Celebrities are often criticized for their actions by the media. It goes the same for many athletes in every sport. Form the MLB’s performance enhancing drug issue, to the NFL’s drug possession charges, many are showing a negative image for their sport.

With these types of athletes, the media always will have a story. The thought that drugs, alcohols and illegal substances might lead kids to believe that doing this stuff is okay in the long run.

Young kids see their favorite athlete is doing marijuana and says “If he is doing it, why can’t I?” The NFL has had some serious problems lately with drugs amongst the league.

According to NFL arrest database, Nick Fairley, Mikel Leshoure and Johnny Culbreath who all play for the Detroit Lions, have all been arrested in 2012 for their use or possession of marijuana. In the MLB Milky Cabrera was suspended 50 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Neil Armstrong who was also accused of using performance-enhancing drugs, has a serious chance of losing his seven Tour de France titles.

Sophomore Cameron Shupe, who is a three-sport athlete at PHS, feels like athletes in the media do not really affect students.

“I don’t think that athletes influence students,” said Shupe. “The students don’t see it as cool, they see the trouble that it causes.”

Shupe does think that professional teams should have harsher punishments for players that are in trouble for what they have done.

“They shouldn’t do stupid stuff like commit crimes, when so many people, especially kids look up to them and watch their every move,” said Shupe.

The college scene is also a place where drugs are now being seen more often.

Former Louisiana State University (LSU) cornerback Tyrann Mathieu was dismissed from the team failed a drug test.

Shupe feels like colleges should be more concerned about this growing trend, and should look deeper into the background of the athlete they are recruiting.

Shupe’s outlook on performance-enhancing drugs is fairly simple; if you use it, you don’t play.

“They don’t need to play the game if they are going to cheat,” said Shupe.

In reality, not all drug use can be stopped. Around every corner, is someone breaking the rules and trying to be “cool”. If the athlete chooses to do these things, that is their choice. It probably needs to be taken into consideration that there are always people watching, and what they do is going to affect how people view them.

Info by Ian Bostock