The sports icon is a dying breed. Each and every day, sports fan worldwide see the demise of yet another all-star athlete that has let the “average Joe” of sports down by cheating on their wife, cheating to win, and whatever other kind of cheating there is. Sports are great; they provide children with role models and bored adults with entertainment. But of late, the sports have been more about those who play the game than the game itself, which begs the question: Are today’s superstars setting a poor example for the athletes of tomorrow?

Recently, the Tiger Woods scandal has dominated magazine covers and T.V. programs. A previously quiet and respected figure, Tiger’s image fell like the walls of Jericho. He openly admitted to having affairs—yes, plural affairs—with several women. His nationally televised apology was seen as unpersuasive. Still known by many as the most powerful man in golf, Tiger needs to go back to his old ways and provide a figure for young golfers and athletes in general to look up to and admire once again. But he is not the only one. In 2009, it was proven that Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez used performance-enhancing drugs. His public image went from baseball’s hero and an elite player who kids respected to a cheater, a villain, a zero. He survived the preseason and regular season, leading the New York Yankees to the playoffs and eventually a World Series win. And, once again, magically, the American public looks up to him. Along with several other all-star athletes, including NBA star Kobe Bryant and defensive powerhouse Ray Lewis, the status of the greatest athletes in the world is changing. Unfortunately, there are fewer charitable Peyton Mannings playing professional football than there are controversial Mike Vicks.

With each new generation come new great athletes with new morals and ideas. Hopefully, the next generation will promote the benevolent and generous side of those in the national spotlight instead of revealing the maliciousness of humans. Sports are a grand and entertaining part of life, and to lose sporting events to the cruelty of humanity would be a true disaster. So let us all hope together, for the sake of sports, that we all become the heroes of tomorrow. Who needs the zeroes anyways?