Focusing on the positive

At a time when so much negativity is surrounding the sports world, I wanted to find something positive to talk about today. A reason for my girlfriends or anyone out there to maybe understand my passion. As it turns out, my inspiration was right in front of me in The Chronicle's Sporting Green section.  The Headline: For Kerr, reading is a fundamental. The article features Steve Kerr, the Golden State Warriors' new head coach participating in the "Read to Achieve" program.

The picture by Paul Chinn shows Kerr smiling while reading to students at Longfellow Elementary School in San Francisco. Unfortunately I wasn't there, but Rusty Simmons reports Kerr and assistant coach Luke Walton played off each other, joking and using booming voices to entertain the young students as they shared their love of reading. Now that is how athletes and coaches can use their influence to make a difference. If just one student sitting there was inspired to pick up a book instead of watching TV or playing video games, that new reader  can then become the role model for others around him or her to do the same. The Giants' Brandon Crawford has his step up to the plate for education foundation that raises hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to local youth education programs. These are just two examples of what can go right with our sports heroes. I remember years ago interviewing super sports agent Leigh Steinberg who made sure the athletes he represented established charitable foundations in their community along with collecting their enormous paychecks.  My plea is that we as fans applaud the gains athletes are achieving off the field so that the rewards reach beyond the bottom line. Should leagues like the NFL and teams make community service a requirement?