Maurice Clarett was once the top prep football player in America. Ohio State won out on recruiting Clarett as the budding star chose to stay close to home. As a freshman Clarett helped the Buckeyes to a national championship win over Miami in the 2002 Fiesta Bowl. Clarett was a freshman All-America, rushing for over 1,200 yards and 18 touchdowns. The future could not have been any brighter. All roads led to superstardom, likely Heisman trophy contention, a few more runs at titles with Ohio State, and, ultimately, a certain future as a top-5 NFL draft pick and stardom therein. But that was a long time ago. Clarett foolishly decided to battle the NFL on its policy regarding underclassmen entering the draft and lost his amateur status and college eligibility in the process. Clarett lost, had to sit out a year, and was by then merely an afterthought. The Broncos took a chance on Clarett, taking him in the 3rd round of the 2005 draft. Clarett was out of practice and out of shape and, not surprisingly, was cut out of camp. But being cut, as we would see, proved to be the least of Clarett's worries. Clarett now finds himself staring at a minimum 3 1/2 year prison sentence. His legal troubles have been well documented. Assault, robbery, weapons charges, harassment, possible mob ties. How exactly does a person go from the pinnacle of success to rock bottom so quickly? I believe at least one factor is the system we have in place regarding kids in athletics. A pronounced "entitlement" mentality develops early, as star pop warner and little league players are coddled, sent to exclusive camps, and have their names pasted on internet boards hailing them as the next star. Want to know who the top 5 sixth grade football players are? Or how about the eighth grader who just verbally committed to your favorite school? It's out there. I am in no way absolving Maurice Clarett or any other athlete for making poor decisions. He is responsible for his actions because he is an adult. But one has to wonder what life was like for Clarett in, say, junior high. How many recruiters and coaches did he meet after games? How many geometry homework sessions were interrupted by the siren song of fame as promoted by shady adults looking to get in early for their chance at a piece of the proverbial pie? I recently watched the classic documentary Hoop Dreams. I am always affected the same way watching it. I feel sorry for both William Gates and Arthur Agee. How much exploitation takes place among our youth athletes? How many disallusioned young adults spring up from the ranks of former child star (athletes and actors alike)? Perhaps all of us need to reevaluate our perspective of these kids and the role that big-time youth sports play. Make no mistake, I am a huge proponent of youth sports. Playing youth sports played a crucial part in my development. But how many more Maurice Claretts must come and go and become forgotten? Again, I cannot say in more certain terms that Clarett's culpability in his own demise is unmistakable. But maybe, just maybe, each of us involved with youth played a small part in the demise of a star.
Much has been made recently regarding Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies and his pursuit of 61 homeruns. Many people, including Roger Maris' family, are saying should Howard get to 62 homers they would recognize him as the record holder, not Barry Bonds. I like Howard as much as the next guy and I HATE Bonds but, whether we like it or not, Bonds owns the record, 73. Why is Ryan Howard looked at as 100% clean? He's a physical monster like Bonds (Howard is 6'4", 250 to Bonds' 6'2", 230.) Everyone knows there are a plethora of designer steroids that are currently undetectable. Again, I'm not saying Howard is juicing. But I likewise cannot say he (or anyone else in baseball) is not with assurity. Win, lose, or draw the all-time single season homerun record is 73. We don't get to pick which records are recognized.
Quote of the Week:
"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arive where we started and know the place for the first time."
-T.S. Eliot
-T.S. Eliot
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