ACC Nation podcast April 21 — show notes
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The NFL Draft is this weekend and Patrick and Q talk with Scott Wright of NFL Draft Countdown about the ACC players expected to be selected. Wright discusses why Branden Albert’s stock has risen, why Chris Long may be the safest pick in the draft, how Calais Campbell’s stock has dipped, which ACC players are in his sleeper category, how high Matt Ryan may be taken and more.
Plus,
– Taylor King is now a Villanova Wildcat, but he didn’t leave Durham without a few shots at the Blue Devils;
– Jack McClinton will be back in Miami next season;
– Patrick’s carelessness has doomed the Atlantic Coast Conference;
– The ACC/Big Ten Challenge schedule has been announced;
And more on ACC Nation.
Filed under: 01-Football, 02-Men's Hoops, ACC Nation Podcast, Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Miami, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest | Tagged: ACC, atlantic Coast Conference, BC, Blue Devils, Cavaliers, Chris Long, Demon Deacons, Eagles, FSU, GA Tech, GT, Hokies, Hurricanes, Matt Ryan, Michael Hutts, mp3, N.C. State, nfl draft, podcast, Seminoles, sports, Terps, Terrapins, Tigers, UNC Tar Heels, UVa., VA Tech, VT, Wolfpack, Yellow Jackets
Q - I just wanted to say nice job on the PSA.
I don’t know anything about the Hutts kid, but I’m interested in the dynamic between athletes and recreational drug use. That is to say, why would you do it?
As an economist, I fully believe that people respond to incentives. Thus, it seems difficult for me to comprehend why an athlete would risk his entire livelihood just to get high. Now, I could more rationalize that someone who doesn’t depend on their body in a high performance activity (not, say moving furniture) doing drugs.
In contrast, I had a friend in grad school explain it this way and it made sense, although I’m still not sure if it fully satisfies my doubts.
His point was: they are athletes because they think of themselves as invincible. They push their bodies harder than you or I ever would. In order to push that hard, it requires that invincibility aura. Most non-athletes don’t have that.
Think about Michael Jordan during his Wizards days (and Patrick, please try not to shudder). He had trainers telling him that he was older and needed rest more than additional workouts. Michael didn’t listen. He worked out as usual and was injured and more limited than he should’ve been. Same thing with drugs (I think).
I guess this is a behavior that I just cannot fathom, so I’ve taken great pains to understand it.
Thoughts?
Ben
Your friend’s reasoning is based in fact.
Let’s add in the “invincibility” of youth and that makes the problem even bigger.
I clearly remember (well, most of it) my mentality through high school and college, especially when I was really into sports and being a bit “over the top” at times.
I’ll readily admit to using different types of drugs during that time-frame. Let’s not use the phrases, “I experimented”, “I tried it” as they simply cast you as disingenious especially to youth or those with addictions.
What made me begin stearing away from use was responsibility. The kind that most young men and women do not have in high school or college, or at least appreciate, i.e., your education and future. That isn’t the only problem or solution.
I won’t get into a long diatribe on this aspect of the problem but I really believe we need to begin placing more responsibility and appreciation of what our children have (life and material goods) upon their shoulders.
I had my first job at 12 (because I wanted to have things that my parents could not afford) delivering 150 newspapers. I established my first credit and bought a small tv. There is nothing better than saying, “I did that”. I appreciate it far more. The point is that I began seeing the “big picture” sooner (no pun intended) and took that responsibility seriously.
Did it stop me from party time? No. But it made me think about the consequences a hell of a lot harder (oh yeh, I’ve got to get up early and work so I can put gas in the car) and probably saved me from making a fatal mistake.
Ben, it very hard to walk in someone else’s shoes when you don’t think or act in the same fashion. I give you a lot of credit for attempting to understand.
I try to do the same with everyone I encounter and instead of judging I find myself listening and learning. I may not agree with an opinion or find their actions to my liking but at least I have a better understanding.
This question from someone who has abused cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. Ask yourself, “What will I gain from this long-term”? I stopped smoking, I stopped drug use and I limit my alcohol consumption. When I look around I see two parents who have cancer, I lost friends in high school to drug overdoses and car crashes due to alcohol abuse and I am glad for my choices.
I know it sounds goofy as hell but I’ve gotten more of a high from living…..really living my life than I ever got from a short-term buzz.
While I’ve heard that theory before, I’m not sure if athletes think they’re invincible and, therefore, don’t believe drugs can hurt them.
Let me throw a theory out there (although, what the hell do I know – I didn’t even know Branden Ore wasn’t in the NFL Draft).
I tend to think that athletes and non-athletes who risk their careers and lives by engaging in drug use are shortsighted. They are more concerned about living in the moment and the feeling they can get by using drugs without concern for what it may do to them in the future.
I also tend to think they may have very addictive personalities. I’ve never used illegal drugs and, while I’d like to think it was because of my morals, it’s more likely because I know I have an addictive personality and, if I started, I’m not sure I could stop.
So, people start with drugs because they only care about the here and now and then they can’t stop.
Obviously, there are many other reasons for people using drugs, but I think that is certainly the case for some and I don’t think it only applies to athletes.
Q - many thanks for the personal story. I always think the repercussions - both good and bad - of life’s choices are fascinating. You basically chose having a TV and car over purchasing drugs. A life altering decision, no less, but probably at the time you didn’t think of it that way.
For me, I had a number of friends that smoked, but I chose not to smoke because I told myself that (1) the point of smoking was to look cool and (2) I wasn’t cool to begin with, so smoking wasn’t going to help. Voila! A non-smoker is born! Life is funny that way - it’s sort of a rationalization of what know to be the right choice (not smoking), but it’s how I figured it at the time.
Patrick -
I don’t buy the short-sighted argument. People are rational actors and make their decisions in a deliberate manner. Hence why I buy the invincibility argument (a choice - I think of myself as incapable of death) versus the short-sighted argument (I don’t make a choice regarding my future).
Unless, of course, you think people are making the rational choice to a shorter life, which is an argument in it of itself and perhaps the best one. For example, I do obesity research. One of the prevailing themes that I think is true is that obesity is choice (within reason - obviously genetics is part of it, but primarily it is a choice). People know they’re eating poorly, that they will live a shorter life with more health problems, and they’re willing to make this trade-off in order to enjoy food consumption. Perhaps some athletes are making the same choice as you are to not start, because they know it will be addictive.
Ben
Re: research - send me an email. Like to share some data you will find interesting.
Q - done.