Enough with the talk that there is no such thing as a decent athlete in the sports world.

 Enough with all they care about is themselves or when their next paycheck will come and how big it will be. Enough with the thought that what they want most is to be the best, numero uno, the king, and not care about who they step on to get there.

            There are good guys in sports.

            And when I say good guys, I’m not talking about the guys who host charity events. I’m talking about the athletes who put their teams first. … the athletes who would do anything to prevent seeing the team they love more than anything lose. … the competitors who don’t care about money, or being the superstar, but just want to play, and win.

          In a world where people sometimes find it difficult to find a decent sports figure as a role model, these guys come through.

            Perhaps the best example of a team player is University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. To say Tebow is a good quarterback is an understatement. In three full seasons at Florida, Tebow has received 35 different awards, including a two-time first team All- American, and the Heisman Trophy in 2007. He has won two national championships in 2006 and 2008. When he became eligible for the NFL Draft after the 2008 season, he shocked everyone by declaring he would stay at Florida and play his senior season.

        So why would Tebow, forgo the chance to make millions of dollars in the NFL? Tebow’s reason: to win another national championship for Florida. Instead of putting his monetary interests first, he decided to stay at Florida and try to bring another title to Gainesville.

         So what example does Tebow provide that all young athletes should follow? Heart. The man cares about his team. He cares so much that in high school, he once played a game with a broken leg. He is a prime example of the selfless player.

            Another example of a man who decided to put his team interests before his own is Shaquille O’Neal.

           Last summer, O’ Neal was traded by the Phoenix Suns to the Cleveland Cavaliers. This was a move made by the Cavs to give superstar LeBron James support in the teams quest to win an NBA title. Immediately after the deal was completed, questions arose about whether Shaq could handle not being the main attraction. So how did O’Neal respond to these questions? He happily agreed to take on the role of LeBron’s supporting cast. He even went as far as to taking up the nickname “The Witness Protection Program”, a parody of the phrase used by Nike in a recent add campaign that describes watching LeBron play that states, “We are all witnesses”.

           This is a very good example of the selfless athlete. Shaq went to Cleveland knowing his purpose, instead of complaining that he wasn’t the star, he instead embraced his role, allowing everyone in Cleveland to dream about the NBA championship that King James and his security guard will bring to the city next June.

            So the next time you see a Stephen Jackson complaining about getting no support from his teammates, or Jay Cutler try to cry his way out of town, just remember that athletic role models are still out there.

          Tebow and O’ Neal are just two of the many athletes youngsters can look to for good sportsmanship and class on and off the field of play. If all athletes in the world played their sport like Tebow and O’Neal play theirs, sports would be a lot more entertaining to watch.

          There is nothing better than watching an athlete playing for the sole purpose of gaining a win. Not for pride or for a bigger paycheck but to simply win.