Ammo for Those Who Don't Need It

Read this book.



Most people I know are on one of the sports continuum or the other. They either see it as a wholesome activity that strengthens minds and bodies while providing a more wholesome attitude than gang-banging, or they are fed up with the commercialization, the bad publicity generated by selfish behavior of people who are paid huge sums of money yet refuse to be responsible adults and even moderately wholesome role models...you know who they are: the cheats, the abusers, the prima donnas that seem to proliferate in this country; our kids idolize them, and the parents hope their own kids will grow up to be like them...at least as far as getting a new house out of the deal.
As one who works professionally (well, I DO get paid) with college athletes in a university setting, I see and hear it all: the "NBA or nothing dreams," the parents who expect their student/athlete to send home part or all of the monthly stipend (yes...this happens ALL the time), and the others outside the realm of sports who decry athletes as pampered, no-nothings who are depriving them of a seat in class and some financial aid. I've had professors who refuse to share information with me because they think I am part of the "machine" that simply churns out uneducated athletes into mainstream society...and I'm tired of it.
So, how does all of this get started? What convinces college coaches to cheat or athletes to cheat on an SAT just to get in for one year before making the big-dollar jump? In one word: greed.
George Dohrmann exposes the whole sordid affair in his soon-to-be-released book Play Their Hearts Out, which depicts his yearlong study into the forces behind making big money by coaching 9 and 10-year-old would-be Michael Jordans. Yes, you read that right: pre-teens being coached by greedy men who want the shoe contracts, the pro and college contacts, and the self-promotional opportunity to use youngsters and their parents to satisfy their own selfishness.
Parents don't get off the hook, either. FAr from it. They are depicted in many cases as seeing the gravy train arriving on the shoulders of this grade-school player (need I make a Reggie Bush reference here? I thought not).
THAT'S what's wrong: too many adults abusing (yes, abusing) young kids for their own jackpot dreams.
I will definitely read this book when it comes out on October 5, but I can guarantee you that I won't enjoy it.
I've seen the results of it all too often.
Here's the URL for the book review in the LA Times:

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dwyre-20100926,0,5255255.column