Every leader pays the parking meter now and then
Published: 1/25/2013 10:34 AM
Last Modified: 1/25/2013 10:34 AM
The bottom of the Sports Illustrated cover plaintively asked, “What just happened?”
The question revolved around the recent revelations involving cyclist Lance Armstrong and Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o. The former finally had to own up to his years of cheating to win the Tour de France, while the latter was forced to explain a bizarre Internet relationship.
I have a bigger question for Sports Illustrated or anyone else who wants to answer. How do we explain these things to our children?
Ultimately, I know it’s not that big of a deal in a historical context. It’s not like Te’o was running around on his wife or Armstrong wasn’t doing what countless other cyclists did and, of course, neither of them killed anybody.
Here’s what I’d like to tell my kids: Don’t follow heroes in show business and don’t get caught up in back stories. I’ve lived long enough to know I really don’t care about an athlete’s relationship issues. The Te’o internet love story barely registered with me prior to the revelation it was fake. Frankly, I thought he was a great player and I wanted a purely defensive player to win over narrow-minded Heisman Trophy voters someday. Nothing more, nothing less.
My wife has a hard time even watching Tom Cruise movies these days, so incensed she was by his crude words to Brooke Shields some years ago. I watch because some of his movies are really good and, of course, some of them stink. I want to get lost in the moment of cinematic magic and not think about “well, this film stars an egotistical crazy guy.”
Maybe, that’s why I prefer “The Godfather” way over “Citizen Kane.” They both featured megalomaniacs but I totally bought into the former’s story while the other left me thinking, “Hmm, that was arty. I guess I’m supposed to love it.”
OK, I’ve digressed just a little. I do think heroes are important, but they will almost always let you down. I was my daughters’ Daddy Prince for a number of years, but I know I’ve disappointed them a time or two – times which have nothing to do with not buying them Justin Bieber tickets. Heroes are human with weaknesses and temptations and short tempers and high-mindedness that sometimes drifts into delusion. They, like you and me, can’t always see the forest for the logjams.
I just hope the children find likeminded aspirations in great characters like previous generations did. I grew up idolizing Roger Staubach and my dad looked up to the late, great Stan Musial, RIP. Abraham Lincoln is au courant again, and you cannot do much better than that.
Getting the full story is good medicine, but it’s also tough to swallow sometimes. So Lance Armstrong is a cancer survivor and a liar, while Manti Te’o is a punishing hitter and a gullible soul, at the very least. Maybe let’s pick the good from the bad and keep moving on toward the light.
As another former hero once sang, “Don’t follow leaders, watch the parking meters.” I have no idea what Dylan meant by that and yet I understand perfectly now. Pay attention to what’s right in front of you and gain the best advice you can. Focus on the wisdom and be smart enough to know the Wise Man lets down his guard every now and then.
Written by
Rod Walton
Staff Writer
