I am not a role model

Well obviously I am not a role model. Or maybe I am, I'm certainly pussy enough to be regarded as a role model. Apart from the language.
But what I'm refering to is Charles Barkley's Nike Campaign 'I am not a Role Model' Charles Barkley was the greatest opinionated player of the late 80's to 90's. He was good at playing basketball, the round mound of rebound. He was a short power forward that outplayed a lot of taller opponents and an NBA MVP.
But he was criticised like almost every other athlete ever for being a poor role model.
I mean we can look at John McEnroe, Bill Clinton, Ben Johnson, Ben Cousins, George Bush and on and on as 'role models' and every now and then the media will flare up about them setting a poor example as a role model.
We act like there is a socially binding contract to success and having a high profile. Infact it may even be worth my time to read up on this whole role model phenomena.
I mean I used to be all like: 'footy players being violent, that must set an example for young players which is why most people I met on football scholarship at my high school, I didn't particularly like them.'
But now when I think about it, what are my expectations of any sports star. Or if I was manager of a bball team what would I expect out of Dennis Rodman, I would expect him to pull down 12+ boards a game and control the glass for me. I would probably expect him to foul out. But if he left the stadium and started preaching the benifits of martyrdom, I guess that would be his business.
I mean I have to agree, just as it seems apparant that we shouldn't be able to place the expectation on a person to be straight in politics, sport whatever. It's less apparant to me that we should not place expectations on them to be nice, modest, mature, responsible, loving athletes, politicians whatever.
In short the only expectation you can put on a player is that they do what they are paid to do. And that goes for any role, ever. Regardless of the impact it has on children.
I mean, we act like we know what is good for a childs character development. Feasibly it is reasonable for a kid to want to be able to bowl flipper's like Shayne Warne without them leaping to the conclusion that part of his development regime is sending dirty text messages to pommy tarts.
Or that Bill Clinton's economic management required him to proposition interns for extra marital affairs. Or that Barkley's ability is directly related to how many people he throws through glass windows.
The whole role model arguement falls down on it's arse frankly. Its like a magical unicorn, we conceive of what it is but it doesn't really exist.