I like the fire and brimstone coming from the Dojo......and the firstorm Regs brings to the table. I encourage everyone to read his post below and respond accordingly.

Also, as a minor follow up to Regers Rant a week ago here is an article I read on the NY Times. It is by former Major Leagure Doug Glanville discussing how disadvantaged pro-athletes are heading into the real world. He talks about how difficult it is for pro-athletes to transition into the real world upon retiring at relatively young ages.

Now, I am assuming he wrote this for pure entertainment purposes and for people like myself to read just for the sake of reading about sports and life. However, I beleive he took it just a bit too far when he says there needs to be more done to help these players by the organazations around them so they are prepared for the so called after life.....AKA meaning when these guys have to enter the dreadful and brutal world we all live every day.

Take it as you want but to play devils advocate and to revisit Regs rant about how the Military and Police/Medics don't deserve praise yet we cheer Athletes now this guy is crying about how disadvantaged athletes are entering the real world.

Here are some quotes from the article:

I hope more is done by the organizations that surround a player during his career — the league, the players association, the alumni association — to help athletes transition into a new life. As I‘ve spoken with former teammates and opponents, many have described themselves as feeling disowned and ignored, scrambling to find some direction and support. Their disillusionment is powerful enough to make it hard to get off that couch and take on the new day. Where did all my friends go?

On top of that, most players are not set up for “real life” at all. Having been nearly invisible for a decade between every March and October, you have no idea how to be an ever-present father or a spouse, no idea how to create a resume or handle a job interview, no idea what is required to run a business or even what to do in the summer

I had been talking to my own former teammates about life after the game and its challenges. Every one of them had struggled in one way or another. No matter how your career ends, once it does, it feels like the rocket you rode to the top has been abruptly stopped by an errant asteroid. Many of my former teammates and opponents were shaken to their core by McNair’s death; it hit home for every one of them. There’s nothing to fill that void of competing every single day at the highest level.


Ok.....I don't know about the rest of you but I never had anyone show me the way on my profesional career. Yea, I went to college and had counselors (what a joke) but everything I learned was basically on my own....trial and error. And for him to say they are the disadvantaged ones that need help at this time with everything going in the world is kind of a slap in the face to us regular Joe's. And....Has any one of your former employers checked in on you after you left to see what they could do to help you out???

Anyway, Just thought I would continue the firestorm in the Dojo....take it for what it's worth.