Klun; I totally agree with you that athletes shouldn't be role models. Unfortunely, there are thousands of kids in this world that look at these pros and look at them as some kind of Gods. I think it's completely stupid, but it's the way it is. Millions of kids idealize lots of football and basketball players every day in this country. It' wrong, but it's the way it is. And you and I are not going to change it. And that means guys like Daly should be held to a higher standard. It may not be fair, but no one ever said life is fair.
I think you will agree that thousands of kids looked up to Barry Bonds and he was their rold model. But now we all know Bonds got caught cheating. So now he's the "ANTI ROLE MODEL".

You can say the same thing about Miley Cyrus and the little girls in this country. Millions of little girls love her and want to be just like her. It's not realistic, but it's the way it is. It may be wrong, but it's also the way it is.

Klun...

TO HECK WITH DON....
How about you and I taking a trip to see John Daly play...Maybe we can be lucky enough to "draw" him in a pro-am...And...If we are lucky, and, Barry Bonds gets signed, we maybe in a city that has a major league team and catch a night game...Maybe
Roger Clemons will be pitching...We will get autographed pictures
for Don's trophy room...
Don...
Lighten up you are turning in to a curmudgeon (old goat) at
only 62...Almost all learn "right from wrong"...Some later in life...

I happen to like John Daly. Sure - he's not my role model but he does add some color to what one could sometimes call, a very stiff, upper lip sport. I hope he finds his way back on the green.

Published reports say he's still the #3 draw in golf...so you're not alone TWB

I do believe in the role model persona. I'm just not into the bad guy/spoiled guy thing that goes on. These people are in the public eye, and kids do look up at them and learn. Like it or not, by entering any sport, you put yourself in that position.

Can Daly, or anyone change? Yes, they can. Do you any of you follow NASCAR? The absolute perfect example is Kurt Busch. Kurt was the epitome of arrogance and brat three years ago. I couldn't stand to look at the man. Then he took a fall. Long story short, although he was switching teams the next season, after an off-track incident, owner Jack Roush sat him down and put someone else in the car. Most think Roush did it out of spite, but oddly, he did Kurt Busch the biggest favor of his life. It was a wake up call. He's not perfect now. He reverts on occasion, but then he catches himself. I actually have rooted for the man now. He's found his self-respect again, and he's lost the poor sportsmanship and conceit that had clouded his presence. So, change is possible. I keep hoping his younger brother will learn someday, because the younger brother is more of a jerk than Kurt ever was.

My point is that people can change. Kurt Busch is the proof. You just have to fall hard enough that you finally learn something and then you have to want to change it.

There are athletes who have "attitude issues" in every sport. That's a personality thing. What Daly has is mental and physical...he's an alcoholic. That's always going to drive his actions.

I'm not sticking up for Daly - he's big enough to do that for himself. However, I don't think that we should force 'role model' status on any athlete. My view is that the sport is their livelihood and we like them or hate them as we please. There are always people in the limelight who we just love to hate - McEnroe, Ali, Michael Jackson, Usain Bolt and so on jumps to mind. Let them do their thing - it's only for a time.

Ditto what TWB said.

Some people hated Dale Earnhart (NASCAR driver for those of you non-NASCAR'onians) other's loved him. He was great for that sport either way. Was he mean or dirty? Sure, sometimes yeah, but then other than Jeff Gordon who wasn't back then, and it actually helped NASCAR to have the 'bad' boy to promote.

But Daly's personal issues always overshadowed his on the course performance and seem to make the headlines much more often than he makes cuts. So he's definitely due critisism.

I wonder is as many people have talked about Ron Artest's outburst and issues as they have John's?

The different views here are very interesting. There are some people I don't believe belong in sport. I'm not sure Artest should be around. If a person's off-field problems make their way on field, it needs to be dealt with, regardless of the sport.

You know why John Daly is constantly scrutinized, of course, is because the sport of golf is supposed to be bland and mannerly. He stands out from the faceless vanilla crowd.
Other sports glorify "thugdom" so it's just business as usual.

Well Aimee makes a good point. It is a game of honor and prestige. Jack and Arnie were always great ambassadors to the game and they were that in public and private. John, well, not so much He would fit right in with the WWE and the NBA on some teams.

I think people are torn between wanting to see Daly turn it around and succeed, and wanting to watch the train wreck. John Daly, to me, is wasted talent.

Welcome to the site Yips. Definitely he has wasted a lot of talent and brain cells in his life.