Saturday, July 2, 2016

Antoine Walker and regret

Ever wonder how athletes go broke? It seems impossible, doesn't it? All that money that seemingly never ends. It would be so hard to spent 45 million, wouldn't it? 

Watch this and find out how.

It's a documentary from the outstanding 30 for 30 series from ESPN. I normally don't like ESPN but I make an exception in this case. 

Another piece that I read that really made me think was here. As a Celtics fan, I've always had a special place in my heart for Antoine Walker, even though I've never been able to spell his name right. In the dark ages of the Rick Pitino era Celtics fans were desperate for a star. Walker wasn't the greatest player, but we embraced him. This was before the big three of Pierce, Garnett and Allen and how they saved the day and brought back Celtics pride.  Walker was one of the players I watched as I transformed from teenager to adult. I went through a period of disliking basketball then having it grow on me again. 

Like many athletes Walker blew through his money through bad decisions and poor life choices. In this letter to himself he says that he wished he understood how to say "No" as a young man to those who didn't have his best interests at heart. I won't spoil the letter for you. It's a really insightful read, I highly suggest it. 

The letter to himself ends with "And tonight, maybe you should just stay home and watch a movie." I love that advice. I've seen marriages fail because they don't know how to, in the common jargon of the day "Netflix and chill" together. They need constant drama, feast or famine. I think it's because people get bored easy today and I've never understood that. Learning how to stay home and enjoy doing so is a skill that will save you a lifetime of drama.  

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