Sports have basically become a small TV soap when the athletes are off the court or field. They behave like immature children kicking and screaming, crying and whining for attention. The athletes are loosing their professionalism on camera and are only given more attention for their antics. What about the small minority of athletes and coaches that display excellent sportsmanship and professionalism, even in their darkest hour and toughest moments. These are the men and women that should be given more media attention so that the youth and sports fans globally have good examples to look up to. Why do we promote negative behavior like the yearly anniversary of Ron Artest’s brawl in the Palace of Auburn Hills?
We should be shining the sports spotlight on coaches like Detroit Lions head coach Rod Marinelli who is under major scrutiny for struggling to get his first win this season in the NFL. At the end of the day Marinelli has still taken full responsibility and remains positive even though the week to week press conferences seem to torch him alive, loss after loss. His job is in question every week due to the lack of success his Detroit Lions are experiencing and yet he never makes excuses or blames his players, when in fact he just has the least amount of talent on any one roster in the NFL. He calmness and poise when being ripped apart by the media should be something other athletes and players should look at and take notes. It's too bad the cameras follow around the ones that curse every third word and not this eception gentleman.
The biggest headline this week that has bumped into the spotlight for sportsmanship recognition is in the golf world. A week ago last Wednesday, 43 year old J.P. Hayes from Appleton, Wisconsin called in to report that he had accidentally played a nonconforming ball on the 12th hole of the first round at the Deerwood Country Club. His phone call has resulted in his disqualification of the PGA Tour this season. Not only does this ruin a season for him to play the game he loves, but it cuts off his source of income for the next year. In the economy’s current downward spiral everyone is wondering what was Hayes thinking? No one noticed. No one caught him. He was not reported. It was just one hole? Does the penalty really fit the crime especially considering he turned himself in? 
Everyone is stunned by Hayes’s actions and the media seems to be baffled by his blunt honesty and response. Hayes has responded saying, “I certainly don’t want to be made out as a hero. I’m just a player that did the right thing. If it’s served to remind people what a good game we’ve got, that’s great. But I’ve already moved on”. This is true class and sportsmanship demonstrated by Hayes. It is remarkable that in a sport with no referees or officials, Hayes has called the penalty on himself which now removes him from the game for the season.I know this is disappointing, but let’s stay positive here. If he can call himself out because he respects the game so much, what is the deal with Baseball’s pride? Baseball is supposed to be our Nation’s past time and a past time is at best what the miserable hobby should be considered. What is the deal with all the other athletes, who try and cut every corner to get an edge in their respected game? Obviously they have no self-respect and are playing for selfish reasons. It is a privilege, not a right to be a professional athlete and I think today’s superstars should be reminded of that fact.
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