What ever happened to sporting heroes?

[rdenis]

I grew up in Canada during the 70's and 80's and some of my sports icons I looked up to were Guy LaFleur, Ken Dryden, Wayne Gretzky, Muhammed Ali, Jack Nicklaus, Steve Ott, Jackie Stewart, Nigel Mansell, Jimmy Connors, Michael Jordan, etc.

All had tremendous talent, skill and a great dose of humility. While none were ever perfect and they all certainly had various flaws, nonetheless, I dreamed of one day being the next "icon".

Sadly, I have found over the past twenty or so years, that many of todays sporting icons seem to lack that good dose of humility. You can blame the money or the corporate sponsors, or whatever you want but at the end of the day it is the individual who is responsible. I feel sorry for my kids that they won't ever view sports heroes in the same light I did when I was a kid. Too me it is a real shame.

[boomer39]

I grew up in Canada during the 70's and 80's and some of my sports icons I looked up to were Guy LaFleur, Ken Dryden, Wayne Gretzky, Muhammed Ali, Jack Nicklaus, Steve Ott, Jackie Stewart, Nigel Mansell, Jimmy Connors, Michael Jordan, etc.

All had tremendous talent, skill and a great dose of humility. While none were ever perfect and they all certainly had various flaws, nonetheless, I dreamed of one day being the next "icon".

Sadly, I have found over the past twenty or so years, that many of todays sporting icons seem to lack that good dose of humility. You can blame the money or the corporate sponsors, or whatever you want but at the end of the day it is the individual who is responsible. I feel sorry for my kids that they won't ever view sports heroes in the same light I did when I was a kid. Too me it is a real shame.

ok,mate see your pov, but GB is footy orientated..no footy(soccer) players in your list....wonder why? pele?? loads more who are/were a credit to themselves and there profession...

[rdenis]

Not dissing footie - played it as a kid but we get pretty much no exposure over here to professional leagues and more importantly the players other than World Cup. Love the game - my kids all play it and I played it as a kid - but tough to develop a hero bond with someone you don't know.

[rdenis]

I guess my point wasn't so much who are your heroes (or mine) but that it just seems that the pro athletes of today are "tough to love", so to speak. Maybe its a North America thing more so than Europe - would be interested to hear what others views are on it.

[koppit]

todays sportsmen all have hangers on feeding their egos, after a while they lose themselves in the hype