Have and Have Not by Jim Stovall

I am a huge sports fan and listen to radio broadcasts, via satellite, of football, basketball, or baseball games almost every day of the year. I believe sports is a microcosm of life, and this is particularly true in the world of baseball. In last year’s World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays. The Dodgers play in one of the largest media markets in the world, and their team enjoys a rich history of success over many decades. Tampa represents a smaller market, and their team has a relatively limited history and culture.

There are three players on the Dodgers’ team, whose combined salaries are more than everyone who plays for the Rays earns in a year. I’m a huge believer in the wisdom attributed to Warren Buffett, “People know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.” Major League Baseball is a game played by millionaires on teams that are owned by billionaires.

For generations, young people have grown up playing Little League baseball and admiring the players in the big leagues. While I don’t begrudge anyone—including professional ballplayers—utilizing their talent to earn every penny they can, it’s important that they don’t lose touch with reality. Whether they want to accept the responsibility or not, professional athletes are role models for young people and sports fans in general. I believe they are all entitled to a personal life, but when they are on the field, they owe their fans and their teammates their very best efforts, and they have an obligation to conduct themselves as role models for future generations of players and fans.

Each of us is building our legacy one day and one action at a time. Obituaries are not written when you die, they are written throughout your life. We all live in the public eye and under the scrutiny of social media. This is particularly true for professional athletes and other celebrities. My late, great friend and mentor legendary Coach John Wooden, told his players, “You will be known for a lifetime of great things you do or one lapse in judgment.”

All of us, particularly those who have a high-profile platform, must realize that we are being observed and judged every moment of every day. In a perfect world, Major League athletes would lead major league lives both on and off the field.

As you go through your day today, observe the winners and losers both on and off the field.

Today’s the day!

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082; by email at Jim@JimStovall.com; on Twitter at www.twitter.com/stovallauthor; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor.