Michael Phelps, what have you done?

Something dumb, and he admits that. I do find it strange that someone can take marijuana and still perform as well as Phelps did at the Olympics. As Robin Williams said, it’s not exactly known as a performance enhancing drug (caution: link contains profanity): one thing you do not feel after smoking marijuana is empowered.

But the Phelps fiasco got me to thinking: who counts as a role model anymore? Granted, no one’s perfect, but still. Can’t read about the good teachers without first having to wade through too many stories about the bad ones.

Then it hit me: the best role models, the ones that really matter in the long run, are usually unsung. Sure, our girls would probably rattle off names of people they admire, such as Chris Brown and the Jonas Brothers, because these are people who put their talent to use and got rich and famous for it.

Sure, I can think of some famous role models I've looked up to. But ask me who really mattered, make me really think about it, and I'll probably come up with names you've never encountered. Like Herman Cohn, my seventh grade homeroom and history teacher at John Phillip Sousa Junior High School in the Bronx. He was the first to teach me to question the stories I was told. "Prove it," he demanded. The advice always came in handy.

I'll bet there are role models like Mr. Cohn among us, people who inspire, people who dedicate their time and energy and devotion to just causes, and give our kids an example to admire. No one's perfect. But still.

Who are the role models among us?