How many times have we said that? How many times have we heard other people say it?

“A high station in life is earned by the gallantry with which appalling experiences are survived with grace.” – Tennessee Williams.

“What’s more pernicious than the idea itself is that it’s often heaved upon us by other people, and they convince us that we are what we are and we’d better just live with it because, well, that’s what we’ll always be. Really? Says who?” – David DiSalvo.

We all need our heroes.

According to legend, when a Roman general achieved an important victory or conquest, he was treated to a hero’s welcome by the citizenry and Senate of Rome. A march was organized around the central city forum, and the general was paraded through the adoring crowds on a chariot of gold drawn by white horses. Standing next to the general was an attendant who held over his heart the laurel of victory. As the chariot rode through the crowd, the attendant would continuously whisper into the conqueror’s ear: “Remember that all glory is but fleeting!”

“As individuals and as people, we want heroes, we need heroes, we seek out heroes and when the real thing isn’t available, we often create heroes. Heroes offer us lessons, visions and values about life. Heroes offer us maps, guidelines and directions on how to live our lives and how to conduct ourselves with others.…. When heroes stumble, when they fall from grace, when they show themselves to be susceptible to temptation, we are shocked, and we often disbelieve or deny their failings. However, when the evidence builds and we can no longer deny their culpability, we are depressed, disillusioned and very angry.” – Al Gini Chicago Tribune.

I think we were all proud of our native hero Jeffery Webb. Maybe we will still be proud of him.

However, before the FIFA bombshell indicting our local hero with charges that made many of us horrified and major disbelief, some of us in the media did hear “whisperings’ about Webb.

My first whisper about Jeffery Webb came to me soon after Canover Watson was arrested last year on five charges including fraud, money-laundering relating to the CarePay card swipe payment system at the Cayman Health Services Authority. The whisper I got was Canover and Jeff were BIG BUDDIES and there is another man involved and Webb has been named. I, of course, asked named by who? Silence.
I actually said emphatically. “No. I don’t believe it!”

Since the shock I got from the FIFA arrest of Webb and another exclamation of “I don’t believe it”, this time when the news broke last Friday confirming the “whisper” I just nodded and felt sick to my stomach.

What puzzles me, however, is the timing of the charges laid against Jeff Webb. Why has it taken so long? The “whisperer” knew. In fact Webb was back here in Cayman after I heard the whisper. Was he, then, too much of a national hero that he was untouchable?

Or is it because he is tucked away in a jail in Switzerland fighting extradition to the USA?

“A warrant for Mr. Webb’s arrest has today [Fri 3] been issued. We understand that he is currently being detained by the authorities in Switzerland. It is anticipated that proceedings will be instigated for his extradition to answer these charges.” – Cayman Islands ACC.

So what will take precedence? The USA extradition order or the coming Cayman Islands one? Jeffery Webb is a born and bred citizen of the Cayman Islands. I am sure he would prefer to be back home where he must still have a lot of friends.

“Jeff, you might have been a naughty boy, but we still love you. Look at the good you have done these Islands?”

Of course the huge world media picture of the “notorious” Cayman Islands and the massive damage this “incident” has done to add to this perception will be forgotten if he does return to Cayman to face these charges. He would also stand a much better chance of being found “Not Guilty”. In the USA only prayers might save him.

Being now a very suspicious man in my old age and my “I don’t believe it” cries quelled I have to ponder if the timing of these charges, which of course may be or not be true, have been brought to actually help our now fallen hero.

Of course, you don’t have to believe anything.

See also iNews Cayman story published today “Now Webb swiped by Cayman Islands card allegations’ by Paul Nicholson from Inside World Football.