This weekend I travel to Hamilton for the Annual battle between the Calliope Harrier Club (stress on the 2nd syllable of Calliope please) and the Hamilton City Hawks in the Patterson Cup cross country event. We shall plough through the mud and rain to uphold this ‘time honoured event’. I actually last ran in it around forty years ago. Two mini vans have been hired, because a key ingredient in winning this event is rolling up with as many members as possible. Everyone gets at least a point – so walk if you want but finish! So roll up!
Speaking of rolls and role models, Logan Campbell, a Taekwondo practitioner, wants to open a brothel to help finance his Olympic campaign. I was interviewed on an Auckland street about my views. At the end of my semi-articulate rant, I suggested the whole notion of sports “stars” being role models was somewhat dubious.
And it is dubious. Why should a sports star be required by some default mechanism to be a role model? I see no logical connection. Indeed, it seems that on the whole, sports stars don’t make great role models especially if they are Australian rugby league players.
Recent history has been littered with the stories of sportsmen (it is invariably the men) who have fallen from grace usually under the influence of alcohol.
Of course I am a sports star of sorts. I have medals to prove it. I certainly am no role model. Watching me huffing and puffing around Lake Pupuke and then some kids yells out: “I want to be like that man when I grow up”.
Indeed, Jogging is an ugly sight at the best of times.
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