By Christopher M Peeks March 14, 2024
Stories rarely end like they do in the movies. The good guy doesn't always win in the end. . The hero in the white never arrives In the nick of time to save the day.. Instead of riding off into the sunset the hero often fails. Sadly that fate has befallen one of Alabama's legislative icons. The legendary John Rogers
Few larger than life beings get to go out on their own terms like Nick Saban. Most end in ruins. Unlike Saban, who will forever be remembered as going out as a champion and doing the finest coaching job of his career..Joe Paterno, once the most respected man in college football who holds the record for the most wins will never be recalled for that achievement. Instead the disgraced coach affectionately known as Joe Pa will forever be known for covering up the crimes of a child molester and being fired from Penn State after 50 plus years on the job. Legacy tarnished.
Sadly that brings me to this. Instead of writing his own ending of serviing in the Alabama House of Representatives Representative Rogers chose a different path.The people of Alabamas final memories of John Rogers will be of him pleading guilty to stealing money from a kids youth baseball league.
You committed fraud against children? Say it ain't so John? How could you do that? I know John. I liked John. I respected John. John has let not only me but the entire States population down. Legacy tarnished.
John prided himself on his honesty. I still use one of his quote's. "If I tell you a rooster dip snuff you can look under his wing." And now to find out it was all a lie. I never met anyone who did not like or respect Rogers. And all the years he spent building that kind of admiration is now gone in blink of an eye. If I could meet John one more time I would just like to ask him was it worth it?
Stealing funds from any program is criminal and should be punished. But to steal from the youth who looked forward to every season with extreme enthusiasm to be able to play the game is despicable. And it hurts my heart that I will never be able to look at you as an honest man, a true public servant trying to improve the lives his .
So ends the sorrowful saga of Johns service in the legislatutre. An heart ending to such a long distinguished career. Instead of being remembered as a lion of the legislature he will be remembered as
a deplorable man who stole from kids. Please John. Say it ain't so..
Christopher M Peeks
Reporter and Columnist
Alabama Political Contributor
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