Most Disappointed in an Athlete

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Excellent post schneed.
I agree with everything, and would like to add, I think most people that do put athletes on a pedastal are a tad bit delusional and don't see them as actual people. Being an athlete is their job and performing well has absolutely nothing to do with who you are. You could be the biggest prick on the planet and play a great game. See Ty Cobb. I had the benefit of knowing several celebrities as a child (and being related to some), and grew up with a close friend (Mike Glavine) with a big time brother (Tom) that we hung out with all the time and played wiffle ball etc. I like Tom, don't get me wrong, but he is not what people think he is. He is an every day guy with every day issues. He loses his temper like all of us, he makes mistakes like all of us. He's done things that you would have NEVER expected, and don't need to be mentioned. He, like the rest of us, have done dumb things, he is after all human!

So, with all that being said, the disappointment in athletes that I have, are the ones that squander their gifts. Being someone that could have made it pro had it not been for a devastating shoulder injury, I hate to see these players throwing their hard earned careers away for dumb actions. Aka, Plaxico Burress. It's one thing to lose your career due to injury, it's TOTALLY another to lose it because you are just too high and mighty to think rules apply to you. Even so, I'm not "disappointed" per se, I shake my head that these people throw away the greatest opportunities of their lives. And for what?
Tiger having affairs has not changed my opinion of him at all. The man is human, and he has the most beautiful women in the world thowing themselves at him...we can't imagine how hard it is to say no. Tiger isn't throwing anything away other than money / endorsements, he's still a missively skilled golf player, the best this world has EVER seen, he will continue to be so.