Corey Clark

Democrat senior writer

As much as we'd like it to be true, as much as we try to convince ourselves otherwise, perception is not reality.

That little nugget of truth has crystalized for me as I've gotten older and (arguably) wiser.

For instance, when I look into the mirror I see a bald Paul Newman. You, perhaps, look at me and see a young Angela Lansbury. Who knows?

The truth is: We all see what we want to see.

Perhaps what happened Saturday night will serve as a better example.

Notre Dame caught a wide-open touchdown pass to win the game in the final seconds. Except it didn't. Because not one, but two, Fighting Irish receivers were blocking FSU defensive backs before the ball was thrown. That's illegal. And it was called.

Much to the chagrin of Notre Dame fans and head coach Brian Kelly, who said there was nothing illegal about the play, that Florida State simply blew the coverage and got "rewarded." That was his perception. Even though most of the world — including Lou Holtz! — agreed with the call.

It's truly amazing how people can read or watch the exact same thing and see something completely different because of an allegiance.

The last year has been eye-opening in that regard.

Many Florida State fans are convinced there is a "witch hunt" by the media against quarterback Jameis Winston. While other people around the country feel like he's a witch.

Who's right? Maybe both. Maybe neither.

It's all how we see things.

The Winston naysayers see an entitled, arrogant star player who is allowed to get away with anything because he's a great quarterback.

While many Winston supporters seem to think he's a misunderstood goofball and point out that he became the first player in college football history to get suspended for a game – the biggest one of the year, in fact – for parroting an internet meme.

So what's the reality?

The New York Times and other national outlets have devoted thousands of words to the Tallahassee Police Department and its treatment of Florida State football players — alleging, among other things, that the TPD was protecting Winston in 2012 by half-heartedly investigating a sexual-assault accusation.

Is that true? Did the police force make sure Winston, who was the fourth-string QB at the time, wasn't investigated thoroughly for a crime as serious as rape because there was a chance he would be the starting quarterback in 2013? That's the perception for many after reading those stories: A corrupt police force that protects football players at all costs. Especially transcendent talents like Winston.

Naturally, most Florida State fans disagree. They see stories that conveniently leave out names like Greg Dent, Greg Reid, Preston Parker, Nigel Carr, Arrington Jenkins, Ernie Sims, Travis Johnson, Peter Warrick, Adrian McPherson and plenty of others who have been arrested in the last 15 years.

They think the notion of the TPD protecting FSU football players is laughable.

They see a story like the one centering on Winston that ran back in April and wonder how The New York Times could insinuate the accuser had been drugged — thus the "memory lapses" State Attorney Willie Meggs said were the main reason he couldn't charge Winston with a crime — and yet not mention the results of the toxicology report.

They think Winston was wrongfully accused. That's their perception.

While many people around the country think the Seminoles' star QB got away with sexual assault due to either a blatant cover-up or an incompetent investigation. That's their perception.

What is the reality?

None of us know for sure, of course. Not you. Not me. Not Jimbo Fisher and not TheNew York Times.

Just because the accuser had memory lapses doesn't mean her allegation that night was untrue. Obviously. It just means that Meggs knew he couldn't win the case in court.

And on the flip side, just because the TPD was said to have "botched" the investigation doesn't mean a by-the-book, perfectly executed one would have led to charges being filed. That's a foolish leap to make as well.

Personally, I think the nonstop media onslaught has been unfair in many respects. Most notably the apparent perception that it's all but impossible for a Florida State football player to be arrested in this garnet-and-gold, football-loving town. And that sexual assault accusations and motorbike thefts are willfully ignored by a systemically corrupt police department.

The reality is that Dent, who was a starting receiver with an NFL future, and Jenkins were both arrested for those respective allegations the last two years. Subsequently, they were both kicked off the team.

My perception is that these cases aren't mentioned in most stories because they don't fit the narrative.

Is that the reality? I have no idea. We've already established my perception can be off at times.

But what's astonishing to me is how a case like Winston's, which is so much more important than football and fandom, can still seemingly be split along allegiance lines.

I've talked, tweeted and emailed with a number of non-FSU fans in the last year about the Seminoles' quarterback. Most of them think the Tallahassee police covered up a sexual assault in an effort to help the local football team win games. Even after it's brought up that the redshirting Winston was in no way guaranteed of beating out Clint Trickett and Jacob Coker for the starting spot in 2013.

They also think it's ridiculous how Fisher keeps coddling his best player with the media.

I've talked, tweeted and emailed with a number of FSU fans in the last year as well. Naturally, most of them see Winston as a 20-year-old who has done some immature things off the field, but who is largely being persecuted for a crime he was never even charged with. They believe the national media is on a mission, whether with autographs or internet memes, to bring down the star QB and the FSU program.

They are thrilled when Fisher stridently defends his best player to the media.

Perception is a funny thing.

With the 24-hour news cycle and the prevalence of social media in our lives, the delineation between it and reality has never been so blurred.

Paul Newman is Angela Lansbury. Offensive pass interference is a blown coverage. An investigation is a cover-up. Media coverage is a witch hunt.

When the truth is: We all see what we want to see.