These are role models?

The behavior of two American speed skaters over the past week really has me angry. Chad Hedrick of Houston was hoping to tie Eric Heiden's record of 5 gold medals. Shani Davis was at his first Olympics, and figuring heavy in the human drama story since he is from an inner-city background where basketball is king and speed skating is unheard of.

To hear them talk about one another is despicable. I guess the whole thing started when Hedrick asked Davis to help out his teammates in a new group event, and Davis pretty much ignored his request. Hedrick apparently blames Davis for the US team's loss. Maybe Davis was wrong in refusing to help out his teammates in the group effort, but he claims he was afraid it would take his attention away from his best race, and that speed skating has always been an individual event up to this point.

So instead of blowing off any hard feelings in the true nature of Olympic sportsmanship, these two have been taking potshots at each other ever since. Davis barely speaks when the NBC sideline reporter tries to talk to him after races. Hedrick managed to say that Davis "skated really fast" when he won a gold medal. Come on, guys. This is the Olympics. Not a Little League game coached by Walter Matthau. Take the high road! Wish each other good luck before and congratulate each other on a great race afterwards. Think of how many inner-city kids could look up to Davis as a true role model, if only he would act like one. And even if Hedrick hasn't won the number of gold medals he came into these Olympics wanting, his attitude has already proved he is no Eric Heiden.

My vote for a true Olympian is Joey Cheek, a teammate of these two who has donated all the prize money from his silver and bronze medals to charity. Win or lose, that's my idea of a role model.