Role models are overblown... but when a favorite player does something stupid i think they let us down and dissapoint. That being said, the media likes to portray them as wholesome... good for advertising. Reality and where parenting comes in, althletes have special skills but are often fallible maybe more so then the general public. Their skill is so extraordinary, their weaknesses are often overlooked until they cant be. Hence so many public crash and burns. I teach my kids admire the skill, but judge the human being separately.... great skill, but a real ahole person...