The NBA has been promoting the league through various TV ads that end with "Where amazing happens".
Many of the ads include some of their best players such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Yao Ming. But what about the men who defy what it means to be a good role model, who have been caught up with the law more times than actually winning Championships? Well, these guys get an ad of their own too:
Do you ever look at professional athletes as role models? What about when you were growing up?
Just in case you were wondering who these athletes are:
1st is Kobe Bryant, accused of rape. 2nd is Ron Artest, entering the stands to confront a fan. 3rd is Jason Kidd, jailed for punching his wife. 4th is Jayson Williams for shooting his limo driver and covering it up. 5th is Allen Iverson...The video already tells you everything.
i particularly like that iverson's tattoo says 'loyalty.' erm, right. this = ftw.
I never really looked at any athlete as a role model except when I was younger when I was really into NASCAR and followed Jeff Gordon. Other than that, the only role models I have is my family.
Karl Malone. One of (apparently) dozens of NBA players who slept around, had kids out of wedlock, and (in varying degrees of it) abandoned them.
As a Jazz fan - and a guy who values fatherhood - that hurts.
Why does anyone think celebrities or athletes are any better than the rest of the population? Because they're better at being camera whores and spending obscene amounts of money?
Pleeeease.
I admire certain athletes, but usually not those in "ball" or team sports. I prefer looking up to athletes in track & field, cycling, gymnastics and swimming/diving. Triathlons, Iron Man competitions, the Tour de France, and similar events inspire me greatly.
of course i don't look up to them as role models. Their no different from us, the only difference is that they make six figures and I drive a Jetta and have school loans!!
I don't look up to anyone in the public eye just because their in the public eye....most of my role models are "normal" people.
love the allen iverson part in the video. for some reason, when i was little i was afraid of allen iverson. mainly because there was a poster of him on my brother's wall and my sister would tell me that if i said bad things about allen iverson would come after me with a gun. mind you, i was only 6 years old.
I have never had a role model before. The concept of having role models always seemed humorous to me.
Athletes: Never were the role models I knew they weren't.
These guys get paid to chase a ball. Why in the world would anyone have the notion to have them as a role model for their kids?
It seriously depends on the athlete and in some cases on the sport. I don't have any athletes that I would consider to be my "role models" although there are athletes that I definitely admire; not only for their physical talent, but for their composure and their personality. I find very little to admire in today's professional sports world which is dominated by money and where men of principle seem to be a rare find these days.
Take the great Bobby Orr, considered to be the most talented man ever to play defense in the National Hockey League. He won eight Norris Trophies (given to the NHL's best defenseman), the Art Ross trophy, the Calder, the Conn Smythe, two Stanley Cups, and holds the record for all-time points by a defenseman. Orr made domination look easy and yet he never let any of it go to his head. He has always remained a modest individual and when he scored goals, he acknowledged the crowd with a shy bow of his head and a lift of his stick. He could have acted like a braggart, but he never did, even though he had the talent and skill to back it up. That's class.
The athletes I grew up around were racehorses. [shrug]
i shall hold my peace, as anything i say will be racially charged.
or like these guys, hold my "piece".
Wait a fuckin minute. Kobe Bryant? Are we all stupid? He totally raped someone and bought his way out of it. WTF? Kobe should not be in ads touting the greatness of the NBA. He is a perfect example of unchecked excess. I remember when they used to say Sir Charles was a bad guy because he got into bar fights.
It is my mission in life to remind people, especially Laker fans who villified the victim, exactly what Kobe did. He was accused and the charged were dropped when the victim didn't testify. Kobe did still rape her...sheeit...but just like Mark Chmura .....got away with it. Money is the cure for guilt I guess.
Comments (15)
i particularly like that iverson's tattoo says 'loyalty.' erm, right.
this = ftw.
I never really looked at any athlete as a role model except when I was younger when I was really into NASCAR and followed Jeff Gordon. Other than that, the only role models I have is my family.
Karl Malone. One of (apparently) dozens of NBA players who slept around, had kids out of wedlock, and (in varying degrees of it) abandoned them.
As a Jazz fan - and a guy who values fatherhood - that hurts.
Why does anyone think celebrities or athletes are any better than the rest of the population? Because they're better at being camera whores and spending obscene amounts of money?
Pleeeease.
I admire certain athletes, but usually not those in "ball" or team sports. I prefer looking up to athletes in track & field, cycling, gymnastics and swimming/diving. Triathlons, Iron Man competitions, the Tour de France, and similar events inspire me greatly.
of course i don't look up to them as role models. Their no different from us, the only difference is that they make six figures and I drive a Jetta and have school loans!!
I don't look up to anyone in the public eye just because their in the public eye....most of my role models are "normal" people.
love the allen iverson part in the video. for some reason, when i was little i was afraid of allen iverson. mainly because there was a poster of him on my brother's wall and my sister would tell me that if i said bad things about allen iverson would come after me with a gun. mind you, i was only 6 years old.
I have never had a role model before. The concept of having role models always seemed humorous to me.
Athletes: Never were the role models I knew they weren't.
@cApNhOwDy@xanga - here here!
These guys get paid to chase a ball. Why in the world would anyone have the notion to have them as a role model for their kids?
It seriously depends on the athlete and in some cases on the sport. I don't have any athletes that I would consider to be my "role models" although there are athletes that I definitely admire; not only for their physical talent, but for their composure and their personality. I find very little to admire in today's professional sports world which is dominated by money and where men of principle seem to be a rare find these days.
Take the great Bobby Orr, considered to be the most talented man ever to play defense in the National Hockey League. He won eight Norris Trophies (given to the NHL's best defenseman), the Art Ross trophy, the Calder, the Conn Smythe, two Stanley Cups, and holds the record for all-time points by a defenseman. Orr made domination look easy and yet he never let any of it go to his head. He has always remained a modest individual and when he scored goals, he acknowledged the crowd with a shy bow of his head and a lift of his stick. He could have acted like a braggart, but he never did, even though he had the talent and skill to back it up. That's class.
@coolmonkey@xanga - precisely put.
The athletes I grew up around were racehorses. [shrug]
i shall hold my peace, as anything i say will be racially charged.
or like these guys, hold my "piece".
Wait a fuckin minute. Kobe Bryant? Are we all stupid? He totally raped someone and bought his way out of it. WTF? Kobe should not be in ads touting the greatness of the NBA. He is a perfect example of unchecked excess. I remember when they used to say Sir Charles was a bad guy because he got into bar fights.
It is my mission in life to remind people, especially Laker fans who villified the victim, exactly what Kobe did. He was accused and the charged were dropped when the victim didn't testify. Kobe did still rape her...sheeit...but just like Mark Chmura .....got away with it. Money is the cure for guilt I guess.