Think about the people you root for and support. Think about the people your children look up to or the people your siblings try to emulate. Are they worthy of that praise?
This isn’t the standard “soldiers and firefighters are the real heroes” line. That’s obviously true. Of course we should have parades for Navy SEALs before we jump up and down for a multimillionaire athlete. But when it’s time to cheer for athletes and other entertainers, we should cheer for the right ones.
Look no further than the local baseball team. Miguel Cabrera, the Tigers’ first baseman, has had two alcohol related arrests in the last two years, but he hits a baseball better than almost anyone on the planet.
Brandon Inge, the Tigers’ third baseman, is considerably less talented, but is a monumentally better role model outside the lines. He gives piles of money to charity, is the only member of the team who lives in Michigan year round and last week got a fleet of limos for the Toledo Mud Hens instead of their usual team buses for their trip to Columbus.
Luckily, Inge has a big following. Most people appreciate his value as a person and as a role model. Yet Cabrera is also a fan favorite despite his less-than-stellar behavior. I’m not saying you shouldn’t cheer for him, but don’t let his ability to hit baseballs 400 feet cloud your sense of judgment.
Think about LeBron James. He’s the poster child for selfishness, disloyalty and a whole host of other words inappropriate for this publication.
When people cheered when his team lost the NBA Finals, he put them down and called them names. He showed the world exactly why you shouldn’t buy his jersey — but people do. His skill on the court blinds far too many people to his poor character.
Yet the example of the moment, the one that really drives the point home, comes from the world of golf. Last week, Rory McIlory rolled over golf’s best players to run away with the U.S. Open.
Just a few years ago, we all watched while Tiger Woods did the same. Their personalities couldn’t be more different. Tiger’s character flaws need no repeating, but McIlory appears as clean as Woods is dirty.
He smiles back at the fans, carries himself humbly and traveled to Haiti earlier in the month as a UNICEF ambassador.
The point is not to say we shouldn’t cheer for great athletes with character flaws. The point is to say character matters and we ought to rise to our feet for the athletes and entertainers of excellent character because they deserve it more.
It’s amazing to watch Cabrera swing a bat, LeBron drive to the basket or Woods hit a 7-Iron. They’re impressive athletes, but they aren’t impressive people.
Inge might strike out and McIlory might not win 14 major championships, but their character matters. You should cheer for them because there should be more people like them.
There should be more great role models in sports. I’d rather my children grow up to be Inge than Cabrera. I’d rather my kids top out at high school basketball than grow up to be LeBron James. I want them to succeed, but I want them to be good people more.
You can cheer for greatness, but don’t forget to stand for charity, dignity, loyalty and responsibility.
