The Moral Of The Darren Sharper Investigation

One thing I've learned over the years of watching countless hours of sports coverage is athletes are just like us in a way.  That is to say they are by no means perfect.

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RyguyMN under CC BY-SA 3.0 License

While there are those athletes who over the years have chosen to cheat the system (Lance Armstrong, Biogenesis linked players etc.), or bully fellow players (Richie Incognito), I can't think of a more heinous individual than Darren Sharper currently.

To have an alleged history of drugging and raping multiple women on multiple occasions is beyond despicable.  Hopefully if the allegations are proven true, Mr. Sharper will receive an appropriate punishment for an alleged serial rapist: life in prison.

The bigger picture I want to focus on here though is very important.  When we see stories like the Darren Sharper one, we are reminded that not all athletes and other public figures are perfect role models.  The real role models should be people we look up to in our daily lives such as parents, doctors and teachers to name a few.

I'm also well aware that as time goes on, kids will continue to grow up idolizing a favorite athlete and that's fine.  Just as long as they understand that their favorite athlete may not be the same person in their private life compared to their public life.

One last thing.  For all current and future athletes of the world, you are role models whether you like it or not.  People will always be influenced one way or another by what you do in your life.  In choosing what kind of role model to be, be more like Cal Ripken Jr. than Lance Armstrong, Richie Incognito or Darren Sharper.

Tim Musick
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