Make Me a Star!

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is seen carrying archaeological treasures after a dive in the Kerch Strait that connects the Black and Azov Seas.

   Q. What do Joe Paterno and Vladimir Putin have in common?
    A.  Both men have drawn from the Classical past to promote their image


Above we see Mr. Putin in a staged photo associating himself with historical preservation, part of the image development program leading to his run for president in Russia's upcoming elections. As my mother would say, "He's no dummy." Most people would realize that these treasures, 6th century B.C. Greek jugs, were planted for him in a couple feet of water. Mr. Putin takes the risk of looking silly because he knows full well that any association with the culture of this period is a good one and beneficial to his cause. 




Joe Paterno, at one time considered the most respected college football coach in history, has recently fallen from grace. After a near 50 year career at Penn State University, he has been fired, following the arrest of his former assistant, charged with sexually abusing boys. Though he himself has not been charged with a crime, Paterno appears guilty of doing little to stop the abuse given what he knew. After being informed of a child abuse incident in the football locker room almost 10 years ago, the coach stopped at reporting the information to his athletic director. His legal obligation met, it appears the mindset was "let the games begin!"

According to author Jonathon Mahler in his New York Times article Grand Experiment Meets Inglorious End, "Joe Paterno as a lifelong lover of Latin, saw football through the lens of the classics. His Grand Experiment was to produce a team that embodied both athletic excellence and academic integrity. The true greats, he would say, didn't resemble Homer's Achilles, a grandstanding superstar motivated by his own quest for self-glorification. They resembled Virgil's Aeneas, who was propelled forward through every manner of hardship by an agonizing sense of moral duty to others." The football program's motto "Success With Honor,"  holds great irony today. As Mahler puts it, "the great molder of young men, discharged his legal obligation and moved on."