Last week's blog focused on LeBron James as a role model for our children. In the past week, the tape of James being dunked on was released, and much of the fervor about this episode has gone away. This was another prime example of the complex relationship between sports, society, and the media. Over the next three blogs, we will examine how recent stories in the sports world reflect both the power and negative focus of the media. The attention the media gives negative stories far outweighs the attention devoted to more positive stories. As a result, it is more difficult than it ought to be to use news stories to illustrate positive sports role models for our children.
The Tour de France is one of the more grueling competitions in the world. Over a three week period, cyclists bike more than 2,000 miles. After winning a record seven consecutive Tour de France's (1999-2005), Lance Armstrong retired. He ran three marathons. He raised millions of dollars for cancer research. Then, he came out of retirement and took third in the 2009 Tour de France that concluded this week.
Armstrong is a fascinating case study, because he appears to represent so much that is both good and bad about sports. Armstrong is a cancer survivor who battled back to become the most successful rider in the Tour's history. He has seemingly unparalleled competitiveness and drive. In Armstrong's book, It's not about the bike: My journey back to life, he recounts training at levels that are exhausting to read about, much less complete. On one training ride, Armstrong recalls biking through wind and rain up a steep incline that took him four hours to complete. At the end of the grueling ride, he felt that he "hadn't fully mastered it; I wasn't comfortable that I could cope with how difficult it was." Armstrong proceeded to bike back down the hill and bike four more hours up it, in an attempt to master the hill. "I was pretty sure I was the only fool who was willing to climb it in the weather even once, much less twice. But that was the point." How many of us regularly choose to do something in our job that is excruciatingly painful, for four hours, and then do it again because we hadn't yet fully mastered the challenge? Armstrong's drive, desire, and determination have inspired countless people, with millions wearing the "Live Strong" bracelets Armstrong and Nike created to raise money for cancer research (www.livestrong.org).
On the other hand, Armstrong has his share of critics. Rarely does someone become the best at anything in the world without a single-minded focus. This focus can lead to selfishness, egotism, and even narcissism. Armstrong has been criticized for what some have perceived as arrogance. In addition, Armstrong has undergone numerous accusations of using performance-enhancing drugs (these accusations are not uncommon for most of the world's top cyclists).
2009 Tour de France
The competitive and cooperative aspects of the Tour de France are unlike any other sport. Typically each team has a lead rider who is the team's best chance at victory. Similar to other sports, other team members sacrifice for the good of the group. What is different is that the team does not receive the majority of the glory, the lead rider does. In the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA title, not Kobe Bryant (although he did receive the MVP of the Finals). Imagine if the city of Los Angeles threw a parade for Kobe, and the rest of his teammates got to watch from the sidewalk?
In cycling, however, Team Astana is recognized, but only the lead rider is crowned the champion. Although there is competition on any team, the dynamic between cooperation and competition in cycling is a very different team dynamic. During the 2009 Tour de France, Armstrong and his teammate Alberto Contador were both considered contenders for the title. This caused significant tension on the team. Contador ended up winning, with Armstrong coming in third, but even after the race, Contador lashed out at Armstrong, saying, "My relationship with Lance Armstrong is zero. He's a great rider and he did a great Tour. Another thing is on a personal level, where I have never admired him and never will."
Armstrong responded, "Seeing these comments from AC (Alberto Contador), if I were him I'd drop this drivel and start thanking his team. Without them, he doesn't win. A champion is also measured on how much he respect his teammates and opponents."
None of us know what went on behind closed doors with Team Astana. It is clear the relationship between Armstrong and Contador was rocky. However, there is such a thing as winning with class and losing with dignity. Armstrong was clearly displeased with his third-place finish, yet for the most part he kept his mouth shut and spoke humbly about defeat. "I'm realistic, I did everything I could. For me, and even more for my kids, it's probably a healthy thing for them to see, because they saw their dad that never lost, and the kids in their class say ‘your dad never loses', so it's good for them to see dad get third and still be cool with that and still be happy." To his credit (and probably the media's dismay), Armstrong has generally dealt with his defeat quietly and behind closed doors.
Parents, media, and lessons for our children
This year's Tour highlights the powerful role that competition and cooperation have in our society. It also demonstrates the role the media has in shaping public opinion. Clearly, Armstrong and Contador both have sizable egos. They are incredibly dedicated, talented, passionate cyclists. The media has chosen to focus on the drama between the two men, rather than on the difficult situation they were both in during this year's Tour. How many of us would get along perfectly with a "teammate" who has the same goal as we do, when only one of us can attain that goal? Contador and Armstrong are far from perfect, but their actions during this year's Tour are not that unique. Rather, they are simply viewed through a very public lens, in a high-pressure situation, where competitive drive and cooperative work are pitted against each other in an uncommon way in the Tour de France.
I hope that all children, Lance Armstrong's and others, learn valuable lessons from competition. Here are five lessons I believe children can take from this year's Tour de France:
1) If I'm on a team, sometimes that means sacrificing for the team, even if it's not what I want to do for me.
2) Don't brag, or criticize others after I win. Don't whine after I lose. Give credit to my opponent, and be honest with myself about what I can do better.
3) Remember that professional athletes are human just like the rest of us. We all have lots of good qualities, and lots of areas of our lives where we have lots of room for improvement.
4) Learn from my failures - resolve to come back stronger and better.
5) Ask myself if I did the best I possibly could have. If the answer is "yes", feel good about that, regardless of the outcome.
These lessons would be easier for children to learn if the media did not paint a picture of athletes as heroes, only to tear them back down when inevitably they prove to be less than perfect. Instead, children would digest these lessons better if the media portrayed athletes as humans, just like the rest of us, where they have to put one foot in front of the other as they pedal through the journey of life.
