Josh Daeche either is not a sports fan or has not watched sports in a very long time. Although it appears that many athletes of late have been in trouble with the law, there are still great athletes who do wonderful things inside and outside of their sport.

If you compare the percentage of athletes who have been arrested to the percentage of the general public who has been arrested, you will find that the athletes' percentage is much lower.

Their arrests get magnified much more because they are celebrities. Also, neither Jerry Rice nor Cal Ripken Jr. has retired. Michael Jordan is still involved in basketball as an owner, and let's not forget his problems with gambling.

I think Daeche has gone overboard denouncing all athletes as poor role models. Even though Charles Barkely did not want to be seen as a role model, he still founded a charity that helps inner-city children go to private schools. Shaquille O'Neal is one of the biggest athlete donors in any sport, and he also has written a series of childrens' books.

Mario Lemieux, who owns and plays for the Penguins, donates millions of dollars to Pittsburgh and has his own foundation to support cancer research. Hasn't Daeche ever seen any of the United Way commercials during the football season with a number of different players who volunteer their time?

These are only a few examples to illustrate my point. Many more athletes are good role models than are criminals and to see all athletes as poor role models is ridiculous. If you dislike athletes so much, then quit watching sports, but as an avid sports fan I can still see the good in professional athletes.