For golfers and hockey players one shot can make all the difference.

This week Jack Nicklaus and Bobby Orr—perhaps the two most revered sports figures of my time—made public statements of support for the re-election of Donald Trump. The dizzying spin-o-rama by my heroes reminds me of a similarly traumatic revelation from childhood: Superman is just a regular guy when exposed to kryptonite.

For a Canadian, I’ve spent a shocking chunk of the last four years riveted to the American political debacle. The 2020 booby prize of pandemics has only fueled the obsession. Mandatory house arrest has provided ample opportunity to deep-dive into the bunker of cable news and stew incessantly about circumstances well beyond my control.

Like most Americans firmly positioned in the hyper-partisan political divide, my own allegiance, from this side of the border, is resolute and unambiguous. I share the anxiousness of our southern friends awaiting today’s result in a profoundly consequential election. And I’m nervously bracing for what may follow.

The power of a platform

There is nothing new about celebrity endorsement of candidates in presidential elections. Popular figures from sports and entertainment often leverage their influence and social media platforms to nudge fans towards a party or candidate. Celebrity endorsement may have token sway with loosely committed voters and probably doesn’t cause serious offence to the political sensibilities of their prevailing fan base.

But Nicklaus and Orr are not run-of-the-mill celebrities and this is not a typical American election.

Nicklaus’ endorsement of Trump—claiming to have “been very disappointed at what [Trump] had to put up with from many directions” and further chipping in that “he’s worked for the average person,” amounts to a full-swing, out-of-bounds shank. Orr’s full-page ad telling us, “That’s the kind of teammate I want,” cries out for a measure of punishment—unique to his era—the infamous gross misconduct penalty.

Both men would have been better off quietly casting a vote for Trump and resisting getting sucked into the political quagmire.

Their public endorsement fails to recognize, or deliberately disregards, three consequential circumstances:

• This election is about far more than four years of party policy
• Their partisanship draws America’s divisiveness into their fan base
• Going public breaches the code of discretion that sets icons apart

Not your ordinary election

Four years ago I posted an uncharacteristically fatalistic passage to my Facebook page as I wrestled with the inexplicable election of Donald Trump.

Last time I can remember being as horrified with events in the U.S. was when the second plane hit the tower.

Derrick Coyle – November 9, 2016

Amid a flurry of responses sharing similar sentiments of concern, a lone comment from a respected friend and mentor gave me pause and a touch of hope. “Not to worry! Lots of advisors. Hopefully media will report fairly.”

Notwithstanding the practical advice in the moment, four years later all credible advisors—and the guardrails they represented—are long gone and the country is barely recognizable.

With a skyrocketing pandemic death and disability count, shredded economy, endless food lines, 500 children separated from parents at the border, climate change denial, ally alienation, adversary embracement, healthcare sabotage, supreme court tilt, threat to women‘s reproductive rights, rampant racial unrest, a soaring deficit, and 25,000 presidential lies and misstatements—what may have passed as heat-of-the-moment hyperbole in 2016 now seems something of an understatement.

Lord knows there is gaping division in political philosophy in the United States and in a two-party system, the likelihood of cross-party voting is slim.

The Grand Old Party

But under Trump rule, these are not normal times and there are prominent lifelong Republicans on record as voting blue. A vote for Trump is not just a vote for Republican policy, it’s a vote for all that Trump represents. It is quite literally a vote that puts the democracy in jeopardy, ensures more Americans die of Covid-19, and further fractures a broken nation.

The danger of Donald Trump is well beyond the point of debate. That Trump is a despicable human has long been established. If there was any question of his racism, misogyny, narcissism, indecency, dishonesty, corruption or authoritarian tendencies, they have been irrefutably answered in the course of the past four years.

Still, most Republicans—some holding their noses—will cast their votes for Trump. The logic? Trump won’t be around forever and some policy is simply non-negotiable. After all, Democrats have promised, among other things, that earnings north of $400K are targeted for tax increases. Whether ideology or plain greed, many Republicans would vote on that policy issue alone. The republic be damned.

My disappointment with the Nicklaus and Orr news is not about their vote. It’s about what their short-sighted and sycophantic support of a dishonourable man and irredeemable presidency says about them. They should not be exploiting the affection and loyalty of their followers by hoodwinking them into supporting the nation’s most serious national security threat.

Like a bridge over troubled waters

Being a fan of sports greats is sanctuary, of sorts, from the troubles of real life. There are no eligibility requirements for membership into the Jack Nicklaus or Bobby Orr fan clubs. The diversity of the club is a reflection of the sports fan population at large. The difference between the two is that much of the partisanship and human nastiness found in the general population is checked at the door of the fan club. We stand united in our appreciation of sports greats.

Hell, even outright racists are prone to episodic colour-blindness in the realm of sports fandom. They see talent rather than skin shade once their team suits up and the star nets a 3-point buzzer-beater, goes long for the winning touchdown, turns the double, or slips on a fifth green jacket.

Sports gods like Nicklaus and Orr have always seemed sensitive to the diversity of their disciples through decades-long careers and the golden years following. They covet their fan bases and deftly avoid gaffes and controversy that might alienate fans.

Public endorsement of Donald Trump was an unforced error by Jack Nicklaus and Bobby Orr. It undermined the fraternity’s predilection for separation of sport and state. It forced a faithful following to re-evaluate a lifetime fan-hero relationship.

Discretion is the better part of valour

These guys are much more than popular athletes, they are icons in their fields. They breathe the rarefied air of an elite few. They would make the GOAT short list for most sports fans. But their appeal goes well beyond technical skill and a fan’s appreciation of talent.

Sure, they are superstars of their games, but they are also models of character. They’re articulate, modest in victory and gracious in defeat. Fiercely competitive, but ever respectful of those with whom they compete. They own their mistakes, never blaming others for failure. They patiently sign autographs for adoring fans and make them feel important.

Their image exudes class and they navigate the journey free of scandal. They are often philanthropic, many founding their own charities and giving back to their communities. Idols of this caliber are people we admire and aspire to be. They are everything that Donald Trump is not.

Maintaining such pre-eminence is not automatic. It is sustained through consistency of brand and avoidance of the pitfalls and indiscretions that could alienate the fan base. Arnold Palmer was perhaps the all-time master. Tiger Woods, not so much.

The star manages the performance but it’s the fan who defines the stardom. This week there was no “goal scored by number 4, Orr.” And Nicklaus double bogeyed by daring to poke the golden bear of fandom.

Every rose has its thorn

But not every great athlete delivers the whole package that gets them to the pinnacle and keeps them there. Consider star quality athletes like Pete Rose, Patrick Reed or O.J. Simpson. We may love their athletic prowess but they’re not going to check all the boxes as models for our children.

Icons like Nicklaus and Orr appeal to fans in all walks of life. They are symbols of inclusiveness and ambassadors of unity. It doesn’t matter if we’re rich or poor. Colour, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and political affiliation are irrelevant. The relationship between hero and fan is sacred. The fan rejoices in the extraordinary talent and exemplary character of the star. The grateful star strives to always deliver.

We never know how our idols conduct themselves when the camera turns off, but we satisfy ourselves with the consistency of their public personas. Elites like Nicklaus, Orr, Gretzky, Palmer, Howe and Sorenstam have stood the test of time. They excelled professionally while managing to walk the fine line of controversy. They exhibited a consistency of character that reinforced our perception—and they seldom disappoint us.

God bless America

Some of you may be thinking: “Yeah, you clearly despise Trump, but you’d be singing a different tune if it were Biden getting endorsements from these guys.”

I take your point but you’d only be half right. It would have also been a mistake for Nicklaus and Orr to publicly support Biden. Endorsing either side is a departure from their custom of laying low on issues that could alienate fans. In a political environment this divided, endorsement either way was a no-win proposition.

As for Jack Nicklaus and Bobby Orr? I suspect their legends and legacies will endure the blowback they get over this. I do think, for many, they will have lost a little of their luster, especially if Trump wins. They will likely drop some social media followers—the universal measure of approval for the times.

For me, Jack and Bobby will always be giants of their respective games. It is disappointing to have learned that we view politics, and likely morality, so differently. I wonder about the motivations that launched the 80 and 72-year-olds into political punditry on the back nine, but I appreciate the liberties of a democracy that allow them to do so. I just hope they never come to regret having supported the candidate who represents the greatest threat to the experiment’s healthy preservation.

And now, as I settle in front of the T.V. for what promises to be a long and tense election battle, I’m left wondering whether the conscience of a nation will emerge as Trump’s kryptonite or whether the front page of tomorrow’s Daily Planet will once again be plastered with that cheesy, orange grin.

I’m Derrick Coyle; proud husband, father and grandad, happily retired in London, Ontario after a long and satisfying career in the world of insurance. SilverFoxWise is a personal blog created to indulge a longtime passion and scratch a creative itch; an introspective boomer’s cathartic canvas of musings and perspectives. Thanks for coming along for the read.

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