How Far Will a Comment Go?

Have you ever been on a boat, a motorboat?  Have you ever watched out the back of the boat as it accelerates and thought how cool it looked as the 'wake' made its way from the engine continually flowing outward to both the right and the left?  It will touch everything in its way...

Now, have you ever considered that a conversation or statement can be similar?  For instance, let's say you're at home and have a disagreement with your spouse.  Your kids are in the other room and can hear the tone of your voice and what you are saying.  You ask them, or explain to them, that everything is okay but have you ever really considered the 'wake' of your conversation - how long children can hold onto feelings of anger, resentment, or stress as they perceive their parents 'don't like each other?'  How about how they will have a tendency to act similarly in situations of their own - it's learned.  Not saying they always do, but have you ever considered it? 

Likewise are the actions/comments of our pro sports heros - individuals with tremendous physical gifts that allow the everyday fan to live vicariously through.  If we love a sport, we will live and breath a sport - we will identify positively with players on our own team and identify negatively with players on other teams.  We have the ability to choose how comments will affect us.  We will start to mimic actions and temperments based on what we see and hear.  Don't believe me?  Ever do, or even know how to do, the "Ickey Shuffle" from back in the day...  Like I said, We do it.

There are so many bad examples of sportsmanship on the pro stage that we, as adults, constantly have to monitor and explain why, or why not, to do what the players are doing.  Many times the player is caught up in the moment, but many times they're not.  Generally speaking, it is our goal to impress upon youth to be a good sport and to treat others with respect...that it's only a game...that when they stop having fun, they should no longer participate.  This is constantly preached in youth sports.  The 'wake' of what we see and what we say goes a long way in developing youth.

A bounty...Rodney Harrison recently mentioned that he can actually put a bounty on T.O. if he wanted and not get in any trouble. 

No, Rodney - you're right.  You can't get into any trouble personal...but I wonder, just wonder, how many youth football, high school football, even college athletes will take the field this weekend and think it's okay to put a bounty on another player? 

Just wondering how far the 'wake' of what he said (as someone's sports idol) will spread out across the football fields of america?  

Of course, these 'wakes' are not exclusive to Rodney Harrison, he just did a real good job of providing an example - a pro bowl caliber comment...it was not.