Saturday, April 14, 2012

Living On The Edge...Part II

Last June I wrote about Congressman Anthony Weiner’s crash and burn. (http://www.headhunterpov.net/2011/06/living-on-edge.html). Now we have the sad tale of Coach Bobby Petrino. I went back and read “Living On The Edge” and thought about Petrino. Some things never change. Last year I wrote these words:

“The Edge” is where you hear the Sirens’ songs, you think all things are possible and you feel invincible. “The Edge” is where lies become truth, it's always someone else's fault, you deserve to be happy and there are no absolutes. “The Edge” is where you ultimately get permission to launch and the final invitation to fall.”

I think that pretty much sums it up for Petrino. When you’re hot, you’re hot. And Petrino was certainly a “hot” coach. The big man in Arkansas who had resurrected the Razorback football program. Win football games at Arkansas and you get the keys to the state. You may even earn some “get-of-jail-free” cards. It just depends on the crime.

So what was Petrino thinking? Some would say that he wasn’t thinking or he was thinking with the wrong head. (If I have to explain that to you, just stop reading now.) I believe that it just boils down to a 51 year old guy enjoying a relationship with a young (young enough to be his daughter) woman. It made him happy and he deserves to be happy. A happy coach is a better coach and a better coach wins more games. And when you win enough, you can have your cake and eat it too. People will understand and even if they don’t understand they will forgive you. What choice do they have? He’s Bobby Petrino. He’s special.

And then there is Petrino’s family. Oh yeah, those people. I don’t know what his marriage was like or how things were with his kids. Not my business. But, clearly he was willing to risk it all because this other relationship made him happy. And like we all know…he’s a winner….he deserves to be happy. People will understand. People will forgive. For that matter, they may never even know. He might be invisible as well as bulletproof. “All things are possible” out there on “The Edge”.

But just like Congressman Weiner discovered. A funny thing happens when you get caught with your pants down (literally or otherwise). A congressman or a winning football coach caught with his pants down is not just another guy caught with his pants down. Power and privilege are dangerous escorts. They not only take you farther out on “The Edge”, they take you farther up. And when you fall, the fall is indeed great. And all the king’s horses and all the king’s men can’t put you back together again.

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