[tpop1]

With the recent Penn State incident seeing an iconic figure fall far and quickly, I got to thinking .....

As a child of the 50’s and 60’s I have lost most of my illusions over the behavior of my heroes – think Mantle and JFK.

My wife always says that she’d be very sad if she ever heard anything bad about Denzel Washington!

Whose fall from grace would disappoint you most?

[JenAjd]

Was told many years ago, if one puts another man on a pedistal then he surely will be knocked down! This is true of "anyone"...we all have that nature of failing. It's very sad what happened there....the deeds of one person is having a rippling affect on tens of thousands!!

[eweissenbach]

Originally Posted by tpop1

With the recent Penn State incident seeing an iconic figure fall far and quickly, I got to thinking .....

As a child of the 50’s and 60’s I have lost most of my illusions over the behavior of my heroes – think Mantle and JFK.

My wife always says that she’d be very sad if she ever heard anything bad about Denzel Washington!

Whose fall from grace would disappoint you most?

Unfortunately, I am not surprised to learn of character flaws in anyone these days.

[Figmo Bohica]

Originally Posted by eweissenbach

Unfortunately, I am not surprised to learn of character flaws in anyone these days.

Sadly enough, I have to agree with you.

[swrinfla]

with Coach Ed and Figmo, regretfully!

I'd rather reflect on known positives.

Such as my recent encounter with a late 40s "kid" whom I'd known as a tricycle-riding brat, complete with playing cards in his spokes, growing up on my street along with my daughters.

Now, "suddenly" he's a headmaster at the private school where not only my daughters, but their mother and her mother were students.

Yes, they all grow up, but this kind of blew me away. Will he eventually "fall from grace?" I sure hope not, but begins to look as though it can happen to anyone!

SWR

[momesu]

I think we must remember we all are human. I have yet to meet a perfect human. Some make bigger mistakes and poorer choices than others, but I don't know of a single person who doesn't have something they've done in their past that they regret or at a minimum wish they had handled differently. One can only hope we don't deny our mistakes and that we learn from them.

None of the above absolve us of the responsibility for our mistakes and actions.

Suzanne

[chuckinca]

Say it Ain't So, JOE!


.

[eweissenbach]

Originally Posted by chuckinca

Say it Ain't So, JOE!


.

Well played sir!

[2BNTV]

Originally Posted by chuckinca

Say it Ain't So, JOE!


.

This is Joe. It ain't so.

I know you are referring to Shoeless Joe Jackson of the 1919 Black Sox Scandel.

Seriously, I can't think of anyone who I really look up to in the sports world as most have proven to be flawed human beings like the rest of us mortals. Nobody or nothing is perfect in life.

Some kids have looked-up to people in the sports world as heros or role models. I remember the line in the movie "Ordinary People where the father says to the son, "don't look up to people as they have a way of disappointing you".

My hero is my uncle Joe who is 98 and a WW2 veteran who lived an exemplary life with his wife and sweetheart for 74 years. A quiet humble family man. There no chance he will disappoint me.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by 2BNTV

My hero is my uncle Joe who is 98 and a WW2 veteran who lived an exemplary life with his wife and sweetheart for 74 years. A quiet humble family man. There no chance he will disappoint me.

And there is the solution, right there. Have few pedestals, and be very certain you know the person(s) very well. With public figures, all we know is what we read or hear about them. Few get to really know them. The only person I have on a pedestal is my bride of 40+ years. Anyone who puts up with me for that long is destined for sainthood!

[Posh 08]

Originally Posted by mikeod

And there is the solution, right there. Have few pedestals, and be very certain you know the person(s) very well. With public figures, all we know is what we read or hear about them. Few get to really know them. The only person I have on a pedestal is my bride of 40+ years. Anyone who puts up with me for that long is destined for sainthood!