"Once the Cheering Stops: The Life of a Retired Pro-Athlete"

"You've been replaced on the field and you've been replaced in people's minds. That's when you start getting depressed". I think this quote from former NFL player Tiki Barber accurately sums up the sentiment of being a retired athlete for some. It has to be difficult to transition from being the "hero" constantly in the spotlight, to being an average Joe who "used to play for that team that one time". This isn't the case for everyone; some athletes happily accept retirement and are able to come to terms with the fact that the glory days are over. Others have trouble swallowing their pride and struggle to deal responsibly with the excess money from their careers. Listening to the retired athletes talk in "Broke" about their "bling bling" and multiple bowling alleys in their houses honestly made me disgusted. I think this is partly due to the fact that a lot of athletes get famous and signed when they are still young and not used to budgeting their money. They are more likely to succumb to lavish fancies instead of being responsible. The US Sport culture is financially excessive; athletes earn millions of dollars and, when combined with their egos, this can become a deadly combination. I am the first person to be in awe of athletic ability and credit someone for their strength and success. However, I feel like the US Sport culture is too excessive.