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Hero-shima: Roger Clemens and the End Days for Sports Heroes
By Tony Serri
During last week's Congressional hearing over the Roger Clemens - Brian McNamee affair, one member stated that he found Clemens story hard to believe, and this saddened him because Clemens was one of his personal heroes. Clemens nodded sympathetically and sadly as if to say, "I understand, I was your hero. Stick with me through this business, and I'll be your hero again." Because that's what heroes do. They triumph over adversity.
Clemens entire defense seems predicated on the basis that since he is supposedly an American hero to millions, he couldn't possibly of done what some sleazy trainer says he did. While Congress, McNamee, and the Mitchell investigation team are armed with facts, depositions, syringes and swabs, Clemens and his legal team are betting that these can be trumped by Clemens mastery of heroic performance art: that steely glances, righteous indignation, firm handshakes, "Yes Sirs" and monotonous espousal of his supposed work ethic can triumph over little inconveniences like truth, witnesses, or precedent.
As preposterous as it sounds, he has better than a puncher's chance of succeeding too. Webster's defines truth as "conformity with fact or reality". But somewhere between the OJ trial and the Clemens affair, the definition of truth in American public life morphed into "lying indefinitely until somebody believes what your saying". Harris polls show that 39% of Americans believe Clemens. Sounds pretty bad if you are pro-Clemens, but if you apply that math to a trial, 5 jurors would be voting "Not Guilty". Apparently in the face of overwhelming evidence, a third of Americans refuse to believe that one of their heroes could a) cheat b) lie to Congress about it. And Clemens is banking on that naiveté.
Along with the definition of the truth, the definition of hero has morphed from "a person who has performed heroic acts and is regarded as an ideal or model" into "a person who decides that they are a hero because they or Nike says so". The formula for the American sports hero in the 21st century appears to be one part hardscrabble childhood, one part extraordinary wealth, one part arrogance and one part insecurity as in "Everyone always disrespected me". Mix in a computer-enhanced Gatorade sweat-bath commercial where the athlete is seen stretching, straining and lifting in the wee hours, and "Voila" you have yourself a hero.
Even by today's lower standard for heroes, Clemens has always had a questionable pedigree. As a pitcher, he was a notorious headhunter, having spent most of his days in the American League where he'd never have to face retaliation by stepping to the plate. When septuagenarian Hank Aaron harmlessly suggested a few years back that the pitchers in his day were better than today's pitchers, Clemens spat that he wish he could face Aaron today and "bean his ass". After nearly killing Mike Piazza several times between 1999 and 2000 because Piazza had the audacity to homer off him several times, Clemens coup de gras in the 2000 World Series was to fling Piazza's broken bat at him. Clemens' four sons are named Koby, Kody, Kory and Kacy, all to honor Roger's K's (for strikeouts). That sounds more like a borderline narcissist than a hero. Can you picture Dwight Eisenhower giving his 4 sons names that started with "G" to honor Dad's triumph over Germany?
The past few years have seen a litany of American sports heroes coming under suspicion (Clemens, Mark McGuire, Barry Bonds, Lance Armstrong) or flaming out in complete ruin (Michael Vick, Pete Rose, Marion Jones). Whether Clemens remains in category 1 or 2 may ultimately be irrelevant. What we learn about baseball and the extent of drug use may ultimately be secondary to what we are learning about ourselves and our notions of truth and heroism. Because we are approaching a tipping point in sports. If we can't believe anything we see, or anything the supposed heroes say, then there is no point caring for any of it.
Do Your Kids Exercise?
By Joshua Carter
A recent study from the University of Washington showed that more and more 2-year olds are regularly watching television. This sets the stage for a sedentary life with an increased risk for obesity and heart disease. Now that last statement wasn't from the study - that was my own prediction.
But really, the statistics don't lie - a study done at Johns Hopkins concluded that a child's weight increases with the number of hours they spend in front of the television each day.
Childhood obesity is now described as an epidemic. It puts your child's health at risk, and makes them more susceptible to problems involving their cardiovascular systems, endocrine systems, and even their mental health. Type 2 diabetes mellitus, depression, and low self-esteem are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the problems looming over the heads of overweight children.
What do your kids eat?
Think about your child's diet. Do they eat three balanced meals a day? Do they eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day? Are they limited in their servings of fried, processed, and sugary foods? Replace these foods with fresh nutrient dense foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and low fat dairy.
Monkey see monkey do
This issue really boils down to one factor: Parental Example. Your kids watch what you do even when you wish they wouldn't, and this is certainly true when it comes to diet and exercise.
Do you model good eating habits, or do your kids see you indulge? Do you exercise regularly, or do your kids see you on the couch in front of the television all weekend?. It's never too late to set a positive example for your kids - the key is to act now.
For more Free fitness tips for kids and adults alike- visit http://CarterFitness.com