X, my friend, you compared apples to oranges. I agreed that it wasn't exclusive but comparing a coach who takes an actual role in a kid's life to a player who the kid has never met is a bit of a stretch. When that coach takes his job, he's taking on that responsibility. Newton didn't agree to that sort of thing. Why is it reasonable for us to expect that Newton conform to our expectations in the way he acts? Because he's a role model? He never agreed to be a role model. He never agreed to take a role in showing your kids what sportsmanship is. He simply is playing a game he loves. Cam Newton can be a poor sportsman and it won't effect your kid if you teach him right from wrong (and have other adults such as coaches who are actually involved in his life who do the same). Which is why I continue to say that you can't blame a guy like Newton when it would have been the parents fault.
It's not like Newton is working with your kid every day and actively working to undermine what your teaching him. He has no involvement in their lives beyond being on TV. It would be like blaming Kanye West if your kid loves rap and ends up being an arrogant jackass.
IMO, as a parent, the responsibility falls on you. I'm sure my brother and I saw poor role models in sports growing up. But whenever we showed poor sportsmanship, our parents were always there to correct us. I remember after striking out in baseball, my brother was frustrated at the umpire and threw his bat against the fence as he was walking back to the dugout. My dad sprinted into the dugout, pulled him out of the game, chewed him out, made him watch the rest of the game from the stands, and then made him apologize to his teammates, coaches, and the umpires.
Maybe he learned that behavior from watching pro baseball players...but all it took was one time for him to learn to never do it again. Because our parents got involved.
