Who is the best/worst Role-Model in Sports.

[ragecage]

From each Sport who in your mind is the top and worst role-model and if you want to, explain why. If you are an adult like myself, I really dont have a role-model, but who do you respect most/least.

Golf: Seems to be the easiest to gauge, so I will throw out Woods best/John Daly worst.

Baseball: Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter is a close second as far as who I respect. The worst, I have none that are currently playing but I would have to go with Roger Clemens. It was because of the Mike Piazza situation, I dont think its very cool what he did.

Football: Very tough, a ton of great players I have a lot of respect for. I would probably say I respect Peyton Manning the most. Terrell Owens I have the least respect for, but my hatred for him isnt as bad as it was for Bill Romanowski.

Basketball: Lebron James, I hold the highest regard for in all of sports, hes so young and I only wished I had the wisdom that he seems to have acquired at an early age. Once again for basketball there really isnt anyone I loathe for just reason other than my extreme hatred for the Lakers. I might hate them but they arent bad people. One player I can think of is Latrell Sprewell, choked his coach, and whined about not being able to feed his family with what 7 million if I remember right. How can you respect somebody for that.

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[KowboyKoop]

I don't think just because a player is the best at the sport makes him the best role model.

Lebron James is NOT the best role model in the NBA. He's a primadonna and a whiner and a sore loser. That's hardly "best rold model" material. That doesn't make him a complete b*tch and bad person...but not the best role model. The best "role model" would be someone that is an exemplary person in all facets of real life (sportsmanship, personal responsibility, volunteer/charity work, etc...), not someone who just dominates the game. The best "role models" in those sports are probably people we hardly hear of or don't know that well that do their stuff quietly and w/o recognition.

[200tang]

Basketball : Dikembe Mutombo and Shaq to a lesser extent (Cause he's so damn cool)
Baseball : Roberto Clemente/Jackie Robinson
Golf : Tiger Woods? (he's a pretty mysterious guy, but he's the face of his sport so meh)
Football : Peyton Manning

[President]

Dikembe Mutombo, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan for his showmanship are good role models. That being said, I think the worst idol currently playing is Manu, because he always flops and complains and is basically a little *****, even though he clearly is good. And Pierce too, but that's my hatred for him by being a Lakers fan.

In football, the best idol I think are Polamalu and Peyton, strong family men who do plenty of charity work and excel at football. Pacman Jones is the worst, and Lendale gets some hate for stepping on the terrible towel.

Jeter for me defines a good idol...i think the worst is Ty Cobb, Pete Rose, and presently AJ, although his level is no where near Cobb or Rose.

But yeah, Mutombo owns everyone.

[200tang]

But yeah, Mutombo owns everyone.

I'd say Mutombo and Clemente are on the same level. They both gave back a ton to their community.

[michaelg123789]

Agreed with those two.

[President]

I'd say Mutombo and Clemente are on the same level. They both gave back a ton to their community.

I completely forgot about Clemente, I was focusing on current players or players that just retired.

Those two are on an entire different level.

[metsguy234]

Baseball : Roberto Clemente/Jackie Robinson


In what world is one of those guys a bad role model?

[200tang]

In what world is one of those guys a bad role model?

uhh I only said the best. Didn't you notice golf & football I only said one? :|

[wahoosamC]

Curtis Granderson.

[filihok]

I leave it up to each person to determine their own role model.

We should realize that no one is perfect, and allow our role models to have their faults.

For example, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King jr did a lot of great things for the United States, he also had some pretty apparent flaws.

That said, I'll take Dikembe Mutombo for reasons stated here (http://forum.sportsmogul.com/showthread.php?t=192753&highlight=Mutombo)

[OregonDuck1989]

Dikembe Mutombo is the best role model in all of sports I believe.

He was supposed to be a doctor, basketball interrupted that. The man is a hero in Africa.

In the MLB it has to be Pujols he has done a lot for the community, won the Clemente award, not only is he the best player in baseball, he's the best person in baseball.

[haveacigar]

Curtis Granderson.

Lynn Henning thinks he sucks because he spends too much time giving back to the community and doesn't focus enough on "his job" (i.e. doesn't work hard enough as a ballplayer).

[200tang]

Lynn Henning thinks he sucks because he spends too much time giving back to the community and doesn't focus enough on "his job" (i.e. doesn't work hard enough as a ballplayer).

isn't he like the second/third best CF in the AL?

What a slacker.

[SirKodiak]

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=cf&stats=bat&lg=al&qual=y&type=6&season=2009&month=0

[200tang]

Jacoby Ellsbury is so overrated...I can't believe how good people think he is because of his dives/BA/SB.

Don't get me wrong, he's a good player, but he seems like he's gonna be the next Ryan Howard (to a lesser extent)

[wahoosamC]

isn't he like the second/third best CF in the AL?

What a slacker.

Yeah but he is having a down year.

[200tang]

Yeah but he is having a down year.

Is he? It's hard to tell what 'average' for him is since it's still a small sample size and every year has shown a different Granderson.

Offensively his wOBA sits around his '05 numbers while his '06 & '07 were significantly higher. He's hitting for more power this year than ever before but trading that for getting on base.

On the basepaths he's basically what we'd expect.

Defensively it's hard to say. '07 & '06 he was well above average, but last year he was pretty bad and this year he's average. I'm guessing he's probalby somewhere around the '06 & '07 range.

So, yeah he's having a down year, but unless I'm expected to believe his '07 was his true talent he'd still be below Gutierrez since he's already surpassed Granderson's best WAR (besides '07) before the season is already over.

[haveacigar]

Granderson's 08 season is probably what you should reasonably expect him to do in future years. Anyone expecting 07 all over again is delusional. That was one of the best seasons of all time, he's not doing that again.

[wahoosamC]

Granderson's 08 season is probably what you should reasonably expect him to do in future years. Anyone expecting 07 all over again is delusional. That was one of the best seasons of all time, he's not doing that again.

Yup, that's what I'm thinking too offensively.

A mid 120's OPS+ with a .370 or so wOBA.

But he'll usually be better than he was defensively that year.

[BINGLEBOP]

Dikembe Mutombo is such a good role model that I know his full name.

[FloydtheBarber]

Bill Bergen was a great role model. the worst role model is probably Joe Morgan

[DarthJaker]

Worst Role Model is Kyle Busch even though is has 13 NASCAR Wins this season he crys if he doesn't win. He is a good driver but the Biggest Cry Baby.
One of the best is Albert.

[Jeffy25]

I think Jeter is a great example of baseball today.

People like Ripken Gwynn etc are rare players, that the game needs more of

[FloydtheBarber]

I think Jeter is a great example of baseball today.

People like Ripken Gwynn etc are rare players, that the game needs more of

No offense, and yes they were great people, but I am tired of Gwynn and Ripken being brought up continuously. They were not the only great people who played ball, the media just focused more on them.

[Jeffy25]

well yes, bc they are hall of famers.

there are hundreds of great role models on and off the field in baseball...which is a wonderful thing to be able to say!

i mean look at the foundations, look at the charities, look at the attitudes, the autographs, the attention to those less fortunate.....there are too many to name, any fan of a team could name i bet five guys on their team that give back more than they are asked to.

[wahoosamC]

Jeter is a selfish prick who cheats on taxes.

What a great role model.

[200tang]

Honestly, anybody besides Roberto Clemente is wrong ;) :p

[dps]

Honestly, anybody besides Roberto Clemente is wrong ;) :p

Not if you're talking about either:

A) active players, or

B) living players, active or retired.

[Jeffy25]

i'm tired of yankee and red sox fans bashing the players of the opposing teams....i understand perceptions and all...but it doesn't make them role models or not role models.

[dps]

i'm tired of yankee and red sox fans bashing the players of the opposing teams....i understand perceptions and all...but it doesn't make them role models or not role models.

Yeah, in general I find the fans of teams that have one strong, traditional rival to be tiresome, because they see everything through the prism of that rivalry.

[Jeffy25]

i agree....i have a ton of friends that just HATE cubs players.


i say why? who cares? how about rather than hating your rival players.........you just root harder with that energy for your own players?