PARIAHS OF SPORT

Aren’t Tiger Woods, Michael Vick, Joe Paterno, and Kobe Bryant unforgiveable? These are the men of scorn in athletics with the recent addendum of Penn State University’s beloved Joe Pa. And what makes a pariah? Well, here’s what happens: people who think they’re better than the heinous, notorious all-stars find rest in positions of judgement. And then poof…PARIAH.

And this is not to say that having certain behaviors be deemed unacceptable is a bad thing. All it takes is a loving parent to tell you how they feel about absolutes when it comes to protecting the innocent. And by-and-large the world frowns upon marital infidelity. And it’s also generally uncool to wantonly abuse animals right? Right. But when a pariah is formed, the world breathes a sigh of relief because it suddenly, and momentarily, can stay feelings of ultimate failure. There’s a lot to be said for being bad but not the worst culprit of evil. After all, you might think an illicit thought but at least you didn’t “sext” message women to whom you weren’t married.

But ahh the pride before the fall. The pariah can create a diversion from oneself as superstar sins drift beyond personal feasibility. In simple speak, focusing on the Mount Rushmore of ethical infidels makes us think our “poop don’t stank.” And I’m not talking about the pundits. I’m talking about a world of regular folk who drive themselves to work and make less than $100,000 a year. These people look down their noses at the people who fall from grace and say, “I’ve never and I’d never…” Trouble is, “We’ve always and We’d definitely…”

We do not believe in redemption though we love redemption stories. We are not a rehabilitative culture because some of our funniest jesting involves references to Robert Downey Jr.’s Betty Ford Clinic fame. Ricky Gervais had me roaring with that one. But seriously, when the big guns go down, the guys who are worth billions, we are mortified and appalled. We wonder, ironically, how the humans we turn into idols fail us. Why do they behave so strangely? Better question is, “Why do you not behave as they do?” What will stave off your barbarism? It’s a vital question because if not answered, you will become the poster child for hypocrisy. Neglect the source of your ethics and morals and you will vacillate between nobility and treachery. You will not throw stones from a glass home but rather from the living room of one through your own windows. The pariahs of sport are signposts but we treat them like exceptions. Ladies and gentlemen, there’s a log in your eye and your son or daughter’s eye too. But it’s cool. Logging is dangerous work but there’s an unseen reconciler who specializes in it.