Smart Guys versus the Dummies

Made Bad Choices

Channel surfing the other night, I came across a documentary titled "Broke" - part of the ESPN 30 for 30 series. I know many of the stories of athletes making humongous amounts of money and totally blowing it - mentioned some on this blog. Still, seeing this documentary was extremely depressing. Choosing to have 9 children by 8 wives, choosing to hand over large portions of their wealth without having any idea what was being done with it, choosing to fall for the bimbos who obviously have well-thought out financial plans to bleed professional athletes for every thing they can - it's really (to use an '80s expression) truly mind blowing.

In contrast, you've got the smart ones. This is the man-bites-dog part of the story.  These are the ones you don't hear much about.  Here's a video of Brandon Lloyd of the New England Patriots from Yahoo Sports!  The Lloyd video is followed by Alfred Morris, running back phenom for the Washington Redskins (Go Skins!).

Where's the $100,000 sports car?

Both of these young men, in contrast to the dummies mentioned above, are well grounded and have excellent financial sense.

I have often wondered why so many professional athletes go off the deep end with their finances.  They have access to the best advisors and, if they reflect for a moment, have to realize they don't have to prove anything to anybody - they've already accomplished a remarkable feat even if they have only played one game at the professional level!

The bottom line is that it is about choices.  I wish the nation's teenagers could watch these videos together and then talk about who they would want to model their lives after.  After all, it is a choice everyone faces as they leave their teens.