BABY SITTING SOME OF THE ELITE!

(Detroit Free Press, USA TODAY, NBC Sports, Article Geek)

(Ephman, Christopher Jones, Frazer Chronicle)

 

From the silly, to the outlandish, to the bizarre, sports figures can do it all; some more off the playing field then on it. There are several things that some people overlook when they read about some professional athlete flipping out, or committing really dumb stuff. Before you are quick to judge, people should consider two basic rules, where did the guy come from, and what college degree to he earn!

 

You’ve heard the old adage, “walk a mile in my shoes”, well it applies in some instances more than others, but in sports, it applies in every instance! The average person has little idea how tough it can be to be under a magnifying glass…..all the time. Some thirst for the adulation…..at first, but the attitude quickly wears off, once it is discovered that every minute of your waking day is spent on ducking adoring fans, or worse, criticism.

 

I really don’t talk from experience, unless you call a high school, or college baseball coach, or the manager of a summer adult men’s baseball team. I do know this, through experience, you have to watch what you say in an interview, things can be taken out of context really quickly, and they soon become a part of the baggage that is attached to you, and that is carried around forever.

 

I learned my lesson quickly when I was misquoted in the local sports section more than 40 years ago, when I said it “sure would be nice if my ace pitcher would start winning.” Next day in the sports section, in big bold print, (Inability of Top Pitcher to Win Hounds Team). I got into trouble with the pitcher; I was resented by some of his teammate buddies, and the newspaper wouldn’t make a retraction.

 

Sports reporters, and radio people take cheap shots all the time, and they wonder when athletes won’t talk, what’s the reason, how can I do my job if you won’t talk to me? Most sports figures, (players) do not understand that the fans are really important…..because ultimately the fans are part of the engine that generates money that pays their salaries.

 

Professional athletes are a different breed today, they have come to understand that their sport is their living, and many act accordingly. They eat right, exercise under the tutelage from an expert and have financial advisors to funnel their income into the right areas for maximum return.

 

Of course there are others who for whatever reason completely disdain almost the entire above paragraph, they drink, eat fast food, and figure that they are working out whenever the drive past a health club. Their day starts at 8:00 P.M. and they finish it off around 4:00 A.M. with an encounter of a close kind.

 

These kinds of professional athletes, the irresponsible, usually are like a shooting star, bright for a few seconds, then burn out and are gone as abruptly as they appeared. It is for these types of athletes that today’s blog is dedicated…..for without these people, the sports world would be a rather mundane experience for those of us who watch sporting events.

 

 

THE BIZARRE AND THE WICKED

These athletes sadly are in abundance in today’s sports world, maybe more so then in other periods, probably because there is constant coverage of the games that they play. Its funny how for some reason we expect our sports figures to be a notch or two above us…..mere mortals. Usually most sports fans look at their teams with an air of awe, usually not making mistakes, and always trying to win.

 

However success on the playing field can be an overwhelming experience…..I never personally experienced it, and some players can be ill equipped to handle the pressure. There was a kid here in Green Bay, a basketball player who played for the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay, and he suffered from some sort of seizure from time to time because of his success on the court. Had to take some powerful medication to combat his issues.

 

Then there’s former Detroit Lions footballer, Titus Young, who must have wanted to get on one of those lock-up television shows. How else could you explain the wide-receiver being arrested twice in the same day? Arrested first for suspected drunk driving, and then 14 hours later, arrested again, for attempting to get is car out of the police impound.

 

But wait, Young wasn’t done, 5 days later, on May 10, 2013, was arrested for a 3^rd time in less than a week on suspension of burglary, resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer. Young’s father, Richard revealed that his son has a severe mental disorder and badly needs help.

 

Do ya think, Richard…..what tipped you off, was it when your son punched a teammate, or when the Lions football team first put Young on the inactive list, and then injured reserve…..and then released the receiver in February? And then there was the quick claiming off the waiver list by the St. Louis Rams the next day…..and subsequent release on February 15^th.

 

I suppose the jury is kind of still out on Young, he’s young…..won’t be 24 until August this year, and he seems to have control of his physical talent which is sizable, 48 catches in his rookie year and 33 in 2012. Whatever becomes of Young, from now on his every move will be scrutinized.

 

Of course than there is the curious case of Adam “Pacman” Jones, not to be confused with the video game Pac-man. Jones is defensive back for Cincinnati Bengals, and to date has more arrests then interceptions in his 8 year career.

 

The Pacman got himself arrested on July 13, 2005 for vandalism after an altercation at a nightclub, it was before he had made a defensive play, he was a rookie. The only thing I want to know is how a person can get arrested for vandalism in a strip-club. Of course there have been a number of other arrests during his checkered career in the National Football League, like at least ten.

 

This part of my blog wouldn’t be complete without talking about Chad Johnson, or Ocho Cinco, or Hachi Go, or Chad Johnson. That’s right, Chad Johnson, Ocho Cinco, ahdn Hachi Go are one in the same, in fact, after changing his name twice, he decided to reclaim his original name, Chad Jovon Johnson…..to get back in touch with himself.

 

Finally Johnson, or Ocho, or Hachi Go couldn’t beat a rap, the former Cincinnati Bangles wide-out got 30 days for slapping his attorney on the butt. The judge in a probation violation had agreed to give the wide-out a suspended sentence in a domestic violence case, but after Johnson cracked his attorney, Adam Swickle, on the butt, Judge Kathleen McHugh angrily slapped the shackles back on Johnson, giving him 30 days in the slam. Keep your hands in your own pants!

 

AND THAN THERE WERE THESE

Wilt the “Stilt” Chamberlin bragged to have bedded 20,000 women during his formative years, probably between 18 and 50, (cause servicing 20,000 women would leave absolutely no time for old age.) To say that Chamberlin was a stud basketball player is an under estimation, the Big Dipper was all of that , and more.

 

He was a game changer, he’s the reason that goal tending became a rule, how else could stop a giant like the Stilt was without altering the rules. You see Chamberlin simply stood near the basket and batted shots down throughout the game, no matter whether the shot was in the cylinder or not.

 

But Wilt…..rest his soul, 20,000 women…..impossible, or at least I hope impossible, can you imagine the kinds of trouble the male of the species would be in if we were expected to perform, oh I don’t know, maybe 6 or 7 times a week well into our 60’s…..not gonna happen.

 

O.J. Simpson, what a fool, he latterly got away with murder, most white people knew he was guilty, and most black folks knew it too. The “if the glove don’t fit, you must acquit’ fame needed to keep a lower then low profile…..but did he, hell no, so what happened, he got railroaded on another far less violent charge, and will probably spend the rest of his life in jail.

 

Another study in intellect would be Plaxico Burress who served two years in jail for…..number one not being very smart, and secondly being an extremely poor shot. You see Burress had a pistol in his pants belt, had a few too many cocktails, pulled the dumb thing out and shot himself in the foot, you’ve heard the term moron, sorry Plaxico, but you’ve created a new word…..the word, moroff!

 

And probably the biggest and most silliest stunt of all was Michael Vick and his penchant for the dogs…..not dog racing, but dog fighting…..are you ready for this, on his own property. Not just a few buddies, but a dog fighting syndicate with some really bad people involved.

 

Vick paid the ultimate, he served time in prison, lost most of his millions, and was banished to Philadelphia where he played for Andy Reid, and suffered the same frustration as Reid, not winning an NFL championship.

 

Well there you have it, a condensed version of the really bizarre and fickle pickle sports figures can get themselves into. I believe these people should hire not only agents to look after the money, but people who can lay down the law, and make this guys understand that they no longer are in College where things get swept under the carpet all the time. In the grown-up world there are consequences for stupid or illegal activities.

 

HAVE A NICE DAY!