BleacherCoaches.com

Athletes, whether they want to believe it or not, are often times role models for our kids (sometimes against a parents better judgement). Kids that love sports, look up to these guys (or gals) and pattern their athletic development and sometimes their social development after them.

Which athletes (at any level) do you all think are good role models for our kids and why?

I would say a recent one could be Pat Tillman. Hard working in sports, and a man that sticks to his convictions.

I LOVE the way Jason Kendall plays the game of baseball. If he didn't talk his junk to the media sometimes and be a clubhouse cancer, which isn't good, then I'd say he would be a great one. Between the lines I LOVE the guy.

Kendall is a good role model. How can you call him a club house cancer when he is the best player on a team that cant play 500 ball. He is the closest thing to a superstar they have. He playes hard and if they were winning trust me you wouldnt hear a peep out of him.

He was the one that got ticked when they would trade away scrub 1 year rentals and make it known to the media. Anyway, let's focus more on who other role models are.

Kendall plays everyday at a position where people average 120-140 games a year max.He may not hit with power,but he hits for average(.328)and is a good vet for the younger guys to pattern their games after.Role models are a different topic for me all together.I can count the number of pro athletes(all sports) that I wouldn't mind my kids emulating.Pat Tillman would be one,Walter Payton another,Kyle Petty would be another.These are all folks that followed their convictions and families,no matter whether it adversly effected their careers or not.Children want real role models,they should look at parents,and pastors,not sports guys persay.If you want to follow a sports person,pattern their game,not their life!

I agree with Payton and Tillman, but I don't follow racing so I really don't know about Petty. Not saying you're wrong, I just don't follow it.

My one kid came up to me once and said he wants to be like Warren Sapp. I almost puked. But that's the effect these guys have on kids. When their popular, kids want to pattern their lives after them. I'm having a much harder time thinking of guys I would want my kids to have as a role model than what I thought I would. It's sad.

I would say tommy maddox is a great role model. Mostly all of pro athletes in today's world only care about one thing, MONEY, he was the 3rd highest paid QB for the steelers last year and he started. Then this year he did sign a higher salary contract, but it had a clause in it saying that if he does NOT remain the starter his pay will decrease to the level of a back up. Now that's a good man if you ask me. He also is a person who stood up to great adversity. Heck, the guy made it to the NFL the 2nd time through the XFL, lol. I just think he is a class act as a guy and he plays football because he loves the game, not because the money in it. Even when the steelers were playing bad last year he didn't say it was anyones fault. He put the blame on his shoulders and pushed himself to get better to help the team. He may not be the best QB, but he's a great person for the game.

I like Maddox and think he's the right fit for QB for the Steelers, but I'm just not sure about the role model part. He did overcome a lot of adversity, but he did create a lot of that himself. The good thing about him today is that he would be the first to admit it. But when he first started out, he admitted that he was thinking he was God's gift to football (remind you of anyone else?). I want my kids to follow role models that have been a class act their entire career. Just my opinion.

dennis rodman....enuff said

Tim Howard...goal keeper of Manchester United and USA, born with tourettes syndrome, Howard has made it his goal in life to make others aware of the disease and help those who also have it. hes a swell of a guy!