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Who's accountable when player reaches elite and has control of his or her player career. A partnership where there is contractual obligations on both sides. An interesting debatable topic that is open to the 'responsibility' conundrum.  

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Who's accountable when player reaches elite and has control of his or her player career. A partnership where there is contractual obligations on both sides. An interesting debatable topic that is open to the 'responsibility' conundrum.  

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Video provided by Wide World of Sports

In the space of a few months, and even more so in the past few days, Bernard Tomic has managed to make Nick Kyrgios look like something not even Nick Kyrgios could do - a grown up.

Actually, that's a cheap shot.

Kyrgios is finally "adulting" all on his own: playing with heart, playing matches through to the end, not giving ball kids grief for the way they've delivered him the ball or his towel.

His recent first-person accounts on the Players' Voice have been enlightening and given an insight to a young sportsman with substance. They've shown how he's struggled with expectation and himself. He's setting up his own foundation to help underprivileged kids. Admirable stuff.

But remember: only a year ago, at the Australian Open, he was up two sets against Andreas Seppi and then simply gave up; he tossed his toys out of the cot, losing interest and then losing in five sets. He was booed from the court by his home crowd.

He's also yet to show any real remorse for abusing umpires, lines people, officials, and reporters who ask legitimate questions about his tennis.

Credibility isn't something handed over with the trophy and winner's cheque from the Brisbane International, nor the Australian Open for that matter. It comes with time, often years, and the best thing for Kyrgios is that he's got a lot of those left because he's only 22.

Tomic won't be at Melbourne Park this week after bombing out in the final match of qualifying. He's 25 and got time, too, but the clock is ticking.

As he crashed through a media scrum on Sunday, he was asked, "Where you going to now, Bernie?"

"I just count money, that's all I do. I count my millions," he said. "You go do what I did [on court]. Bye, bye."

Literally within minutes, Tomic was being blowtorched by sports columnists, fans and former players. For mine, he was reverting to what he normally does when his world crashes down: he acts like a smart arse. Sarcasm is his defence mechanism, as it is for many people.

You might recall he did something similar in 2016 when he crashed out of the Madrid Open. "Would you care if you were 23 and worth over $10 million?" he asked reporters. He said months later that he regretted saying it.

And that's what Tomic's career is becoming: one regret after another.

On Monday morning, Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley was quick to point out there is nothing his organisation can do.

"These players are independent contractors that run their own show and say their own thing," Tiley said on Melbourne radio. "We don't provide any financial support or other support services to them. We did when he was a young teenager. He took advantage of all the support Tennis Australia provided for a solid eight or nine years. Once you start getting on tour and you are a professional player and you start to make your own money, you are on your own."

It's an astonishing thing to hear the boss of Tennis Australia say given the reaction to Jelena Dokic's recently released autobiography Unbreakable, in which she details years of verbal and physical abuse from her fish-throwing father, Damir.

She reveals a culture of silence from tennis officials and even within the locker room from other players as her life spiralled out of control, and even more so after she walked her away from her own family. Tennis turned its back on Dokic and she's lucky to be here.

"By not wanting to talk about abuse, or facing it, it makes it worse for us survivors and those who are still victims of abuse," she wrote in a column for News Corp at the weekend. "It's the reason why some people don't speak up and out. It may make some feel ashamed. I am the first tennis player to detail and write a book on the abuse I suffered - but I know there are others who have endured abuse."

Tomic's tempestuous relationship with his father has been there for all to see for many, many years.

Indeed, when Tomic was a young teenager and stamping himself as "the next big thing of Australian tennis", there was concern within Tennis Australia and the wider tennis community about his father's influence.

The fears weren't about the impact on young Bernie, the vulnerable teenager who only took up tennis because his father found a cheap wooden racquet at a garage sale. The vulnerable teenager who suddenly became a refugee family's chief breadwinner.

It was about a negative impact on "the next big thing of Australian tennis". It is unfair to compare Tomic's father, John, to Damir Dokic, although John has a history of violence after he headbutted Tomic's training partner, Thomas Drouet, in Madrid. He was later found guilty and given an eight-month suspended jail sentence.

"I'm really regretting why I didn't punch him now, because I think that he deserved that," John Tomic told Fairfax Media after the court hearing.

Then, weeks later, Drouet claimed that he had seen John Tomic punch Bernard in the face. John Tomic has denied this.

What's not in dispute is that Tomic's career started like many - from a very early age - and then descended down the same path of unnecessary drama, abuse of officials, abuse of other opponents, of wasted opportunities. At the centre of it has been his father.

In the past few years, Bernard Tomic has acted in many ways like his father's son.

We are all accountable for our own actions but at some point, Tennis Australia, the ATP and WTA need to ask themselves - again - if they are doing enough to support young players. So, too, the senior players on the tour.

Sportspeople are not "independent contractors". They are the most important participant in their sport. The sport has an obligation to make sure they are OK.

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Comment: Bernard Tomic needs help - and tennis must be the one to provide it

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We are all accountable for our own actions but at some point, Tennis Australia, the ATP and WTA need to ask themselves - again - if they are doing enough to support young players. So, too, the senior players on the tour.

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the seven main categories of sport crowd violence ( Spaaij 2014)

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the seven main categories of sport crowd violence ( Spaaij 2014)

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Fighting, verbal abuse, pitch invasion, discharge of missile, vandalism, terrorism,  and assault.

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Sports crowd violence: An interdisciplinary synthesis

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Crowd violence is a regular feature of spectator sports around the world. Contemporary research recognizes the diversity and complexity of this violence, but serious interdisciplinary work on the topic remains sparse. This article suggests that there

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Should Elite Sport athletes multitask and add role model to their talents?

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Should Elite Sport athletes multitask and add role model to their talents?

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We are always told if you are an elite sportsperson you are a role model.  This article truthfully dispels that rumour. A very brave ad for Nike explores this option. Pressure is alleviated from elite sports people to focus on their talents rather than dual job of role model which should be parents.

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AAP/Tracey Nearmy

It has become a truism that professional athletes, whether they like it or not, "are" role models for others. Talented sportspeople hardly win every time, and sometimes they do not exemplify fair play. But many athletes convey attributes about performance, character and resilience that draw admiration from fans.

For the youthful, sports stars may prompt efforts to emulate tries, wickets, goals and baskets in backyards or parks. No surprise, then, that professional athletes are assumed to provide a "role model effect" for sport at community levels, whether by stimulating entry into organised activities or by catalysing ongoing participation.

However, researchers have been ambivalent or unconvinced about the efficacy of a "role model effect" in terms of sport engagement.

For example, the 2012 London Olympics - in which British athletes performed exceptionally well - were staged against the policy backdrop of a "participation legacy" - a concerted strategy to increase physical activity across the UK. Despite the headline performances of medal-winning British athletes, overall sport participation rates fell after the Games.

There is, in short, no logical connection between sport fandom and sport exercise. What's more, the easy assumption that high-performance athletes "inspire" a generation of community-based sport participants is not only unfounded, it is bad policy. That point even applies to sportspeople who have reached the zenith of their profession. In one global survey:

... only 10% of the elite athletes have been inspired by other elite athletes in order to start with their current sport. Mostly they were encouraged by their parents (59%) and friends (28%) to practice their current sport.

Athletes as off-field role models

High-profile athletes are widely feted as public figures outside of sport, as happens with celebrities in other entertainment professions. In sport, though, such recognition is said to come with additional responsibilities, most notably in the assumption that athletes are (or must become) "role models in the community".

In a contractual sense, athletes are employees when representing their club during community events such as school visits, charity fundraisers, and the like. These are occasions when athletes are expected to promote their sport or to support an organisation aligned with their club.

Whether heartfelt or perfunctory, such actions may be construed as inauthentic, much "like the politician kissing a baby".

Beyond these official responsibilities, athletes would be naïve to expect the same level of privacy as someone without a public profile. So there is a trade-off, as happens with notable performers in other spheres of life, such as entertainers or politicians.

However, the off-field obligations of an athlete involve significant surveillance. They must notify a National Anti-Doping Authority where they are every day of the year, and must be available for drug testing from 6am to 11pm. A typical part of athlete contracts is the catch-all phrase of "bringing the game into disrepute", which in practice means that an employer can dismiss an employee for off-field conduct that it deems contrary to the interests of a club or a sport.

In these ways, the off-field expectations of athletes are couched in punitive terms.

Taking a more positive view, it is a common refrain that athletes are role models for, or even in, a wider community. However, this taken-for-granted assumption has not been accompanied by research to explore the efficacy of such claims. There appears to be profound differences between athletes' self-perception as off-field influencers.

NBA star Charles Barkley once declared that he was "not paid to be a role model", and that "parents should be role models". Barkley did not consider himself particularly virtuous as a person, but said that he was well equipped to "wreak havoc on a basketball court".

By comparison, some athletes have sought an off-field leadership role, particularly when their status as an athlete provides support to like-minded others.

Bachar Houli, an AFL footballer of Muslim faith, has actively sought to engage with the wider Islamic community, and to provide inspiration for Muslim kids who might want to engage in sport. This community engagement role has been supported by Houli's club, and complements his existing position as a multicultural ambassador for the AFL.

Dual role models?

More than 30 years after Barkley's declaration that he was unfit to be a role model, there is heightened expectation that all professional athletes, whether they like it or not, are role models both on and off the field. But is this a logical expectation?

As Feezell has argued, "we know about celebrated athletes' exemplary conduct in sport", but "there is nothing intrinsic to athletic participation that merits the status of being a moral exemplar" beyond that sport-specific role.

Clubs and leagues certainly have expectations that athletes will conduct themselves "appropriately" during their private lives. This is underpinned by sports' support for community-focused initiatives such as the White Ribbon Campaign (countering male violence against women) and the Plan B anti-drink-driving promotion.

But it is unclear why athletes have the skills or values to be positioned as custodians of virtue in such initiatives. The underlying assumption appears to be that sport imbues good character. As a consequence, athletes are thought to be "equipped" to exemplify positive character traits both in sport and during their private lives.

Athletes are very visible on the sport field, but much less noticeable outside it. If athletes actually function as role models beyond sport, the public needs some basis upon which to make assessments of their character. Herein lies a problem. As Feezell points out:

... most of us know very little about the athletes whose exploits we admire.

And, therefore, we are not in a position to know if or how they influence others in wider society. This leads to a further problem. The media typically "thrives on scandal and sensationalism", so stories about public figures "gone bad" are much more likely to appear in the press.

Player welfare managers at professional sports clubs find it very difficult to persuade the media to give prominence to "good deeds" by players; news editors are far more interested in detailing off-field misdemeanours.

Ultimately, then, when a small minority of athletes fails to live up to employer and community expectations, the wider sports profession is tranished as disreputable.

It is difficult to see, in a practical sense, how athletes function as community role models if little is known about them outside of sport, except where - as in the case of Houli - a role as social influencer is both sought and supported.

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Athletes of influence? The role model refrain in sport

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It has become a truism that professional athletes, whether they like it or not, "are" role models for others. Talented sportspeople hardly win every time, and sometimes they do not exemplify fair play. But many athletes convey attributes about performance, character and resilience that draw admiration from fans.

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A role model is defined as "a person whose behavior, example, or success is or can be emulated by others, especially by younger people." Athletes comprise most of the role model community in today's day in age, based on their popularity in our culture. Some athletes reject the idea that they have any influence on others, while others fully embrace it.

NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has strongly opposed the idea of sports figures being role models to young people. Sir Charles famously starred in a Nike ad declaring "I am not a role model", and encouraging parents to raise their own kids. When explaining himself, Barkley said that by telling children that they should look up to athletes is like "telling kids to look up to someone they can't become, because not many people can be like we are."

While Barkley may be right in the fact that not many people can become an elite athletes, that doesn't mean that people can't look up to the values that those athletes represent. The ironic part of Barkley's campaign is that despite renouncing his status as a role model, he inspired countless kids to become successful basketball players.

Today we will be taking a look at some of the athletes who have become role models to people everywhere, sometimes unbeknownst to themselves. This list will only contain current athletes, which means that the role model staples of Michael Jordan, Derek Jeter, and Kurt Warner will not be on this list. Let us know your opinion, and sound off in the comments below if we forgot anyone.

In 2010 the Washington Wizards selected John Wall with the first overall pick of the NBA Draft. The point guard was charged to bring some excitement to the D.C. team, and did immediately with his great game, and entertaining pre-game dances. Wall makes this list however based on his willingness to expose his heart in front of the public. Most athletes have so many walls built up around them, that you may see emotion after a loss, but not anywhere else.

Wall on many occasions has bared his soul in front of cameras, showing fans that it is okay to be thankful for what you have. Wall broke down in tears while expressing his pride for his younger sister finishing college, stopping the press conference to compose himself. His compassion has also been shown to the Washington community by donating over $1 million to the urban community through his charity.

14 14. Cristiano Ronaldo

Often misrepresented as a diva, Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid is a great role model for people to look up to. The footballer is one of the best athletes in the world, and is constantly trying to improve upon his craft. Unfortunately his drive to be the best is portrayed as selfishness, but that claim is far from the truth.

Ronaldo is one of the most giving athletes in the world, building schools on the Gaza Strip, rebuilding after earthquakes, donating entire wings to hospitals, and paying for patients to test experimental drugs for cancer. In fact Ronaldo was asked by a family to donate a jersey and shoes, so that they could auction it to pay for their child's surgery. Ronaldo did send the jersey and shoes...and also a check to pay for the entire operation. The guy even refuses to get tattoos, because he wants to donate blood without fear of cross contamination.

The blue number 48 has been dominating the sport of competitive racing for about eight years now. Jimmie Johnson is only one Sprint Cup Championship behind tying both Richard Petty, and Dale Earnhardt Sr., and may do it in a shorter span of time than both men.

The noteworthy part of Johnson's career, is his incredible humility and everyman beginnings. Johnson grew up in a working class neighborhood, and was able to become the best driver in NASCAR. Since becoming a professional driver, Johnson has been able to raise over $7.7 million for communities and families in need. Many NASCAR fans don't like him, desperately digging to find a problem with the driver; Johnson handles all the criticisms with class and continues to be a great example in sports.

Serena Williams is a perfect role model for women all over the world. She has used her incredible drive, to propel her into being an 18 time Grand Slam Champion in tennis. It's important to note that Williams inspires girls without even trying, by showing how hard work can earn you anything you want. Along with her her tennis career, Williams is an actress, fashion mogul, equipment spokeswoman, philanthropist, and part owner of the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

John Cena is polarizing to say the least, but no matter how you feel about the WWE Superstar the general consensus is that he is a great role model. Everytime he is on television, he plays the role of a superhero for children, teaching them to stand up for their beliefs, and to never give up. Cena doesn't just preach his positivity on screen, he actually goes and visits kids, most famously having done over 400 Make-A-Wish appearances for sick and terminal children.

In any type of combative sport there is a level of self confidence that a fighter needs in order to succeed. Most fighters cross the line and become jerks, whose egos outweigh their accomplishments, but George St.Pierre is not one of those fighters.

GSP is an MMA warrior who has introduced humility into the sport, instead of humiliation. The former UFC Welterweight Champion has never spoken badly about an opponent, and showed respect to the sport by carrying himself as a professional. St. Pierre also made it a point to show young fighters that you don't need to be on steroids to succeed in fighting, by openly taking drug tests while training for title fights.

Of course Tim Tebow was going to be on this list, how could he not? Despite all of the Tebowing memes and general hating on the guy, no one could ever question his character. Tebow at one point had the entire world watching him, waiting for him to crack under the pressure of being a self proclaimed role model and to his credit he never did.

Tebow hasn't been an active player in the NFL for the past two years, but has kept training in hopes of rejoining professional football. His journey culminated in being signed by the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. The only thing that Tebow has devoted his life to more than football, is helping others. He has gone to Africa countless times as a missionary, and has helped countless children through his "Tim Tebow Foundation". He isn't just a great athlete to look up to, Tebow is a great person to aspire to be.

Amy Purdy's story crosses gender lines, and is an inspiration to all people who have ever had to overcome an obstacle. Purdy lost both of her legs (below the knee) in 1999 after contracting meningitis, and her chances of living were under 2%. Purdy was able to recover, and not only learn to walk again, but also to snowboard professionally. She actually was so good at the sport that she took home a gold medal in 2014 at the Paralympic Winter Games.

Purdy was covered in snowboarding gear during the Paralympics, but bared her legs insecurities, and confidence by joining Dancing With The Stars in 2014. The competitor showed that having a physical ailment doesn't have to hold you back, coming in second place in the competition, and receiving amazing scores throughout the season.

The Super Bowl XLVIII Champion Seattle Seahawks were led by a selfless quarterback named Russell Wilson; you may have heard of him. Despite his scrappy nature on the field, Wilson is a devout Christian, who believes that it is his duty to help people. Whether you are religious or not, the fact that an NFL quarterback genuinely enjoys helping people is inspirational.

Wilson doesn't go for the glory off the field, but is recognized due to his celebrity status while giving back to the community. The QB has routinely visited a local children's hospital every Tuesday since becoming an NFL player, and also has been outed as giving up first class seats to armed forces veterans.

Side note: If you want a comparison of how Russell stacks up to the typical athlete, look up the Instagram side by side comparison of his and 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick's free time antics.

While many sports have had the glass ceiling shattered, some have remained in the back of the pack. Until recently NASCAR (and racing in general) was trailing all of the other major sports, with no defined place for women to race. To the credit of NASCAR, instead of having a different league for women to compete in, they have always had an open door for the ladies to join the Cup Series. The problem is that the women who actually made it to the big races are few and far between.

In February of 2010, Danica Patrick became only the sixth woman to participate in NASCAR races. In 2013, Patrick beat all expectations and became the first woman to win a pole position in a Sprint Cup Race. Although she has yet to win a major race, Patrick is continuing to defy the odds, by consistently placing in races throughout the season.

Some have criticized Patrick for being more a bikini model than a role model, but these claims are irresponsible. By downplaying Patrick's accomplishments, they are also downplaying the drive in all little girls around the world to attempt something that they are told is just for boys.

Named the Laurus Sportsman of the Year for four straight years, Roger Federer isn't just one of the best tennis players of all time, but he exhibits everything you want in an athlete. Federer has 17 Grand Slam titles, but his work off the court is just as impressive. He was named a Goodwill Ambassador by UNICEF in 2006 and is involved in several other charities. Federer has also helped victims of Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti Earthquake.

Federer has always handled himself with class.

Larry Fitzgerald is a 6-foot-3, 218 pound force of nature for the Arizona Cardinals. With his commanding presence, and all star status it would be typical to assume that Fitzgerald is a diva, reminiscent of a Terrell Owens. However Fitzgerald is far from the typical NFL wide receiver, and is universally recognized for his humble nature.

Fitzgerald has been recorded as repeatedly being the first player on the field, and the last to leave, attempting to cement his status as "Sticky Fingers". His work ethic carries over to the rest of the roster, his former head coach Ken Whisenhuntbeing quoted as saying "he sets the standard" when referring to Fitzgerald. The Pro-Bowler recognizes that he is a role model to young people, and fully accepts the role as his responsibility. He commented on his this saying:

"I see all the 11's out there and I want to make sure I set a good example for young people. I want to let them know it's not all about football - you have to be a good citizen and give back to people less fortunate."

Clayton Kershaw is currently the highest paid player in baseball, topping the salary list for the first time in his career. Whereas some would celebrate this accomplishment by buying a new car or house, Kershaw has other plans. The three time Cy Young winner plans on using some of his new money to help fund his charity "Kershaw's Challenge". The charity provides supplies and support to African orphans, by the way of an orphanage that Kershaw and his wife built in 2011.

Tim Duncan is the a one of a kind leader, becoming a NBA legend that everyone seems to forget about. "The Big Fundamental" has led his team to an impressive five championships, and in the process has become one of the most decorated players in NBA history.

Aside from all of his accolades, Duncan has proven that he is the ultimate role model for anyone to look up to. His character is held in the highest regard by his organization, and fans alike. Duncan is not driven by ego, and will applaud a pair of teammates for a great play on the floor, whether he was involved or not.

The reigning Finals MVP has also never wavered in his loyalty to his organization, resigning his contract with no big to do unlike other players in the past. Duncan has exhibited perseverance, and diligence for over 18 years, never taking a play off, and always doing his best.

Duncan also has raised thousands of dollars for charity, and through his foundation (aptly named "the Tim Duncan Foundation") has raised awareness for various diseases, and encouraged healthy habits for teens.

Peyton Manning is a very visible personality in the sports world, with dozens of endorsements, a few MVPs and a Lombardi Trophy all on the resume. As amazing as Manning is behind center, he is equally heralded for his integrity. Manning famously turned down an extra $1.4 million per year when he signed with the Broncos, with the rationale that he "didn't deserve it".

Despite turning down extra Broncos money, Manning has donated over $6.5 million to at risk youth over his career. "The Sheriff" actually did so much for the children's hospital at St. Vincent's in Indianapolis, that they named it after him in 2007.

Aside from all of the charity, Manning is a goofy average joe, that is completely relatable. His competitive nature is evident on the field, but unlike a player like Tom Brady, Manning feels totally comfortable making fun of himself. He often uses this approach to widen his audience, and is able to spread his good will further.

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Top 15 Athletes Who Are The Best Rolemodels

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A role model is defined as "a person whose behavior, example, or success is or can be emulated by others, especially by younger people." Athletes comprise most of the role model community in today's day in age, based on their popularity in our culture.

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Violence in Sport Advertisment (Jammal, Yuen)

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An advertisement about anti-violence in sport. It is targeted at adults and it conveys the message that professional sports affect the way children conduct themselves.

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NFL skilfully using their power and influence to challenge normative violence.

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NFL skilfully using their power and influence to challenge normative violence.

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Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

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Marasescu, M. R. (2013). ATHLETES' INVOLVEMENT IN VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF SPORTS COMPETITION. Contemporary Readings in Law and Social Justice, 5(2), 183-188. 

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Marasescu, M. R. (2013). ATHLETES' INVOLVEMENT IN VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF SPORTS COMPETITION. Contemporary Readings in Law and Social Justice, 5(2), 183-188. 

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How is normalisation  of violence impacting on the identity of the athletes in the field and off the field?

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How is normalisation  of violence impacting on the identity of the athletes in the field and off the field?

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We all look to sporting role models as credible and sustainable sources of normalized behaviour.  Their actions and beliefs  influence young people from an early age regardless of his or her conduct off the field. When sport persons commit violence and their club or association does nothing to curtail it, the violence becomes normalised.  Current stereotyping practices usually equate violence with true masculinity. In turn, players are raised in the culture of normalised violence as masculinity.   It subsequently  reproduces  and enforces that culture. This institutional practice is a product of a wider cultural problem. Sporting codes need to recognise the power and influence of normative cultural production towards eradicating the violence we see in communities today. This can be achieved by challenging rather than shielding those in normalized violence.

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In February of this year the Super Bowl set a record as the most viewed television event in US history with 111.5 million viewers. With a population of 313 million, that means over one third of the United States watched one television event at the same time. The official count doesn't include the millions of people watching in bars or at viewing parties, so the figure is likely much higher.

The Super Bowl is a massive, unifying cultural event that creates cultural experiences well outside of the game of football. Super Bowl commercials are so valuable to companies that just 30 seconds of airtime cost $4 million in 2014. Commercials during the Super Bowl are so popular that people place bets on them, compile countless "best of" lists with commercials, and discuss them well beyond the Super Bowl itself. Arguably even more popular and culturally significant than Super Bowl commercials is the half-time show. Beyoncé's performance at the 2013 Super Bowl was such a massive event that it broke records as one of the most Tweeted about events in the history of Twitter. The 2004 half-time show with Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake was such a significant event that it is still being discussed 10 years later. The NFL arguably presents the most significant, consistent events of cultural production in the United States.

But the NFL as a source of cultural construction extends well beyond the Super Bowl; the sport is often synonymous with patriotism and national identity. Michael Oriard in Slate argues that the NFL became an analog for militarism and nationalism post-World War II -this cross-cultural exchange between the military and the NFL positioned football as the embodiment of U.S. values. Football has also evolved to include patriotic spectacle and demonstration as an integral part of the game. The NFL maintains the credibility as a quintessential national institution that allows it to mold norms of behavior. To be American is to watch football. To be a man is to perform the masculinity constructed by the sport and its participants.

The participants in the NFL are also held as credible sources of normalized behavior. NFL players are deified by the popular media and positioned as the ideal masculine figure. Young boys are taught to aspire to be like their favorite football player, regardless of his off-field conduct. The NFL and its players are the authority on what it means to be a good citizen and a patriotic man in the United States. When these deified athletes participate in violence against women and the NFL as an institution does not take immediate action, this violence becomes normalized. The players commit violence, the organization does not curtail (or punish) the violence, and then violence becomes the norm. Violence is equated with true masculinity. The players are raised in the culture of normalized violence as masculinity and subsequently reproduce and enforce that culture.

This is not to say that the NFL alone is responsible for normalized violence - not by any means. Nor is football as a sport to blame for domestic violence and the broad cultural tolerance for violence against women. The institution is a product of a wider cultural problem, but that doesn't mean it cannot play a huge part in changing the culture of violence. The NFL needs to channel its power of normative cultural production towards ending violence against women: it needs to use its institutional might to challenge rather than protect those who participate in normalized violence.

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Normalized Violence: Constructing Culture Through the NFL

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In February of this year the Super Bowl set a record as the most viewed television event in US history with 111.5 million viewers. With a population of 313 million, that means over one third of the United States watched one television event at the same time.

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It was the scream heard 'round the world as Nancy Kerrigan let out an agonizing cry after she was clubbed in the leg in an infamous 1994 assault, but much of the infamous video, including the seconds leading up to the attack, has rarely been seen.

In the footage shot on Jan. 6, 1994, Kerrigan is seen warming up at an ice rink in Detroit, blissfully unaware of the grim fate that was just a few moments away.

Her rival Tonya Harding was also in the Motor City, competing against Kerrigan in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

The camera was rolling as Kerrigan wrapped up her routine and left the ice, walking through a curtain unaware that her life was about to change forever.

Cameraman Gene Samuels, who shot the historic footage, recalled the "blood-curdling scream" he heard.

He ran up to Kerrigan just seconds after the mysterious attack and found her on the floor in agony.

"These things happen in front of you," he told Inside Edition. "It's almost like surreal."

In the footage, Kerrigan is writhing in pain and can be heard screaming, "Help me! Take off my skate! Please take off my skate!"

Then came the heartbreaking cry of "Why! Why!"

Kerrigan also described the attacker's weapon: "Some hard, hard black stick. Something really hard."

As Kerrigan was carried to the changing rooms by her dad, a manhunt was launched for the attacker.

"All of a sudden somebody yelled out, 'He's outside!' So we went tearing out through the door," Samuels recalled.

Security staff at the ice rink scoured the area in a desperate bid to find the attacker before he could slip away.

Back inside, officers arrived at the scene and as they do, a young woman comes forward to help them identify the attacker.

The attack was orchestrated by Tonya Harding's then-husband Jeff Gillooly, who hired a goon to knock Kerrigan out of commission and guarantee his wife's place at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.

Harding has always denied any involvement in the attack. The acclaimed new film I,Tonya offers a sympathetic account of her life.

This week, Harding made headlines with an ABC News interview in which she reveals she heard her ex-husband plotting an attack on her rival.

Harding maintains that she never agreed to or knew about Gillooly's plan to go after Kerrigan, but she says "I did, however, overhear them talking about stuff, where, 'Well maybe we should take somebody out so we can make sure she gets on the team.' And I remember telling them... 'What the hell are you talking about?'"

"This was, like, a month or two months before [the attack]," she added. "But they were talking about skating and saying, 'Well, maybe somebody should be taken out so then, you know, she can make it.'"

Harding's ex-husband and her bodyguard both pleaded guilty to involvement in the attack and were sentenced to prison time. The attacker and the getaway driver also did time after admitting their roles in the assault.
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Tonya Harding's Mother Disputes 'Villain' Portrayal in New Film, Claims Daughter Hates Her

Disgraced Figure Skater Tonya Harding Gets Standing Ovation at Premiere of 'I, Tonya'

See the Moment Nancy Kerrigan Came Face to Face With Tonya Harding After Clubbing Attack

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Seldom Seen Footage Shows Nancy Kerrigan Just Before Notorious Attack, Desperate Hunt for Her Assailant

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It was the scream heard 'round the world as Nancy Kerrigan let out an agonizing cry after she was clubbed in the leg in an infamous 1994 assault, but much of the infamous video, including the seconds leading up to the attack, has rarely been seen. In the footage shot on Jan.

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Benoit theory of Image Repair Theory. Which came first, Chicken or the egg!

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Benoit theory of Image Repair Theory. Which came first, Chicken or the egg!

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Interesting theories used effectively in protecting brand image, both corporate and individual. Dates to when the  theory was first  coined is open to non scientific inquiry. Social theorists could discredit the available credit dates of (1995) when  critically evaluating the Nike air with Charles Barkely, date being 1993. Or was the Nike ad air dates wrong on the  web now.  Criminologists and social theorists could have a field day with this debatable query. I found it perplexing that the Nike ad addressed all 5 strategies to perfection and yet it aired apparently 2 years before this theory coined. Maybe a case for the  'dream team' !!!

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Professor William Benoit Summarizes his Image Repair Theory (HD)

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On January 27, 2010, Professor William L. Benoit discussed his theory of image repair at Aarhus University in Denmark. Professor Benoit is one of the world's preeminent scholars on apologia rhetoric and has published numerous books and scholarly journal articles applying the theory of image repair (persuasive defense) to a variety of contexts.

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How role modelling behaviour can self manage user responsibility in sport.
Research paper by Penelope Elliott prepared for Helena Menih UNE, Armidale, Australia.

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The cantonal authorities have concluded an agreement on combating violence at sporting events. The agreement contains measures to keep troublemakers away from stadiums or other sensitive areas, and it grants power to the authorities to impose conditions upon the organizers of sporting events.

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Baseball's White Sox and Cubs, the NFL's Bears, NBA's Bulls and NHL's Blackhawks announced Wednesday they are forming the Chicago Sports Alliance and donating a total of $1 million in one-time grants to three programs addressing violence.

The money will go to Choose 2 Change, a mentoring program aiming to reduce violence among youth in the city's rough Englewood neighborhood; training analysts who work with the Chicago Police Department to develop strategies to reduce crime in the city's most violent areas; and the University of Chicago's crime lab to measure the impact of the teams' effort.

The franchises will also continue their own charitable work.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
© 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Chicago sports franchises team up to tackle violence in city

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Baseball's White Sox and Cubs, the NFL's Bears, NBA's Bulls and NHL's Blackhawks announced Wednesday they are forming the Chicago Sports Alliance and donating a total of $1 million in one-time grants to three programs addressing violence.

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at the Nike ad with Charles Barkley.  We mentioned brand image and role modelling theories in my padlet of brand image in sport and corruption. Lets extrapolate a few more underlying ideologies that have surfaced during the critical evaluation of this ad.

So often the players words and actions can be directly associated to the team they represent  or their individual self. If a player is involved in misconduct their  contract is open to discussion and termination an option.

Nike and Charles Barkely successfully negotiate around contractual obligations of  release and termination clauses.  Cleverly executed  and never seen before, the players role in ad  manages public image and its financial impact.  A marketers dream fulfilling all stakeholders requirements, the epitomy of creative thought processes in advertising.  Its management to financial impact is so well executed that many lawyers would have been left dumbfounded.
Nike and advertising crew used a similar theory to Benolts (1995) strategies in Image repair theory in their well orchestrated 27 secs to address the questions regarding an athlete's image in the event of transgression.
High 5 to Nike for a well executed and clever way to address future player transgression issues by using the key strategies of
1) denial 2) evading responsibility 3) reducing offensiveness 4) corrective action 5) mortification.

As seen in most academic research the 'black' athlete is a frequent target to transgression investigations, whether they are guilty or not.  Nike, player and marketing team working well in a novel risk management move; maybe not so risky for Charles, but a future safeguard for chance of financial loss during transgression investigation.

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Charles Barkley "I am not a role model"   Nike Air Commercial

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Charles Barkley features in a Nike Air commercial. "I am not a role model."

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SOUTH Australia's Victims' Rights Commissioner has called for violent sport fans to be 'banned for life', after a wild brawl erupted before last night's A-League clash between Sydney and Adelaide at Hindmarsh Stadium.

A man was kicked in the head and others punched and abused during a wild brawl ahead of the match before police finally arrived to disperse the crowd of about 25 men.

The fans became involved in the fracas near a tram stop at the Entertainment Centre.

Bottles, as well as insults, were hurled during the brief confrontation, which was captured on video.

Police said they had spoken to at least one supporter but there were no reported injuries or arrests.

When asked by the Sunday Mail if police were investigating, a spokesman said no because a report had not been made to police.

But police are now reviewing CCTV and other footage of the incident, including an alleged assault.

Former AFL stars Kane Cornes and Warren Tredrea were among those to publicly condemn the behaviour.

On Saturday, Commissioner of Victims' Rights, Michael O'Connell said there should be a clear, strong message to fans: "If you are unwilling to 'play by the rules', you will be banned - banned for life."

"Overseas experience catastrophically shows what happens when authorities fail to properly manage crowds attending sports, such as soccer," Mr O'Connell said.

"Hooligans and thugs like those fighting, inciting others to fight and throwing flares in Adelaide risked the wellbeing of innocent people - young and old, individuals and families. "There is no place for this violence in soccer.

"A soccer match is a spectacle to be enjoyed. For many it is a family event.

"True sports fans do not want troublemakers ruining their sport. They do not want their families, their friends, their loved ones or themselves to become victims of rioting or other violence.

"Police and security should be sensible, so vocal fans can cheer and barrack.

"However, those who antagonise and attack should be dealt with swiftly and firmly.

"They should be stopped from entering soccer grounds. If inside, they should be removed. They should be punished for their crimes.

"There is no place for hooligans and thugs in soccer; in fact, there is no place for hooligans and thugs in any sport.

"Those who engage in violence surrender the right to be fans. Fans should not support their violence. Sports authorities and clubs should not support it either.

"Sporting venues should be safe places for spectators and players. Seats should be emptied of hooligans and thugs, not decent people wanting to watch their heroes play and their team to win.

"Having played hundreds of soccer matches, I look forward to taking my grandchildren to watch the greatest game played on a pitch."

The Advertiser's Colin James, who filmed the brawl says tensions spilt over as a packed tram carrying supporters arrived at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre just before 7pm.

"It just blew up as we were all getting off the tram to walk to the stadium," he told Advertiser.com.au on Saturday morning.

"The Sydney FC supporters were on the other side of Port Road goading a small group of United supporters.

"There was lots of taunting and gesticulating when the United supporters suddenly just ran across the road and started laying into them."

James said the brawl was very violent, with numerous punches and kicks being thrown by both sides, which totalled around 20 to 25 individuals.

""They kept shouting at each other through the traffic before one of the Sydney supporters lit an orange flare and threw it across the road.

"A Reds supporter grabbed it and threw it back at them.

"Then some others went to a rubbish bin and grabbed beer bottles and wine bottles and starting hurling them."

James said the bottles landed among United supporters as they watched the confrontation, narrowly missing them as they filmed it on their mobile phones.

"It was pretty hairy as the bottles were landing on the concrete near us and smashing," he said.

"It fired the United supporters up again and they charged the Sydney guys for a second time. It was on for young and old again."

James said more punches and kicks, including some to the head of a Sydney supporter knocked to the ground were exchanged before two groups again separated.

"There was a bit more verballing and chest beating until a police patrol turned up and they all ran off."

James said it took almost 10 minutes for the police to attend, despite a heavy presence at Coopers Stadium, only a short distance away.

James said it seemed as though the two groups of supporters had expected to confront each other at the tram stop.

"The Sydney supporters were waiting in a side street and as soon as the United supporters got off the tram they headed straight towards them," he said.

"It took no time at all before they just ran at each other and started fighting.

"As soon as the two cops arrived the Sydney supporters bolted down the side street and ran off behind the Governor Hindmarsh.

"The Adelaide supporters made themselves very scarce as well."

James said he showed his video to police officers outside Coopers Stadium in a bid to identify the Sydney supporter who threw the flare.

"They had a look and took my details," he said.

"I went inside the stadium with my son, who was pretty shocked by what we'd seen, and the guy was in there with the Sydney supporters in their segregated section in the southern stand," he said.

"He stayed the entire match and I saw him again entering a pub opposite the ground when we were leaving."

An Adelaide United FC spokesman said footage had emerged of two groups involved in an incident on Port Road prior to last night's match.

"Football Federation Australia is currently investigating the matter," he said.

The confrontation comes two weeks after Sydney beat Adelaide 2-1 in Sydney, claiming the Football Federation Australia Cup for the first time.

The match became heated when Adelaide's Michael Marrone careened into a ball boy, knocking him to the ground and igniting a bench clearing shoving match on the side line which ended with Marrone being booted from the game.

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Violent sports fans 'should be banned for life'

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SOUTH Australia's Victims' Rights Commissioner has called for violent sport fans to be 'banned for life', after a wild brawl erupted before last night's A-League clash between Sydney and Adelaide at Hindmarsh Stadium. A man was kicked in the head and others punched and abused during a wild brawl ahead of the match before police finally arrived to disperse the crowd of about 25 men.

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War on Drugs as seen in padlet on drugs in sport, a pre curser to violence in sport?

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War on Drugs as seen in padlet on drugs in sport, a pre curser to violence in sport?

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Indigenous substance abuse issues and possible causes

By Penelope Elliott
prepared for UNE

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Australian Institute of Criminology - Violence in sport

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While sporting violence on the part of participants and spectators is less frequent and less severe in Australia than in many countries, it remains grounds for concern. Wenn describes the causes of sports related violence and identifies the major issues, with reference to the findings of the Sport and Recreation Ministers' Council Task Force on Violence in Sport.

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Implications of current zero tolerance approach to anti-doping ?  consider some of the parallels between the war on drugs and the war on doping.

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Implications of current zero tolerance approach to anti-doping ?  consider some of the parallels between the war on drugs and the war on doping.

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Negative implications for a zero tolerance approach;
Athletes right to privacy, repressive and punitive sanctions, strong sense of user responsibility to deterrence

During my other studies At UNE, Armidale, I studied harm minimization in addiction.  I worked on a sporting project that gave opportunities to the youth of remote  Australia with a high indigenous population who were addicted. When thinking critically about the parallels between the war on drugs and war on doping one could argue we should seek out a 'balance' not solely for or against doping, but concerned with reducing doping while caring for users. We should encourage user responsibility  and doping prevention strategies by education programs focusing on broader social, cultural and systemic factors.

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This is a lecture for ESS 2600 Sports in American Society on Deviance.