Whew! That’s quite a portfolio for a guy not quite 23. It sounds like a redux of former Nebraska University star running back Lawrence Phillips. Phillips also had "star" written all over him but chose to pass into the dark side of life as it appears Clarett wishes to do.
You may ask: "What is it with these guys?" They pass up the chance for an education, fame, glory, and money to do stupid stuff like rob people of a cell phone. Perhaps it’s their background which has not geared them for the pressure of all that is expected of them. One of Clarett’s lawyers states that, "Universities make millions of dollars from kids and they don’t provide the necessary support and guidance to get through those still-adolescent years." To that comment, I say "baloney!". Coach Tressel of Ohio State claims that a "Herculean" effort was made to blend Clarett into college life and that he constantly resisted. I know that my friends and I never thought of robbery and carrying loaded guns in cars at Clarett’s age and we certainly didn’t have anyone advising us not to do it. We had an ingredient that you either have or don’t have and it’s called common sense. Who knows what’s the problem with Maurice Clarett? Whatever it is, I hope that he gets through it. Unfortunately, he may have a long time to think about it in a prison cell.