Check out the legends who lost their form outside the sporting arena.
OJ Simpson
Goals: The Buffalo Bills chose rising star running back Orenthal James Simpson number one overall in the 1969 NFL draft. He became a six-time All Star, five-time All-Pro and, in the 1973 season, was the MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. After leaving the NFL, Simpson got into acting, where his highpoint was the Naked Gun flicks.
Penalties: In 1994, he was charged with killing his estranged wife Nicole Brown and her mate Ronald Goldman. More than half the Seppo population tuned in live when the jury handed down a “not guilty” verdict in 1995.
Final score: In August last year, Simpson made headlines again with his controversial book based on his trial, If I Did It: Confessions of the
Killer. Since then, he’s been found guilty of 12 felony charges, after taking part in an armed
robbery
in September 2007 and is serving a 33-year
prison sentence.
John Daly
Goals: The hard-hitting, hard-drinking, hard eating Californian
golfer turned pro in 1987 and joined the PGA Tour in 1991. That year, he won the PGA Championship – the first rookie to win a Major since 1976. Daly had moderate success through the rest of the ’90s, with his shock 1995 British Open victory the highlight.
Penalties: Last year, after Tiger Woods suggested his opponents get fitter, 100kg Daly responded with, “I’d rather smoke, drink Diet Cokes and eat.” The big fella is also partial to booze, with a bunch of trips to rehab under his long belt. In his 2006 autobiography, Daly claimed to have, over a 15 year period, lost more than $50 million from gambling.
Final score: Daly remains popular, despite being banned from the PGA for six months until July after a string of incidents frowned upon by tour officials. In March 2008, his swing coach Butch Harmon quit, saying, “The most important thing in his life is getting drunk.” Harmon’s decision came after Daly spent a lengthy rain delay kicking back in the Hooters (one of his main sponsors) corporate tent. And let’s not forget his camera-chucking incident at last year’s Australian PGA. You’re a champ, mate.
Mike Tyson
Goals: Despite having a voice like a lispy 12-year-old girl, Tyson knocked unconscious 26 of the first 28 opponents he faced – 16 of them in the first round. He became the undisputed heavyweight champ at the age of 21 and went on to command $30 million per
fight and accrue a personal fortune of more than $300 million.
Penalties: Things went pear-shaped in 1992, with an embarrassing loss to Buster Douglas and a rape conviction. After three years in the
slammer, he staged a comeback that met with defeat by Evander Holyfield in 1996 and again in 1997 after he was disqualified for biting off a chunk of Holyfield’s ear. Out of the ring, he was blowing his dough on tigers, fleets of cars, racing pigeons and a bloke whose job was to shout “Guerilla Warfare!” at press conferences. In 2003, he filed for bankruptcy, owing creditors $10 million.
Final score: After another semi-successful comeback, Iron Mike retired in 2005, saying, “My whole life has been a waste – I’ve been a failure.” Since then, he’s had his face tattooed and been in and out of rehab, struggling with drug addiction.
Which sportsman do you think made the biggest mess of his life? Leave your comment below.
