This article expresses a number of contradictory views about the morals of sportsmen so I'm not sure what it is proposing if anything.

The fact is that we don't expect better behaviour from athletes we expect only fair and reasonable behaviour. Fair and reasonable behaviour doesn't make the headlines but over pumped footballers trying to sexually harrass women or getting into nightclub brawls does and it is NOT NORMAL behaviour for any age.

Our obsession with sporting heroes seems to translate into immunity from criticism or an attempt to allow the behaviour on the grounds of "being young". Well many of the offenders are not young (Are they Shane?) and many of the behaviours border on criminal offences.

As a country we really need to grow up and stop idolising our big boofheaded youth with good co-ordination and low IQ as "heroes". Praise them for their sporting prowess, dignity in defeat, humility in victory and not their "raw aggression" which is the nature of wild animals and psychopaths and then maybe they wont get so carried away with themselves.

The obvious flaw in this article is that it implies there is a difference in the burden we place on society in general and that which we place on high profile people (be they athletes or some other high profile profession). The adverse media attention gained by some elite athletes stems from behaviour that is unacceptable.

Like most pursuits, sport has those who will defend it regardless of the situation - and I fear in this article Sherry and Shilbury show themselves to be in this boat. We have apologists for business, politicians, war and now sport...

In the search of articles I have conducted as part of my own research (ironically for Deaking University) I found no evidence of journalists suggesting that the behaviour of a few was reflective of a culture of many, except in situations where it was insinuated that it was reflective of a certain team or club culture. The comments of certain ex-Rugby League and AFL players suggests that indeed this may be an appropriate insinuation for some clubs.

The second issue is what exactly is reasonable to expect. A contradication exists in paragraphs 3 and 4 where it is stated that players have access to a higher order of life-skills training and yet are also wrapped in cotton wool. One can not gain life-skills without.. well living a life.