Write an argumentative essay for or against viewing sports figures and celebrities as positive role models. Final draft

Why Athletes are Good Role Models

Ever since the ancient years, we have admired athletes and the hard work that they do to achieve their goal of winning. We idolize them and wish we were more like them. What happens though when the realization sinks in that they are human too and that some of them do get greedy and selfish? A lot of athletes are model citizens that you should really look up to, but there are also some bad apples in the bunch that ruins it for everyone. Athletes can inspire young people to work hard so that their efforts can pay off, but no one is pure and flawless. Greed does take a hold of some players, but they shouldn't be the ones we devote all of our attention to. We should look at the

Shaquille O'Neal bought over 1,000 turkeys and gave them to needy families all across the nation on Thanksgiving. I did not hear one mention of that in the news. They are making us believe that all athletes are bad people with their propaganda. If they spent half the time covering the good-hearted stories that they do the bad ones, we would have a different opinion on the hard working athlete.

Michael Jordan has started a foundation that donates money for research to help physically challenged children. He has been running up the tabs at

Atlantic City casinos, but who hasn't gambled? We are not perfect. Michael may gamble, but he does his share of helping and works hard for what he has acquired.

Gambling is no crime, so then he is not showing us a negative thing. If parents disapprove of his gambling, then they should outlaw it because he is not doing anything wrong. Michael, and other athletes as well, are aware that he is constantly being watched by millions and tries to act accordingly.

There has been a major controversy in the NBA lately thanks to Charles

Barkley and his claim in an interview that he is not a role model, but that is the job of the parent. He says that parents shouldn't be blaming the athletes if they can't control their own children. Another person that agrees with this notion is football and basketball star, Deion Sanders.