Anyone notice the trend of these sports prodigies failing in life somewhere down the line?

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Save for guys like Gretzky and Lebron....

you got:

Agassi
Capriati
Todd Marinovich
Tiger Woods
Freddy Adu (not really any mishaps with the law...but unrealistic expectations that he never lived up to)
Doc Gooden
Josh Hamilton
Kournikova
Kobe
Maurice Clarett

they get pressured so much to perform on the court/field from such a young age, that when they get the chance to cut loose...they just don't know what to do or act. 

Is there anyone else we can add to this list? 

**Edit**

I think people are misconstruing what DoubleJ was getting at with this thread. He's basically making note of the correlation between being dubbed a prodigy at a young age and running into criminal/civil problems during their career.


just so there is NO confusion...
 
You would make this topic
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.

There are a lot more HSBB players we could add.

Phelps hasn't done anything as major as those people but he has had his run ins and is still pretty young. Mike Tyson, Ben Roethlisberger and Bobby Fischer too. Yea I just included a chess player
 
Things haven't changed - we just hear about it now.

Tiger was doing things on a whole new level - but Wilt or Magic (and I bet a lot of ther guys) were doing the same things back in the day.

Ever heard of a guy called Jacques Anquetil? One of the greatest cyclists of all time. Stole his doctors wife then had a baby with her daughter. In the 60s. Things don't change.
 
Federer is the only one I can think of that's pretty clean and actually seems so
 
Freddy actually did have a run in with the law during his time in DC. Got caught at a party when he was like 15-16. Don't remember the details but remember it being a big deal.
 
Donald Young. Dudes was hyping him up as the next great American tennis player especially since he is black but he hasn't done anything major in his career thus far.
 
Failing in life?


these people are human, they eat ,drink, !!*, piss, and pay taxes like everyone else, we all make mistakes
 
Its athletes in general.  Theyre just like everyone else, but because they play sports we view them as different.  They just mess up in the public eye.
 
Are we counting A-Rod and his steriod situation? There were no formal charges but it was definitely a black eye to his legacy. And I recall him being a sure fire HOFer from his late teen years.

Telfair? Snakes on a plane? Nah, just guns.
 
This isn't a trend double jays. It's not like every single prodigy is going to make it big. It isn't like prodigies don't make mistakes.
 
Originally Posted by mrtramericanjr

Failing in life?


these people are human, they eat ,drink, !!*, piss, and pay taxes like everyone else, we all make mistakes

word...
OP acting like he has never taken an L in life...
    
 
[h3]
Anyone notice the trend of these sports prodigies child acting stars failing in life somewhere down the line?
[/h3]Same *%%#, for the same reasons.  Most of them were never allowed to have a normal childhood and it comes back to bite them in the %$@.

EDIT: And I absolutely CAN'T STAND when people act like celebrities (of any kind) aren't human beings just like us (not saying you necessarily are DJs)...
 
Originally Posted by Do Be Doo

Originally Posted by mrtramericanjr

Failing in life?


these people are human, they eat ,drink, !!*, piss, and pay taxes like everyone else, we all make mistakes

word...
OP acting like he has never taken an L in life...
    
And it seems, imo, that Kobe and Josh Hamilton have gotten their life straight.

  
 
Originally Posted by Do Be Doo

Originally Posted by mrtramericanjr

Failing in life?


these people are human, they eat ,drink, !!*, piss, and pay taxes like everyone else, we all make mistakes

word...
OP acting like he has never taken an L in life...
    
And it seems, imo, that Kobe and Josh Hamilton have gotten their life straight.

  
 
I think people are misconstruing what DoubleJ was getting at with this thread. He's basically making note of the correlation between being dubbed a prodigy at a young age and running into criminal/civil problems during their career.
 
Originally Posted by Do Be Doo

Originally Posted by mrtramericanjr

Failing in life?


these people are human, they eat ,drink, !!*, piss, and pay taxes like everyone else, we all make mistakes

word...
OP acting like he has never taken an L in life...
    
I've taken PLENTY of L's in my lifetime, boss....but I'm not a sports prodigy or under the public eye.  But in most of these instances, the athletes I named were pushed so hard that there was an aspect of socialization and being able to function somewhat normally when off the playing field that's missing in their makeup.  No one is going to bat an eye if Tiger is having a beer at age 19 on the Stanford campus....however, when you're married and have 15+ mistresses...that #!%# ain't normal.....you excuse it as "well, all athletes creep" but that's not the case here.  It goes on and on...

I do agree that maybe saying "failing in life" is a bit harsh....probably could have had a better choice of words in the thread title....oh well. 
 
Originally Posted by Ricardo Malta

I think people are misconstruing what DoubleJ was getting at with this thread. He's basically making note of the correlation between being dubbed a prodigy at a young age and running into criminal/civil problems during their career.

Thank you.  Dudes are missing the point. 
 
Originally Posted by jville819

You would make this topic
laugh.gif
.

There are a lot more HSBB players we could add.

Phelps hasn't done anything as major as those people but he has had his run ins and is still pretty young. Mike Tyson, Ben Roethlisberger and Bobby Fischer too. Yea I just included a chess player
GREAT call on that. 
 
Well, Gretzky was involved in a highly publicized gambling controversy.

I know he never got busted, but where there is smoke there is fire.

In some cases I can see the correlation with these prodigies being robbed of their childhood.

However, what does Tiger being robbed of his childhood have to do with him banging numerous broads?  He was just being a guy.  Tigers situation was controversial, but that is because America has this "holier than thou" mentality.  Infidelity,
laugh.gif
, why do people care so much?  It's a family issue not a public issue. 
smh.gif
@ people who felt they needed an apology from Tiger (American public).  What the %*+! for?  Did he bang your sister? wife? 
laugh.gif


Ben Roethlisberger
I didn't know a child prodigy was coming from a small MAC school (Miami of Ohio).


I kind of see what your are trying to get at DoubleJ's, but these guys run into mishaps because they have a lot of money, they are public figures that are receive a ton of attention and lets face it, they have a ton of time on their hands.  It doesn't help that most have a sense of entitlement when it comes to money and *!#$$++.
 
I guarantee you these public figures have the same problems as the average man... All of there problems are just on TV and the internet. They cheat, get DUI, etc. at the same percentage as your average Joe.
 
They live such a disciplined lifestyle at a young age, that when they get older and are on their own, they tend to wild out. Same thing goes for child actors, musicians, hell even preacher kids.

Reagarding Tiger, normally I wouldn't say infidelity is a big issue, but 30+ chicks? Dude was beyond ignant on that. That's not a family issue, that's a character issue. I'm not saying having 1 affair is accepatable, but it is understandable. But having blatant disregard for your marriage and family to that level? I can't ride with that, even if it is none of my business.

You can't compare him to Wilt and Magic because they had the sense to know they weren't ready for a relationship and didn't have to drag a loving spouse through it.
 
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