To Hell with the Statue - jmik58's Blog

Arena Blog Dynasty Scores Sign Up ☰

jmik58's Blog

To Hell with the Statue Stuck

Posted on July 27, 2012 at 11:11 AM.

(8)

I'm glad it's gone. That metallic idol that would have reminded so many of how an institution failed so many youth.

For those that want to remember the good things that Joe Paterno accomplished throughout his life, try the same tactic that Jerry Sandusky's victims have to try not to do each day of their lives.

Remember him in vivid detail in your mind -- in stories.

You see, stories are where men belong. Not formed into idols; landmarks for the greatest of goods that each of them stood for. Because we all know that deep under that hard bronze core is a gaping cavern of darkness.

The outer shell hides the true balance that makes up man. The things that make us ordinary men -- vulnerability, weaknesses, and humility.

Stories are powerful not only because they allow us to remember, but because we know they inherently possess the characteristic of embellishment. They beg to be questioned. We smile and laugh at the fish stories of heroes -- partly because they make us feel good, and also because we know there's an element of fabrication to them.

But to erect a statue for those still walking among us might be even more of a ludicrous act. For those who have passed, the symbol of their human form can act as a great conversation piece.

The difference, however, is that the deceased have completed their story. We have had an opportunity to assess their entire life's work. We're better equipped to decipher if their story is worthy of immortalization through the construction of a statue or other means.

For some reason -- Joe Paterno's couldn't wait. But he isn't alone. Albert Pujols, Bud Selig, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Wayne Gretzky, and even Nick Saban are among the flesh-and-blood sports stars with statues already standing in their honor.

They have been immortalized before their final chapter has been written -- already awarded for an unfinished story.

A better way exists. To tell the stories of ordinary living men we should be doing the one thing the Penn State scandal denied so many victims: Using our voices instead of bowing to idols.

How do you feel about statues of living "heroes" and "stars"?

Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Follow him on Twitter @long_snapper.

Comments

# 1 rudeworld @ Jul 27

Really, the statue could of and should of came down faster. It wasn't the fact that he did bad things, we all do things that we regret and tuck them in our "closet" or lapse in judgments, but if they are as terrible as what the MONSTER and his Hench men did, there was NO WAY IN HELL that that statue should have been up once anyone in power found out what was going on. If any "star" or "hero" is found to have done anything like what coach pa did then down would go his/her statue too. GOOD QUESTION BUT EASY ANSWER!!