It all started with two words. One started with F and the other with C. Delivered by the Newcastle Knights' Andrew Johns at one of the match officials was enough to see him suspended for two matches.
In the aftermath of that decision, there were the usual discussions about what is and isn't acceptable sporting behaviour. People talked about 'heat of the moment', the competitive nature of professional sport, and the adrenalin rushing through players' veins.
There was a lot of talk about respect for officials. There were rhetorical questions about whether the standards are different for local sport compared to national top-level televised sport. This led to the old favourite "What message does this send to young kids".
The theory is that youngsters admire Andrew Johns for his football ability, and spend their Saturdays (as well as countless afternoons and school lunch hours) trying to emulate his feats. So when the guy swears at a touch judge on national television, people are concerned that young players will also copy that behaviour.
Ideally, these kids would be able to separate the good skills from the poor behaviour; adopting one and steering clear of the other. However, this expecting a lot from young minds.
The problem starts when we idolise people who don't deserve it. Don't get me wrong, Johns is a high-quality rugby league player, and deserves respect for that. But when push comes to shove, he's a guy in his 30's, who's barely had a real job, has already been 'through' one marriage, and is looking at number two. For anyone, child or otherwise, to think "This is the guy I want to model myself on", would be questionable.
In my personal opinion, if anyone's looking for ideas on life from a guy in his early 30's, a better place to look might be the life of Jesus. Sure, if you're looking for advice on kicking synthetic rubber around a sports oval, listen to the words of Andrew Johns. But if you're looking for tips on life, it might be better to look in a little book called the Bible, and hear what Jesus has to say.
