By Fritz Vaughn
Guest Columnist

Unfortunately, the athletes we often publicize as "role models" should not be labeled in such a way, and this past month has only proved this truth to American sports fans. A role model should embody the values of teamwork and courage, but this conception has been replaced by an assumption that whoever is the most talented is an able role model and that the recent substitution of greed for passion as the driving factor of an athlete's success is satisfactory.

Whatever happened to the days when playing for the love of the game mattered most? Whatever happened to the days when playing for the United States on the world's stage was one of the greatest honors an athlete could be bestowed; surpassed only by securing the victory for America?

First, it was the embarrassment of our supposed "Dream Team" finishing sixth out of sixteen teams in the World Basketball Championships. This marked the first time America's professional basketball players suffered defeat in an international competition, as well as the first time any American basketball team has failed to win a medal in such a competition. And, perhaps, we could have anticipated and accepted this defeat, for we have long known that with the departures of the Magic Johnsons, Larry Birds, and ­ soon, again ­ Michael Jordans the NBA is full of individualistic greedmongers.

U.S. coach George Karl even said, "The money and greed of the NBA. Does that have an effect on our competitive nature? Yeah, you can write that." Rarely, these days, do we see players remain loyal to poorer teams because of pride in one's team. The free agent system has become a mockery of what we like to call a "team" sport; and is in reality replaced by highlight reels like the "Allen Iverson Show."

Similarly, we have seen the effects of greed on America's greatest pastime through the baseball strike a few years ago and this year's strike talks.

The sad fact of the matter comes to stand that today's athletes are not in it for the love of the sport, team and fans first ­ and personal rewards and money last; but instead are competing for individual honors and money above all else.

The negative effect of greed on U.S. sports teams was once more evident in a sport where it is often overlooked and culminated this past Sunday in America's loss in the Ryder Cup.

While golf is generally accepted as an individual sport, even in the high school and college ranks, professionals used to yearn for the opportunity to play for American pride in the Ryder Cup.

And why did the United States lose the Cup? Was it a lack of talent? No! In fact, the top two players in the world anchored the U.S. team! Was it the different style of links golf often found in Europe? No. The Belfry ¯ the site of this year's Ryder Cup ¯ actually sets up much more like the type of courses to which Americans are accustomed.

Then what was it?

The answer, my friends, is simple: The U.S. lost because the American players lacked the team unity and passion the European players effortlessly embodied.

The 1999 and now 2002 Ryder Cups have been marred by the top players in the world from the American side criticizing the event as a mere "exhibition," even to the point of demanding they be paid money for their appearances (as if they really needed it). Three years ago, the U.S. players seemingly woke up from this attitude and discarded any prior greed on the final day, successfully completing the biggest comeback in the event's history and attributed it all to American pride.

But the week before the event, Tiger Woods reopened a can of worms by saying he would rather win the million first-place prize at the World Golf Championships ¯ American Express Championships. While he would later claim that his statement was taken out of context and he was only joking, one must remember that Woods and David Duval led the charge in 1999 of labeling the event as an exhibition and complaining about monetary imbursements.

To make matters worse, though, the rest of the U.S. team did not jump on Woods' case, but instead claimed to understand his reasoning and found such reasoning quite acceptable in the sport of golf.

In my opinion, Woods' comments, knowing his past history, were unacceptable under any context and the team's tolerance and somewhat agreement with his words illuminate the absence of passion with which the American team played.

Individuals competing in the same, business-like manner in which they compete in individual tournaments cannot win an event such as the Ryder Cup, or any international competition for that matter. Such cannot be won without a sense of team unity and passion. While the European players enthusiastically pumped fists and enticed the crowd throughout all three days' matches, rarely did viewers witness the same kind of enthusiasm fans remember from the final day of 1999's Ryder Cup. Phil Mickelson, No. 2 in the world, could not overcome a no-name opponent on Sunday, nor could Tiger Woods, No. 1, even mount a strong final day's performance ­ perhaps for what he is best known.

Rather, in order to win, America needed an entire team of players as dedicated to the "American team" and pride as Paul Azinger, who came from two down with three to play and holed out from the sand on the 18th hole to keep the U.S. hopes alive, giving his caddy high fives and hugs in celebration. Azinger's refusal to lose is what made him a captain's pick for this year's event. If only the automatic qualifiers had even half the passion and resolve as this cancer survivor and former Air Force brat, the United States' superior talent may have been put to use.

But the root of the teams' problems, though, lies with us, the fans. We have accepted this individualism and greed and have lost sight of root, root, rooting for the team. Maybe, if we would plaster our walls with pictures of the real sports heroes ­ heroes like Paul Azinger ­ we could combat this departure from team pride and passion and restore American prominence in the international arena. Maybe, if we would stop kneeling at an athlete's feet just because of his talent level, we could combat the negative effects of this greed and restore in future generations the principle that made American sports special: love and passion for the game.