No one is forced to become a professional sportsman. It's their choice. They want to make a living by doing something they love – and often it's quite the living too. It's "Living the Dream" you might say.
But how anyone doesn't understand that comes with trade-offs is beyond me.
Mitchell Pearce clearly should not be a role model. He probably doesn't want to be a role model (right now I suggest he'd be happy for a hole to hide in). But tough luck Mitch, you are.
My son's almost three and he loves sport – cricket, basketball, tennis, football, rugby, league, you name it. He loves going to events, watching them and cheering, then coming home and playing whatever we'd just witnessed for hours on end.
Right now, he doesn't look up to a specific athlete. But it will happen, no doubt. I know my heroes when I was young were predominantly sportsmen, no matter if they deserved it or not.
Mitchell Pearce is walking, talking proof why that is flawed.
As a parent, I have to take responsibility for making sure my kids know right from wrong. But I don't look forward to having to sit him down and explain something like why the bloke whose autograph he treasures and is on a poster on the wall is on camera simulating a lewd act with a dog.
The "boys will be boys" mentality doesn't cut it. I hear the argument that plenty of 26-year-olds go out and get up to worse on a nightly basis and it's not reported in the media. That's true.
But would those 26-year-old athletes agree to stop being a boofhead if it meant signing a $750,000 contract and getting to play footy for a career? Most of them in a heartbeat.
There will always be temptation, but the smart ones know when to walk away. Even some of the less intelligent ones should get it too.
It's in every player's contract to not bring your team or the sport into disrepute. They have seminars on what is and isn't appropriate.
Joel Monaghan's NRL was career was ended and he was made an eternal punchline when he stupidly posed for a photo in a compromising position with a dog. If there is one misdemeanour I would never expect to be repeated by a league star, it was that.
Those that play up become the stereotype for athletes, even when they are very much a minority of those who are paid to play, and there are plenty of good role models to be found.
For every Jesse Ryder, there's a Kane Williamson, a Ross Taylor, a Brendon McCullum, a Grant Elliott.
For every Zac Guildford, there's a Richie McCaw, a Dan Carter, a Sonny Bill Williams, a Ben Smith.
For every Mitchell Pearce, there's a Simon Mannering, a Kieran Foran, a Cameron Smith, a Johnathan Thurston.
If you don't want the spotlight and attention – then don't sign up to a professional sports team.
Players want to live out their childhood dreams on the field but they have to grow up to do so. Seems like a fair deal to me.
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