Athletes we can actually look up to

We as a society throw around the word hero so much it seems like it's not hard to become one. A hero used to describe someone who put their life in danger or did something so incredible that it put them in another echelon.

But the other day I was asked a question that has plagued my life of following sports. Do I think athletes are heroes?

   I answered no, but not for the reasons you think. Athletes play games for a living. They are not heroes, some are just down right bad people.

Ben Roethlisberger is not a hero. He wouldn't be a hero even if all the recent problems he's faced never happened. Yes Steelers fans, he led your team to Super Bowl Championships and came back from horrible accidents. But he's not a hero.

Tiger Woods is not a hero. Even before every woman came to the media and claimed their 15 minutes of fame by saying they had relations with the sleaze bag, Woods wasn't a hero.

Hell, even Michael Jordan, Space Jam himself is not a hero.  He may be the greatest player in NBA history, but can you think of anything heroic he has done?

While the "superstars" of pro sports aren't good examples, there are some athletes  out there who actually can make a good case.

Yes, we only hear about the bad athletes, but there are some big-hearted pros out there.

Former NFL running back Warrick Dunn has done more than his share to bring a good name to pro athletes.

With his Homes for the Holidays charity, Dunn has built homes for more than 80 families. Not only that but with the Warrick Dunn foundation, he helps single parents gain financial stability.

Steve Nash has the Steve Nash foundation. The Phoenix Suns point guard helps children affected by poverty, illness, abuse, or neglect, find a place for empowerment.

Yes, a lot of the athletes have charities, but some go above and beyond the call of duty.  They especially look to those who still need heroes, children.

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones in December 2007 visited St. Aloysius Orphanage in Cincinnati. There he made sure to spend time with each child during his visit. 

Adults don't need heroes as much as children. We prefer our children look up to people who we feel more worthy than athletes and celebrities in general.

 But who do we see on our televisions and follow relentlessly? Athletes.

The old saying goes "a few bad apples can spoil the whole bunch." But we only look at when athletes screw up, not when they raise money or visit children.

So forget about the Roethlisbergers and the Woods of the athletic world and focus on the actual good guys of sports. And while it's easy to forget about those good guys, we must remember not all athletes are horrible. We just need to let the rest of the world know.

Kyle Hobstetter can be contacted at hobstetter@marshall.edu .