These decisions could cost them their reputation, getting kicked out of school, draft status or even their lives.
For good or bad news, athletes and celebrities will always make headlines.
At the collegiate level, athletes in a way are celebrities. Not that they need the ego-boost, but it’s true.
Students look up to them, see them perform in the spotlight and maybe for a second wish they were them.
But a lot of responsibilities come with being an athlete, especially if you are a big name at a big school.
They are seen as the faces of their school. For example, when basketball star Tyler Hansbrough from UNC, jumped off a Fraternity house into a pool was seen as crazy and stupidity.
He was received player of the year honors just the year before, and had led his team to the Final Four in the NCAA tournament. Many asked why he would risk doing anything that would result in a serious injury.
Although, with technology these days, it’s easier for people to get in trouble.
Someone took a picture of Hansbrough and posted it on the Internet and with a matter of hours, he was getting a phone call from his coach, not to mention the media that ran with the story.
In the end, it’s just another college student having fun and being dumb (He was just probably trying to one-up another guy).
Athletes feel like they are invincible sometimes. They can take on whoever and whatever challenge.
Recently, student athlete Jasper Howard from the University of Connecticut was stabbed at an on-campus dance.
The young man had just led his football team to victory just hours before he died. The investigations are still ongoing.
People in the spotlight always walk around with targets on their back. There are always certain individuals who want to ruin all the glory and make a name for themselves, at the college level and even in the professional level.
These incidents may not even happen purposely. Someone takes some pictures at a party or some event and gets posted on a social network then it turns into a big mess.
Social networks are great to an extent. But they start drama and cause trouble. MySpace, Facebook and Twitter have gotten the youth into trouble, and have even hurt college athletes’ chances in the pros at times.
Violence, drugs, alcohol and partying have hurt some college athletes in draft chances.
The professional leagues don’t want immature young adults on their team, especially when they are being paid millions of dollars.
Just as the athletes were representing their school in everywhere they go, they will be representing a new organization in the near future and what they do today could impact where they are tomorrow.
These young adults may think they are on top of the world, but they still have to be careful where they are and who they spend time with.
