Chloe Davis
Sports Editor
Pennsylvania State University is home to Beaver Stadium, the fourth largest stadium in the world. Just in front of the opening to the stadium stands an honorary cast-bronze statue of legendary football coach and inductee to the College Football Hall of Fame Joe Paterno, fondly called “JoePa” by Penn State’s famously dedicated fans. Once an icon and leader of the Nittany Lions for 46 years who led his team to a record 409 victories, Paterno is in the midst of repairing what some would call a tarnished reputation. Paterno was fired after the team’s former defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky, was arrested and charged with 40 counts of sexual abuse of at least eight boys over a 15-year period. Paterno was told by another assistant coach in 2002 that he had seen Sandusky engaging in the abuse, and while Paterno reported the accusation the next day to Athletic Director Tim Curley and Head of University Police Gary Schultz, Penn State’s Board of Trustees refused Paterno’s request to resign and voted for his immediate dismissal in November of 2011, after Sandusky was first revealed.
Some “die-hard” fans are upset, even livid, that the renowned coach was fired. Many believe that because he did alert the university, Paterno should not have been punished so severely. Or, at the very least, his request for resignation should have been accepted. Others, however, believe the Board’s decision was more than justified, the main argument being that although Paterno technically followed protocol, he should have taken the accusations more seriously and followed up with law enforcement officials.
What’s true for both parties, regardless of their opinions concerning Paterno’s dismissal, is that shock, maybe denial, was the first reaction.
The real question is, who is actually at fault? Obviously, Paterno and the Penn State football staff alone are responsible for their own actions. However, would we, as spectators and fans, feel just as disappointed if we didn’t invest so much of our faith in these people? They are, in fact, people. Not superheroes or gods, but human beings. They’re just as entitled to making mistakes as anyone else. So why is it that every time another athlete or public figure makes a mistake, we are shocked and feel like they broke a promise to us? When exactly did they promise to be perfect?
Paterno is the most recent, though not the only sports icon to fall from grace. On October 30, 2010, Tiger Woods was ranked as the number one golfer in the world. As of October 31, 2011, he is ranked #56. Woods cites his recent knee injury and surgery as a factor in the astonishing fluctuation in his game. But, if asked, the average person wouldn’t. Many would blame a long break Woods took from the tour in 2009, a result of the collapse of his six year marriage to Elin Nordegren, when it was revealed that he had had affairs with an alleged 12 different women. For now, and presumably for many years to come, Woods’ legacy will be one of a man who destroyed his marriage and disgraced his admired reputation – this despite a 15 year career that led to 14 professional major championship wins. Tiger Woods hasn’t ranked this low in the professional golf world since October of 1996, only two months after he turned pro as a teenager.
Even to those who have absolutely no interest in golf, Woods’ steep decline on the course may have been somewhat disheartening. His persona off the course was one of a private man dedicated to his family, while on the course his famously unwavering stare, never cracking a smile, showed an invincible opponent.
Although the scandal was indeed discouraging, most agree that looking at Woods in a different light was not easy. No one, it seemed, wanted to believe the allegations were true.
The list of athletes who have disappointed fans and surprised everyone is never ending. To name a few, there was OJ Simpson, Mike Tyson, Michael Vick, Kobe Bryant. But none of these athletes, including Paterno and Woods, were the first to make mistakes, nor will they be the last. And yet, time after time, we continue to be shocked when they fall from grace.
At this point we really shouldn’t be surprised anymore. But maybe the fact that we are perpetually stunned at their behavior says more about us than it does about them. A huge part of our society revolves around sports. Teams, events, loyalty…Some would call it “un-American” to not watch football on Sundays or relish in the pastime of baseball. Almost every child dreams of making it to the pros one day at some point in their life and we all have admired one specific athlete at one time or another. It’s just one way we pledge allegiance to our favorite sport or team and identify a piece of who we are.
Our undying faith in athletes and sports icons can best be described by the cliché “Love is blind.” We are unable to see the flaws in these public figures and thus treat them like superhumans. Although this sometimes leads to major upset and disappointment, such as in the case of Woods and Paterno, maybe it’s unavoidable because it’s the same feeling you get as a child when you look up to your favorite athletes. When someone we admire fails, we feel like children who have just been told Santa isn’t real. Sometimes reality, and the human mistakes it entails, brings us crashing down to Earth. But no matter how old we get, there will always be some child-like naiveté in us that firmly believes the best in our heroes.
