The fall of an 'idol'

When we reflect back on the scandal of Penn State in years to come, we will remember the devastating events that occurred, the negligence of the football staff including the athletic director and the downfall of a great football coach. Unfortunately, we will probably forget the name Sandusky. With the rise of social media, society now spreads information from our own point of view. That leads people to focus on the more dramatic stories, the more memorable aspects of the story and the famous players that make the story. In the case of the PSU scandal, social media has focused more on the less significant aspects of this devastating story. There is more concern for the reputation of Paterno, which coaches will get fired and how this will affect the football program and recruiting in the years to come. It is a shame how little attention has been given to the victims or in this case even the perpetrator. Social media has completely diverted the attention away from the real problems in this scandal like what coaches might be hiding and how many are withholding major scandals and how well are these college institutions really protecting our children.

It is clear as sports gain more popularity in America, we are beginning to put aside all logic. As college students pile onto Paterno’s front lawn and vie for the job of the “winningest coach in football,” it probably has not it occurred to them boys as young as 7 years old have suffered sexual harassment and rape due to the negligence of this ‘beloved coach.’ Coaches have become idols in today’s society. They have all the power and the media reinforces this daily. By focusing the Penn State scandal on the neglect of Paterno, they have not only taken attention away from the real issues, but they are actually re-framing the whole story to be about the fall of an idol. Rhyming off his wins, his championships and his accomplishments over his 45 year career explains why the coaching staff may have been so afraid to report the scandal in the first place. They feared losing all the power they had at their fingertips. Sadly, with this power comes deviance. The more we idolize these sport gods, the more we make it acceptable to commit deviant acts like child harassment.

Although social media has shifted the power back in to the hands of society, I am not sure society deserves to have it. With a flair for the drama; we don’t always look for the real facts. Social media now allows us to idolize coaches even more by following their every word on twitter. It is difficult to tell a child who grows up idolizing a coach that this person is in fact not a reputable person. As social media now shapes the individual beliefs of society, more than ever regular sport media will be important to humanize these 'idols.' It is necessary to be aware of the effect social media can have in creating idols and putting all the power in the hands of few people. In the world of sport, it is important to remove the individuality and refocus on team and group ideologies that sport has the inherent potential to portray.

Alicia

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