Is Dennis Rodman a Role Model? What About an Athlete Named Ochocinco?

I believe in having an open-mind, and the same goes for my beliefs in raising my children. I am also one who doesn’t believe in judging people by appearance, ethnicity, gender, or beliefs. However, I am one who will judge when it comes to negative behaviors. For example, we have multiple professional athletes who have, in my eyes, gone “crazy.” But with some, do we have the right to judge?

Dennis Rodman

He's the greatest rebounder in NBA history and was just inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. What a great accomplishment after years of hard work to get where he is today. However, if you look at the personal side of Rodman, is he really all with it? He showed up in a wedding dress to promote his autobiography, poses nude, has multiple piercings and tattoos, many different hairstyles, and some arrests. However, somehow he has managed to win five world championships and be a seven time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection.

Yes, we have Dennis Rodman who is a little wacky, but he has worked hard to achieve and be successful in life. Wearing a wedding dress to promote himself? Got my attention. Some piercings and tattoos? Doesn’t affect how he plays. Is appearance everything? We shouldn’t be so judgmental, and our kids should grow up with that in mind.

Josh Hamilton

Hamilton was drafted at the age of 18 by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. After being involved in a car accident, he was unable to continue playing baseball. He started hanging out with the wrong crowd, which led to his alcohol and cocaine addiction. After going in and out of rehab multiple times and becoming sober, and after three years of no baseball, the league reinstated Hamilton. In spring training 2007, the Cincinnati Reds added Hamilton to their roster. A year later, he was traded to the Rangers, and his career took off.  He’s a three-time all-star.

Unfortunately for Hamilton, drugs and alcohol played a part in halting his career for years and breaking up his marriage later in his life. He made some wrong choices, as we all do, and was fortunate to have his family by him for support. This is a prime example of teaching our young kids to make wise choices and say “no” to drugs. It’s easy for our kids to be tempted and pressured by their peers, but we must instill in their young heads to not let others tempt or pressure them into anything. If bad things do happen, we can change that around and make them good.

Chad Johnson aka Ochocinco

Ochocinco has been selected to the Pro Bowl six times and named an All-Pro three times and is famous for his crazy touchdown celebrations. He legally changed his last name from Johnson to Ochocinco prior to the 2008 regular season to reflect the two numerals on his Bengals uniform. 

Is Ochocino starving for attention? Possibly! As a parent, I would be disappointed if my child changed his or her name to reflect a number on his or her back. We need to remind our kids to be proud of who they are and carry their name with pride and carry it wisely! Has Ochocinco behaved in a negative way to affect his peers or fans? No! Just a different choice than what I believe in, but that doesn’t affect how I view him as a person, and it shouldn’t affect our kids either.

We applaud and support each of the sports in which the above-mentioned professionals participate; however, do we applaud and support their behaviors? Should what they do personally affect how we view them professionally? Do we want our children following in their footsteps?

Society accepts pro athletes’ behaviors, good or bad, and welcomes them back when time prevails. However, if it were one of our children doing the same at their young ages (today), it would not be accepted. Do our kids know better? Some do, some do not. Do these adult professional athletes know better? Sure they do.

Needless to say, our kids at times follow or will want to follow in the footsteps of professional athletes—some good, some not so good. It is up to us once again to lead them and teach them to not be judgmental of appearance, but of actions.