Chansky’s Notebook: Get A life! Well, No

This is today’s Art Chansky’s Sports Notebook as heard on 97.9 WCHL. You can listen to previous Sports Notebooks here.

Should professional athletes be allowed to have a life?

A long, long time ago, a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox named Jim Lonborg won the Cy Young Award and the girl, starlet Mamie Van Doren. Well, in the off-season, Jim and Mamie went on a skiing vacation, and the pitcher – who was not a downhill racer – tore up his knee and was pretty much never the same pitcher again.

I remembered that, and the clauses some professional athletes have about engaging in dangerous activities while they are under contract with whoever pays them—and makes millions more off them. Jason Williams, the star Duke guard and first round draft pick of the Chicago Bulls, wrapped his motorcycle around a telephone pole, nearly died and never played basketball again. You see him on ESPN now, where he confirms he was a much better basketball player than broadcaster. The Bulls paid him about three million bucks when they did not have to.

So now we have the world’s No. 1 golfer, Rory McIlroy, playing soccer with some of his buddies when he should have been at the practice range. McIlroy, who was just having 20s-something fun making like Carli Lloyd, ruptured his ankle and may now miss the British Open at St. Andrews in two weeks. Since he is not under contract with anyone but himself, it was Rory’s decision to play soccer and, thus, his own consequences to pay.

New York Giant defensive end Jean Pierre-Paul did what a lot of people do on Fourth of July, set off fireworks when they are not trained pyrotechnics. And now Pierre-Paul is in the hospital with hands so badly damaged he may miss the start of training camp next month. He may also be out the $14.8 million the Giants were willing to pay him as a franchised player, except JPP did not sign the contract tender before he lit the match. Now, his deal may go up in flames.

Athletes, like dancers and singers, are supposed to protect those parts of their bodies that make them and others millions. But they are also entitled to a life, correct? Correct, unless you own the team or the contract that pays them those millions for what they do for a living. Not what they do in their spare time.

Chansky’s Notebook: Get A life! Well, No

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