Darrell Davis: Matthews needs to be careful

Like it or not, Auston Matthews, pro athletes are going to be judged because they’re in the public eye, much like politicians and entertainers.

For every athlete like Antonio Brown, the NFL receiver whose career has been derailed by his horrible off-field behaviour, there’s another like Sidney Crosby, whose NHL career is impressively free of public missteps.

Matthews is a rising star with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who attract more attention than any team in North America. He needs to be a perfect citizen away from the arena or his image, and the team’s image, will take a beating.

Matthews has been charged with disorderly conduct, stemming from what sounds like an alcohol-related incident in Arizona. A woman was allegedly hassled by a drunken group, one of whom flashed a rude gesture. He could be innocent; there are incidents where pro athletes are hassled just because of their high profiles.

It’s impossible to avoid every situation where an athlete can get into trouble, but there is one rule to follow regarding alcohol, staying out late and misbehaving. That rule is: Don’t!