Bass pros as role models

[SENKOSAM]

1. we, as parents that have the responsibility to raise our children to be smart enough to choose an appropriate role model.

     2.That being said, I think it should be every pro athlete's goal (not responsibility) to become a good role model.

I agree with 1., which was well put by Earthworm. I disagree with 2.

Kids from various backgrounds may or may not be influenced by pro personalities and the controversy goes on as to what influence the media has on kids in their early years. Do violent cartoons make for violent kids? I loved Mighty Mouse, Popeye and the Three Stooges, but knew early on that TV entertainment is mostly fantasy and absurd - no different than pro wrestling.

In fact, boxing was something I avidly watched when I was in my early teens, once Ali started his rants, but also realized that beating a man's face to pulp or killing him, is only legal and allowed in a ring. I also learned about the price paid for being in the limelight - there have been scandals throughout history involving famous people.

Pro anglers were invented by Ray Scott, who glorified catching fish for a pot o gold. Fine. A child who emulates a bass pro has no life, especially a family life, and as EW said, hasn't been exposed to the selfless heros of our society, past or present. Kids today are smart enough to know that the gangsta rappers are part of pop culture and if they incorporate any values from the messages sent, only indicates that their peer group has sucked them in to believing in fantasy.

Parental influence or lack of, has a lot to do with teaching kids ethical and moral values versus instant gratification or short cuts to obtaining independence, self respect, honesty and integrity. Not teachers, not athletes, not the police - parents. And even that is no guarentee that the individual will follow the path of a good citizen or person. ie OJ Simpson, politicians, CEO's, lawyers, etc.

The media will always be about viewership and ads that sell. Allowing the audience to see Tyson bite off someone's ear, to see Ike act like he's on uppers, to see a 250 wrestler pound someone into the mat, to see a hockey player use the stick like a weapn or to see Popeye demolish Brutus after taking a magic food, is all about getting and holding the public eye, young or old. Censorship is becoming non-existent, and so it should be (even for Howard Stern), but instilled valuesfilter the noise from the substance of the media and our culture is what it is.

As long as kids have comparisons to chose from (unlike the Hitler youth of the 30's and 40's), they won't be mesmerized into believing that fantasy or absurd behavior is real, but that every action has it's eventual consequence.

[earthworm77]

Pro anglers were invented by Ray Scott, who glorified catching fish for a pot o gold.

Frank, this is a fantastic statement. It is 100% true. Like you, I am not mezmerized by the Pro's and the accolades they recieve for merely doing their job, which is fishing for cash. These guys didn't create bass fishing, which was around a heck of a lot longer than BASS. They have helped influence technology out of competitiveness of the sport somewhat but I think we both could catch as many bass without their sponsors innovations. Considering I've made 90% of my own baits for the better part of the past 10 years, that is a factual statement.

I think they get way too much credit.

[SENKOSAM]

See EW, that's your problem - too much of a dang purist!

Heck, we should be talking about adults using pros as a role model, not their kids! A minority of pro wan a be's got the excitement, let their marriages lapse, went into a deep financial hole and took up golf after they paid the price of the fantasy. Even some pros now start to scream after catching their limit, for whatever reason. (Ah yes - for the cameras.) Shaw Grigsby almost wets his pants when he brings in a 13" fish on a sponsored lure. And some luremakeres use terms like "weapon/ arsenal" and "secret of the pro's" to describe their lures. You'd think we were going off to war every time we lauched our boats!

If I can't be excited by the very fact that I'm lucky to be alive and able to be on the water to play the odds of catching fish (fishing is more in tune with gambling than combat), then I might as well take up bird watching! (Perish the thought! ) I will teach my four grandkids just that message and hope they will be just as bored with fishing shows as I am with televised golf!

[Guest avid]

I have mixed feelings on this one. Avid, doesn't sound like the same you that posted on the tournament thread on TT! quote]

If your referring to my statements putting down Ike for treating short bass like garbage then I stand by that statement. I don't see a conflict with this post at all. He is under no moral obligation to be a role model, but it was pretty repulsive to me how he just threw away the shorts. they are still bass and I would like to see a leading pro treat all bass with some respect.

[Matt Fly]

Anytime some one sees the easy life as it appears, its always gonna be luring to young and old.   The topic being BASS role models, what actions on this PG rating show harms our kids?    There is more on TV on other channels that are way more apt to corrupt kids.   Since most of us don't live with to many pros in person.  I would say TV accounts for 95% of the views.   And if watching BASS has giving anyone bad feelings of role models, give up the cable.

I raised a 2 year old daughter by myself, mom passed away, compared to the sexual content on regular TV, Bass fishing is mild and should not be used as a comparison.   I don't see drugs, drinking, very few smokers on air, no wife beatings, no rapes, no murders.   Pretty mild mannered compared to the other stations programing.   I bet there is more yelling in the homes than seen on a bass fishing show.  

We would love our kids to pick the right people to emulate, unfortunately, statics say there are more home violence, alcoholics and druggies in our neighbor hoods than on a bass fishing show.    

I know parents that would do anything for their kids.  Kids have minds of their own and don't always see MTV as bad because all of their friends watch it.  If a kid wants to watch it, you aren't going to stop them.   They watch it at their friends eventually.   Tougher world to raise kids in than when I grew up with 2 stations to watch in the early 70's, sorry our aerial didn't get ABC for the third.  We didn't really need role models, we were too busy playing outside like the rest of the kids.   Way too much out there for them to get into.  Times have change for the worst, and it won't get any easier.