*

It seems like every celebrity- pro -athlete has some kind of endorsement deal now days.  From the Manning brothers to Tiger Woods, it is such a big part of professional sports, that if you asked a young sports enthusiast what they're greatest dream would be,  they would probably reply "I want to play professional basketball and have my own shoes like Micheal Jordan or Lebron James".  But who am I to criticize someone for starting a clothing line, if I was in their shoes I would do the same thing, no pun intended. Let's be honest though besides the clothing and shoes, watching you're favorite athlete on the field playing his heart out is nice to see, but it doesn't allow the fan to get sense of who their watching actually is.  I think a lot of the T.V commercial help show a different side of the athlete. For example take Payton Manning, probably one of the best quarter backs of all time and if you saw him on the field you would probably call him a huge duecher even though he probably has the funniest commercials out "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSuHQZjzJYY".  I think a lot of these commercials help create a sense of down to earthiness for the athlete as well.  I know commercials have scripts but it does say something about a person with what their willing to do and how they carry them selves through it.

With all of this being said, all the work put into creating a new clothing line or shoe line for an athlete or putting their face on every piece of advertisement, this all can be crushed by one scandal "http://newsone.com/nation/best-of-decade/news-one-staff/top-10-sex-scandals-of-the-decade/".  Look through that link, see anything that rings a bell?  I hope something does or else I would have to see you live a god damn cave!  On a serious note one wrong move can change an athletes image forever,  sadly no matter what they have shaped it into they can only bury it for a time being.  As of now Kobe Bryant is known as a warrior on the basketball court and honestly for all the work he has put into his game you can hardly call him just another scumbag accused of rape.  I think scandal or not if people look past an athletes mistakes and see the work and dedication that they put into bettering them selves on and off the field, they should always be praised as role models.  Besides the fame and the fortune they stand for something greater, they stand for determination, hard work, dedication, and most of all they stand for believing.  It shows kids the path in order to achieve their dreams.  As for the athletes like Ricky Williams (Dolphins Running back), who have shown they are great at the game they play but choose to leave the dream they have chased for so long for  parties and drugs.  Those athletes should be kicked out of the league.  It's one thing to go out and have a good time and it is another to devote a years worth of time to smoke weed with a rock star, COUGH Lenny Kravits.....