YESTERDAYS' HERO

Sometimes I think that no one wants to hear from an old person.....I really didn't when I was young. Oh, I'd listen with one ear, but my mind was a million miles away. So I doubt too many people will be interested in this article....because I am declaring myself to be an "old person".

I was born in the fifties....a long time ago. Seen things that are unimaginable today. You know, like the computer advances and the phone advances....and of course medicine, cars, and so much more. But change in tech and health care is not what I'm speaking of here. No. Instead, I'm talking about Heroes. When I was growing up, I had Heroes. Plenty of them. Maybe they were on TV (John Wayne), maybe they were an adult (JFK), maybe they weren't even real(Superman). But some of my Heroes wore uniforms. Firemen, Police, Military....of course! Who didn't look up to them as a kid? But specifically, I'm talking about the Athlete! That's right.....Athletes. Let me toss out a couple names: Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Fran Tarkenton, Harmon Killebrew, Eddie Matthews, Don Drysdale, Arnold Palmer, Wilt Chamberlin, Ted Williams.......and I could go on and on. There were lots of Heroes back in the day. Some hit home runs, some tapped in birdies, and some scored 50 points a game. As kids we didn't know much about their lives outside the game. We didn't know or understand if they had money issues or infidelity issues. The media treated 'em different....and they weren't in our face 24/7 like they are today. We just knew them on the diamond, or the court, or the course, or wherever their stage was.

Let's fast forward to today. Still have Heroes. But now I know that some of them, most of them aren't necessarily the role model that they should be. Take a Brett Farve. I loved him. Didn't necessarily love his team, but I loved him. Gave his heart and soul on the field. Ever seen him cry after a game? Yep. Emotionally drained. My Hero. Did he screw up along the way once or twice? I think so....the media sure portrayed that he did in N.Y. with a reporter. I don't know the facts, just what was reported....still love the guy. Joe Namath....he was a hero to a zillion people. But his legacy says he was a womanizer and had alcohol problems. And we know the stories of athletes go on and on. So the Heroes of Sports tend to be human we learn. They make mistakes along the way. Few don't make mistakes, or at a minimum, get caught.

So where's all this lead? It leads to Heroes in Uniform today. Who are they? The other night I watched the Packers play football. I don't know all the players, but Aaron Rodgers strikes me as a pretty good dude. I'm thinking he could be somebody's Hero. I mean, he is a super star. Wins games on the field. A lot of people in Wisconsin probably love this guy. He's a leader on his team, without question. So how disappointing to me that this American Hero didn't put his hand over his heart during the National Anthem!!! How many thousands of kids and adults who look up to him saw that!!!??? My heart sank. Sadness, actually. A wasted opportunity by Rodgers, the Packers, the NFL. And so many more Players across the League. And now the Jordan's of the world, and LeBron, and Steph, and the list goes on. Folks, it ain't about your unity as a Team. It's about being a leader, and recognizing that you have so many many followers.

We all have rights. Wars and hundreds of thousands of deaths have given us that. And those rights allow us to say what we want, when we what, and where we want.....within reason. But this issue goes way past rights and it goes way beyond issues of our time, whether it's police brutality or racism. Some would tell me (and probably will), that's easy for me to say....I didn't walk a mile in their shoes. And I would contend, no argument. But here's my message, plain and simple. When you're a Hero, you need to think about those millions of worshipers, and just do the "right thing". America gave you the right to be a Hero. Be one!

Or maybe I'm all wrong.....and we don't have any Heroes today. Maybe that's yesterday, and I'm just old.....thinking about Yesterdays' Heroes.