19 January 2014, Richard Sherman made a spectacular defensive play in the end zone which sealed the NFC Championship for the Seattle Seahawks. His antics right afterwards would quickly overshadow his efforts during the play. After the blocked pass, he ran toward the target receiver, Michael Crabtree, got right in his grill, made remarks and shortly afterwards placed his hands around his own neck and directed the choke sign toward Crabtree. But it didn't stop there, in the post-game interview he continued with the venomous attack and shouted that Crabtree is a €mediocre€ receiver and that he, (Sherman) is the greatest defensive back in the NFL.

Known as The Malice at the Palace, on 19 November 2004 the Pistons Ron Artest ran into the stands to fight with a fan who he €thought€ tossed a beer at him during play. Evidence later revealed the fan he had mauled was nothing more than an innocent bystander who was simply trying to enjoy an NBA game with his child.

On 19 January 2014, the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames, refused to be outdone by the NFL and NBA when 8 players began a massive gang-like brawl 2 seconds after the puck was dropped in the first period of the game. At the end of the period, the head coach of the Canucks, John Tortorella tried to gain access to the Flames locker room to continue the altercation.

Way back in 1991, during an NBA basketball game, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley spat on a young girl sitting in the stands. A couple of years after that, he made a controversial statement that professional athletes shouldn't be role models. This last sentence, is the subject of my article: Should professional athletes be role models?

As a coach, I exploit athletics to teach kids the value of teamwork, discipline, work ethic, being a part of something bigger than self, humility, being a gracious winner and how to use failures and losses to become better individually and better as a team. On many occasions, I feel as though I'm fighting an uphill, unwinnable battle when I see my kids admiring the antics of athletes and coaches who don't display the proper integrity, humility and sportsmanship on and off the playing field.

As a coach trying to teach kids how to become good citizens, I am competing against the likes of former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams who was suspended from the NFL indefinitely for the team's bounty system. He was caught on tape briefing his players about the prior injuries of his opponents in an effort to have the Saints defense target those areas for the sole purpose of causing injury during play.

I could write another page or 2 describing other incidents like when Latrell Sprewell of the Golden State Warriors physically assaulted his head coach, P. J. Carlesimo or the dozens and dozens of bizarre stories of Dennis Rodman. Or, I could go in an entirely different direction and discuss steroids and cheating and how the likes of Lance Armstrong and Alex Rodriguez made a mockery of their chosen sports for years and years. Lastly, I could provide an in-depth look at college athletics and describe how a storied football program in Pennsylvania led by a revered head coach allowed a pedophile access to university facilities even after they knew of his crimes. Many have speculated those in control of the program and university were involved in a cover-up to avoid tarnishing the reputation of the program. Yet, rther than go into specifics of each of these stories, I will make the assumption that my readers understand the point I'm so desperately trying to make.

Truth be told, at one time, sport was a vehicle that was used to teach young men and women the values needed to become a successful member of society. Even in professional sports you can find examples from years gone by where coaches taught much more than how to tackle, dribble, or hit a ball with a bat. For example, there are many former athletes who played for Vince Lombardi, and Tom Landry who speak so highly of their coaches and the things they learned that had nothing to do with the sport they played, but helped them in life long after their playing days were far behind them.

I'm proud to say there are still many coaches at the high school level and below who stand firm in an effort to teach kids the morals and life skills that can come through sport. In today's society, I'm here to respectfully tell Mr. Barkley that he was dead wrong about professional athletes not being role-models. Every adult, whether they like it or not are role models. It's an awesome responsibility and none of us has the ability to escape it. Children watch and study adults and make assumptions about life based on our actions. Those sports figures who choose to act like spoiled, rich, thugs and goons are providing a huge disservice to our younger generation.

The biggest problem that comes from sports stars not understanding the big picture and their part as a role model is the fact they are hurting those children who live in the low socioeconomic areas the most. Many or sometimes even most of the kids in these areas believe there are only two ways out of their situation: 1) gangs and drugs; 2) sports. When they witness professional athletes acting like want to-be gangsters, thugs and goons then they believe that is the way they need to act in order to achieve their goals.

I bet Charles Barkley would probably say that it isn't the role of athletes to teach children morals, it's the role of parents. I would agree in theory, yet there are so many children from low socio-economic backgrounds who have parents who are facing monumental challenges such as: 1) lack of education; 2) lack of money; 3) drug and alcohol problems; 3) English is their second language; 4) drug and gang infested neighborhoods to name a few. When faced with these challenges, many times parents are competing with outside influences that are extremely difficult to overcome. Many children see the situation their parents are in and compare that with the lure of easy money, respect, and power.

On top of all the challenges facing these parents, they also have to compete with the rich, high profile, professional athletes who selfishly refuse to accept a position as a positive role model and glorify greed, money, and selfishness. Many, not all, professional athletes do not understand the impact they could have on society or simply do not care.

In the end, I pray for more athletes like David Robinson, Tim Tebow, Tony Dungy and the late Reggie White €¦ classy, athletes and coaches who truly understood the positive impact they could have on our younger generation! May God bless each of them and their families and send our society many more like them!