Ray Rice Is A Good Role Model Essay

Athletes in society are constantly in the media and are looked up to by the youth and fans alike. When athletes make bad decisions the issues are blown up for all to see. A role model is a person whose behavior can be emulated by others and especially younger people. Young kids look up to athletes more than anyone else and try to be just like them, wishing to follow in their footsteps when growing up. Not all athletes embrace being a role model in today’s society, even though the youth and many others follow their every move. Several professional athletes have gone from being role models to making bad decisions that often jeopardize their careers.

If you were to search through the media about athletes today, more than likely you will see Ray Rice pop up. Rice was a running back for the Baltimore Ravens and

looked up to as a role model in the NFL as a dominant rusher.

Rice puts his career in jeopardy when he assaulted his girlfriend in an elevator which was caught on camera and made public during the media coverage. These actions of domestic violence should not be committed by anyone, especially a role model who people look up to. Ray Rice was clearly in the wrong with his actions, but the NFL did not do a sufficient job in investigating and reporting it immediately following the allegations being made. Several inconsistencies appeared in the statements made by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell about what Rice had told him and what Goodell told the public. The league initially gave Rice a two game suspension, but changed the punishment to an indefinite suspension when full video evidence of the incident was released. During a two day hearing for Rice’s appeal of the suspension commissioner Goodell put himself into

question by what looked like changing his story so that Rice would not look as guilty. After being released from the ravens and indefinitely suspended the NFL, they have lifted the suspension. Further reports in the media have released new evidence that Raven’s owner, Dick Cass, suggested to Rice to tell a soften version of the incident to commissioner Goodell. If these findings hold up, it could pull the Ravens into the mix due to the fact they helped a player understate the incident. If proved it would cause punishment to the organization as a whole. The actions taken by both Rice and Goodell were morally wrong and would not be seen in a role model.
In the world of cycling, Lance Armstrong not too long ago one of the biggest role models for his actions away from the sport. After winning the Tour de Frances numerous times and battling testicular cancer, Armstrong created a motto for life with “live strong”. The motto was used as a campaign which its primary intentions were to support cancer research and work towards finding a cure. The nations population could not get enough of the signature yellow wrist bands with the “live strong” saying on it, which raised more money for cancer than was ever expected. Despite all of the charitable contributions, allegations of Lance Armstrong doping was mentioned every once in a while, but always shot down by Armstrong himself. In January 2013 things changed when the truth about Armstrong’s doping behaviors came about. The cyclist who had been a huge role model in society had been lying the whole time as he was found to be doping for many years. Not only was the role model aspect lost, but he also lost the $75 million in sponsorships that he had. The United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) investigated the allegations that continuously appeared against Lance Armstrong. The USADA found that not only was Armstrong definitely doping, but he was pressuring other teammates to follow along in the illegal acts. Armstrong continued to deny the acts until appearing on the Oprah Winfrey show where he admitted to using performance enhancing drugs. Armstrong was perceived almost as a national hero being promoted in many advertisements as well as movies, but this was when he was still recognized as a role model. In the time after the truth came about, the role model aspect was completely gone and so were the medals and records that had been set by Armstrong.
Athletes come from many different types of backgrounds and cultures. When in the national spotlight as an athlete they are expected to act as role models and act appropriately representing their team and city they play for. Adrian Peterson grew up in the south where it was culturally acceptable at one time to use physical punishments for discipline purposes. Peterson was in no way acting like a role model when he physically assaulted his four year old son with a switch and was charged with reckless or negligent injury to a child on September 12, 2014. Peterson avoided jail time after reaching a plea agreement with a $4,000 fine along with eighty hours of community service. The actions taken by Peterson should in no way be viewed as something a role model would ever do. They have caused his reputation and career to be torn apart, going from one of the best running backs in the NFL to being looked down on. Peterson’s actions had a huge impact… Prior to the assault being publicized by the media many children and fans sported the number 28 Vikings jersey with pride and enthusiasm. The decision to uphold the suspension given by the league has left Peterson questioning his retirement and regretting his decisions.
Although there are athletes who are not meant to be role models there are also many who pride themselves on being the best role models possible. Athletes like Kevin Durant are superb when it comes to helping out in the community or anywhere else. Derek Jeter can be looked at as one of the best role models in sports today. On and off the field Jeter has basically wrote the book on how to be a role model as an athlete. Jeter’s actions over the years have accumulated and were recognized when he retired in the most respectable fashion out doing Mariano Rivera’s farewell by the fans.
With the amount of publicity and the number of kids as well as others who look up to professional athletes they should act like role models in society. Some athletes do live the lifestyle of a positive role model but the number of athletes who don’t outweigh them in the media and in the public eye. The lasting effect that bad decisions by athletes have stay in the public eye for a much longer than the positive efforts that are made. Being a role model should be part of the job description of a professional athlete in today’s society.