The Sad Tale of JaMarcus Russell

As I'm sure many of you have already heard, a few days ago, JaMarcus Russell was arrested on drug charges. This happens months after the Oakland Raiders dropped him from their team. High expectations for a number one pick were never even close to being met.

It is hard to feel sympathy for Russell though. This is a man who excelled at LSU, and clearly had talent to compete in the NFL. Being characterized as lazy while in Oakland and showing up overweight to training camps, looking more like a lineman than a quarterback, Russell essentially threw away a career many of us dream of.

Character is a big issue with many athletes. The great athletes normally have upstanding character traits, with some exceptions. Look at Derek Jeter, Peyton Manning, and Dwyane Wade to name a few. They all have the drive to win, as all athletes should have. But they all give back to charity and have not had issues with the law.

Russel may have lost the drive to win once he signed that first check the Raiders gave him. He may have had the same problem that Michael Vick and countless others have had, growing up with the wrong crowd. But if someone is not going to work hard at their job, they don't deserve to keep it, no matter how gifted the person is.

If Russell has an addiction to drugs that extends back years, then I will feel sympathy towards him. This just seems like a down on his luck, unemployed man going on a bender to drown his sorrows in drugs and alcohol.

I would love to see him turn this around, get in shape, and revive his career. People love seeing someone struggle but make it out on top. I just don't see it happening. The Raiders wanted to rebuild around a talented QB, and Russell let them down. What team in their right mind would risk bringing a lazy, drug user to their team?

Russell made his millions, but blew his chance to be remembered for anything good. It is sad, and unfortunately will probably only become more depressing as time passes if he continues his drug use and run in with the law. But he can blame no one but himself.