“The greatest tragedy in life is wasted talent” (Robert DeNiro’s character in “A Bronx Tale”)
He was a collegiate national champion, an All-American football player and the number-6 pick in the NFL.
He dragged his girlfriend down a flight of stairs before smashing her head into a mailbox, he repeatedly displayed a series of destructive behaviors and even killed a man.
He eventually committed suicide in January of 2016 in his prison cell.
He was Lawrence Phillips, one of the greatest collegiate running backs of all-time and one of the greatest tragedies of life.
It is too bad that he wasn’t the last troubled superstar we heard about.
“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately your own responsibility.” –Eleanor Roosevelt
Unless you landed on earth in an UFO and hail from an alien planet, you have some issues that need solving. Let’s face it . . . we all have problems. We all are faced with hundreds of choices per day.
It seems that every high school and college student-athlete is using some form of social media almost constantly. With the advent of smart phones, it is easier now than ever before to communicate and share opinions and thoughts. With this greater opportunity comes a greater responsibility to be wise.
“Success is a Choice” … I first heard this phrase when Rick Pitino wrote a book that had this as the title. It is one of the best quotes I have heard. In fact, I have borrowed it as the primary motto for my basketball program over the years. It goes on all of our letterhead, locker room posters and motivational pieces. In general, every person has the choice of how they act and behave.