Is it fair that professional athletes are held to higher standards? In today's society, professional athletes are seen as role models for young people. We love them and praise them every time they win, but as soon as they do something they shouldn't do off the field we no longer show them our support. Everywhere they go, they have all eyes on them waiting for them to make a mistake or misbehave, so it will be broadcast publicly to the country for all to review. Professional athletes like Tom Brady, Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and Barry Bonds were all the most dominant players in their sport at one point in time, now they all face criticism and scrutiny for their actions on and off the field of play. Professional The realistic truth is that it is tremendously difficult to become a professional athlete. Out of 321.3 million people in the United States there are only 14,900 professional athletes” (US and WorldPopulation Clock; Occupational Outlook Handbook). The truth is that it gives children an unrealistic hope of becoming a professional athlete. In today's society, professional athletes are considered celebrities. Kids see these professional athletes with all this fame and money why wouldn't they want to be just like them? Instead of wanting to become a doctor, a teacher or even the president, they waste their dreams on becoming a professional athlete. When their dreams of becoming a professional athlete don't come true, they will find themselves with no idea what to do with their life. For some children, dreams come true and they become professional athletes. While some professional athletes may be role models, most of them are not what you want your kids to look up to. Yes, they are very successful people, but what they do when they are not playing the sport is not ideal compared to the behavior of role models. If all we saw was how athletes behave on the field then everything would be fine, but with the rapid use of social media we see