If competitive sports dramatize fundamental American values, many wonder where those values are headed. From youth leagues to the NFL, unsportsmanlike behavior has become an accepted part of every game -- among the fans and parents as well as the players. Brawling and trash talk have become commonplace among the pros. And even in youth sports, verbal harassment and physical violence on the part of parents is turning what should be child's play into a sometimes abusive, overly competitive nightmare. Many observers say the decline in sportsmanship simply reflects society's changing values. But others question whether pro athletes and parents alike are setting bad examples for children -- and whether college and pro sports are too profit-driven to voluntarily clean up their acts.

Rachel S. Cox is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C., who writes about health, design and environmental issues for The Washington Post and other publications. She previously served as associate editor of Historic Preservation magazine. She holds a B.A. in English from Harvard University and studied architectural history at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her las report for CQ Researcher explored the "Home Schooling Debate."