It is said that we are a nation, a people that enjoys building someone up only to tear them down. We see it everyday in some form or another. This is mainly seen in the celebrity world. First there is the publicity push to get the person's name and face recognized and then the constant effort to keep that face before the public.
How often have we seen it? Some celebrity, we love, stubs their toe and the vultures are there to devour the carnage. We like to see the mighty and powerful fall. We also like a phoenix that rises from the ashes.
Sports and politics are full of such stories. Richard Nixon rose to the office of Vice-President under Dwight Eisenhower only to lose the 1960 Presidential election to John F. Kennedy. In 1964, Nixon ran for Governor of California only to lose there; spawning his famous line to the press, "You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore."
But four years later he receives the Republican nomination for President again and wins! What an amazing story of comeback. Unfortunately, he would leave the office in disgrace with the Watergate fiasco. Sometimes it is self destruction that writes the final chapter.
I could go on and on, sighting one example after another. OJ Simpson was an American sports hero whose legacy was blackened when we was accused of the murder of his ex-wife. Even though he was acquitted, most Americans still think he did it. He is serving prison time for another unrelated crime. Self destruction.
How many have found delight in the rise and fall of golfer Tiger Woods?
Then there are those people who can only see the color of the uniform the person is wearing. The great baseball player Albert Pujols left St. Louis this past off-season to sign with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. It amazes me how Pujols could be the greatest baseball player of his day while with St. Louis and immediately become a washed up over-rated ballplayer the next year because he changed uniforms.
We are loyal to our teams, our schools no matter what. A good friend of mine worked in the Athletic Department at Auburn University. He was constantly receiving calls during recruiting season, checking on the progress the Tigers were making with this prospect or the next. During one conversation an avid fan called to inquire about a top notch recruit who had committed to Auburn. "He is going to be pretty good, isn't he?", the caller ask. "He is really going to help us. I like him a lot." When informed that the aforementioned player had actually signed with Alabama the next words out of the mouth of the caller was, "Well, that S.O.B. wasn't any good anyway."
He went from being a great catch to being an S.O.B. in less time than it takes to run a kick-off back! We look at things though different lenses.
This brings us to the recent trial and conviction of former Penn State defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky. He was convicted of child abuse and of being a sexual predator. The trial has been over for a few weeks now but the fallout continues with the result of the eight-month, 267 page Freeh Investigation Report released today detailing a massive cover-up by top officials at the school; including Head Coach Joe Paterno.
I remember the outrage when "Joe Pa" was forced to resign prior to the end of the season. Defenders said he meant too much to the team, the school, the community and to college football to be forced out in such a way. The truth of the matter is he should have been gone years ago based on the findings of this report.
You see it stops being about wins and loses when crimes are being committed. How can anyone know that young boys are being brutalized and raped in the showers of any school's locker room and not feel repulsed and sickened by it? How could anyone walk in on such an act, as assistant coach Mike McQuery did and not beat Jerry Sandusky to within an inch of his life? How could high ranking officials, from Joe Paterno to the President of Penn State turn their heads and permit such acts. McQuery was afraid he would lose his job. The others thought it could ruin the school's reputation! How did that all work out for you now? It is the ultimate act of cowardliness! Real heros don't run from tough decisions!
We have to be careful here too. Following the announcement of the verdict, the district attorney in the case made statements about believing young children; that someone finally listened and that they will continue to listen. It took great courage for these boys, now young men, to tell their stories, to testify. Good for them. They are the real heroes here. They showed much more courage than any adult at the time. Justice can and will be served. But....
Let's not slip into the Nancy Grace school of "everyone is gulity until proven innocent". The fact is, people do lie. Not every person accused of a crime is guilty. Not everyone who says they were abused or raped or sexually assaulted is telling the truth! We only have to look back at the Duke University Lacrosse team scandal to know that.
All it takes is one claim against a teacher/coach/co-worker for his/her career and reputation to be tainted forever; whether its true or not. None of this is easy. So what do we do? We do what Penn State DIDN'T do. We follow up. We check out stories. We do listen and act accordingly. Its the same mantra we chant in journalism: Seek the truth and tell it fully. Then do the right thing!
The one thing we should have learned from Nixon to Paterno is that covering up something only makes it worse! Look how many more boys were victimized after these issues came to the attention of the powers that be. Much of this could and should have been avoided.
Due diligence is needed in all of these matters. All of us must take off our team colors and our rose colored glasses, lay aside our idol worship of celebrities. They are human and subject to human flaws. They put their pants on just like the rest of us. We must remember the definition of what is truly a hero, a champion. It shouldn't always be measured in wins and losses, national titles or championship rings.
Root for you favorite team. Cheer for your favorite player. Have fun with it. Just don't equate character and class with the ability to catch a football or to hit a baseball or to dunk a basketball or to coach a team to victory. Put things into perspective. No matter who wins or loses tomorrow night's Cardinals-Reds game or this fall's Iron Bowl game or the BCS Championship there are 1.3 billion Chinese and 1.2 billion people in India who could care less.
As long as there are flawed human beings in this world there will be fallen heros. There is only one hero that will never let you down; who has no flaw in Him. There is only one victory that matters. Jesus Christ is that hero and his victory over sin and death not only matters to you and me, but also to those 1.3 billion Chinese and the 1.2 billion people in India....and every people, tongue and nation on this planet.
Seek the truth: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
(John 14:6 ESV)
Tell it fully: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20 ESV)
Thanks for reading!
Jeff
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