No Heart. Just Bling

According to St. Louis Cardinals Manager Tony LaRussa in Buzz Bissinger's Three Nights in August, the chief problem with professional athletes today is one of motivation. Few players play for the love of the game or practice the fundamentals. Nor, could they be really expected to. Due to the rise of big bucks contracts, professional athletes play the sport as a job. For the young players, it's about the Bling. It's about showing off fancy watches and fancy cars, and being able to play yourself in a video game. Oh, and the jewelry...It's being able to make Mr. T look like he's a lightweight...

Mr. T could well be the first athlete to have bling, but even Mr. T in Rocky III had some heart. As Clubber Lang, he was up at dawn and training in the basement so he could have his shot at the champ. Today, even if some youngsters train in the basement, that ends when he gets his first million dollar contract at age 18. No need to practice. The bling has arrived.

Some other athletes don't seem to care that much about the bling. Not that they are more modest, mind you. They just want financial stability. They are businessmen. Sports is merely a profession that is means for their family to achieve financial ends. Play time is over. They care about portfolios, investments, and stock tips. I'm talking Roger Dorn before Jake Taylor chews him out in Major League.

And, as Tony LaRussa explained, there is no greater example of this problem than J.D. Drew. The man is as gifted a baseball player as LaRussa had ever seen. Yet, Drew always fell below expectations--unless, of course, it was his contract year. In Drew's 9 year career, he's only played more than 140 games twice. Once in 2004 for the Braves, and once in 2006 for the Dodgers. In those years, he averaged 26 homeruns and 97 RBI. In the 7 other years, he averaged 16 homeruns and and 50 RBI's. Coincidence? I think not.

Any surprise that after Drew signed a 5 year $70 million contract with the Red Sox in 2007, he has tanked miserably?? The contract is guaranteed, but his performance is not. The Red Sox should have stopped focusing on Drew's Moneyball qualities, and learned that the man has no heart. He carries his contact in his back pocket and can read it on demand. Drew is set for life. Why bother to pick up a bat?