess that beats looking in the mirror.
Where were the parents when their kid first starting using steroids, which, they insist, led to his suicide? Did they sit their son down and explain the dangers? They had that little talk about other drugs and alcohol and ***, didn't they?
<End of excerpt>
Charles Barkley is partially right. Parents should be role models. Does this excuse athletes like Charles Barkley or entertainers like Ludicris from serving as role models for youths also?
The reality is that athletes are extremely influential in this society and need to be held accountable. Does Charles believe that athletes are influencing kids especially?
In fact Charles has received money from companies to influence society. Wasn’t he the spokesman for a deodorant or shaving cream company a while back? Wasn’t Ludicris being paid by Pepsi to influence young people? (That is until society held Pepsi accountable and they dropped him)
So why doesn’t Charles think athletes only influence people when big corporations are paying them?
Within the last couple months I posted on a related subject. I used the example that athletes and entertainers are so influential that if a high-level baseball player started wearing his hat backwards, I’ll bet a lot of kids would start doing it.
I also said that I’d bet if a famous pop star would start showing their belly button, it wouldn’t be long before lots of girls start doing the same, including many that shouldn’t even consider it.
Of course athletes and entertainers are influential, whether they choose to be or not.
So Charles, you are right, parents should be role models and many of you entertainers and athletes should not be.
However, just because you say it, it doesn’t make it true. A long with the perks of being a celebrity comes some responsibility. When celebrities fail in their responsibility, society needs to hold them accountable.
The reality is that athletes are extremely influential in this society and need to be held accountable. Does Charles believe that athletes are influencing kids especially?
In fact Charles has received money from companies to influence society. Wasn’t he the spokesman for a deodorant or shaving cream company a while back? Wasn’t Ludicris being paid by Pepsi to influence young people? (That is until society held Pepsi accountable and they dropped him)
So why doesn’t Charles think athletes only influence people when big corporations are paying them?
Within the last couple months I posted on a related subject. I used the example that athletes and entertainers are so influential that if a high-level baseball player started wearing his hat backwards, I’ll bet a lot of kids would start doing it.
I also said that I’d bet if a famous pop star would start showing their belly button, it wouldn’t be long before lots of girls start doing the same, including many that shouldn’t even consider it.
Of course athletes and entertainers are influential, whether they choose to be or not.
So Charles, you are right, parents should be role models and many of you entertainers and athletes should not be.
However, just because you say it, it doesn’t make it true. A long with the perks of being a celebrity comes some responsibility. When celebrities fail in their responsibility, society needs to hold them accountable.