Free Pass for Athletes

Every morning, my husband watches a sports talk show called Mike and Mike. It's a great show. I really enjoy watching it with him sometimes. (mostly because Chris Carter is on it sometimes, and I loved him when he played for the Vikings) At any rate, this morning Dick Vitale was on the show, and they were talking about bad behavior in athletes. Apparently last night in the FAMILY box at a New York Mets game in front of KIDS and FAMILIES, a player stormed with obscene language and pushing people around (that is bad enough right there as far as I'm concerned), and then proceeded to HIT his fiance's father and knock him out cold.

PAUSE FOR EFFECT

So let's take a look at this. In a regular world, if a guy stormed into a family box at a major league sporting event, here's what would have happened:
"Sir, do you have a VIP pass?" (or whatever they have to get in)
Guy drops a bunch of F bombs, yells some threats.
"Security!"
He's wrestled to the floor and arrested within minutes. The End.
He never #1 gets the chance to HIT anyone, #2 all the children in this FAMILY box see that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated (and again, I'm just at the language and threats), and #3 further danger is prevented by getting the guy out of there. Right?

But what happens when this superstar athlete goes in there? Apparently the children watch in awe, mentally taking notes for the moment when they can practice the behavior that has just been modeled to them. Because he looked so stinking COOL and he took that old guy OUT!

Oh, my goodness. Back to my tirade about our culture. If we were a culture who loved our children as we should (not let the children be in charge, that's another subject), we would protect them from such things as toxic role models. And the trickle down effect would be athletes behaving better if they wanted careers. So let's see what the Mets do and if they ask for my opinion (doubtful).

On another note, I woke up this morning singing an old camp song from a game we used to play. Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky...Anyone remember that one? It's catchy.

Maybe because I come to the writing via music, my poetry always has music running through it. One of the picture books my agent has right now is actually to the rhythm of Bust a Move. Have a great day, and say a little prayer for all our awesome teachers who are preparing for the first day of school.