ESPN’s Steven A. Smith said, “America is the land of second chances, especially in sports.”
Josh Gordon has had many second chances throughout his 26 years of living.
Gordon was recently reinstated by the NFL after being suspended due to his consistent drug use.
On average, more than 23.5 million people over the age of 12 are victims of substance abuse, according to a 2009 study by Caron.
To most people, it is blasphemy that an athlete can still play at a high level while indulging in different types of drugs and alcohol. Although this may be difficult for some to understand, there are plenty of real-life examples out there.
One of the most famous addiction stories in the sports world is that of former pro basketball player Chris Herron.
Chris Herron was a sensation coming out of high school, ranking among the nation’s top recruits. Being from the Boston area, he wanted to stay close to his roots, so he decided to attend Boston College.
It was at Boston College where Herron’s life took a turn, which is when he started using and abusing drugs. After many years of battling drug and alcohol addiction, Herron finally sought help.
Chris Herron was addicted to drugs while performing at a high level athletically.
Today, Chris Herron makes his story known. He travels around lecturing others about his encounters in life as well as how and when he started to head down the dark and scary path of addiction.
There is a fine line between using and abusing drugs. Some individuals can benefit from the effects of a substance. One substance, for example, is medical marijuana.
Some athletes have spoken out about this current issue on this particular drug.
NBA-star Karl Anthony-Towns said, “Just because we are athletes doesn’t mean we are super-humans. Some of us have conditions that could use medical marijuana to benefit our everyday living.”
Even the former NBA commissioner David Stern has spoken outright about the benefits of cannabis. In an interview with Uninterrupted, he said, “I am now at the point where personally I think it should be removed from the banned substance list.”
Marijuana is considered a gateway drug.
In Josh Gordon’s case, this belief turned out to be true. In his documentary with Uninterrupted, he discussed the different drugs that he had been taking over the years. Marijuana was first on his list.
Gordon is traveling down a road that other NFL’s players have also walked.
Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter has also fought his own battle with substance abuse. Luckily, the eight-time pro-bowler realized he needed help for his condition once he was cut from the Philadelphia Eagles. Carter had a falling out with his head coach, Buddy Ryan, which changed his life forever.
Carter said during a segment on ESPN “that was the only thing to make me stop smoking cocaine was Buddy Ryan releasing me from my job and that’s when I realized the responsibility was on me to get myself some help.”
