Athlete Weekly Rundown: Larry Johnson's last opportunity, Matt Leinart's advice to Andrew Luck & high school football phenom Dorial Green-Beckham overcomes adversity

by Al-Hassan Sheriff 08-31-2011 12:54 AM

Athlete Development

As many athletes—professional and amateur alike—are constantly searching for new ways to train, they must be careful not to injure themselves in the process. 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Justin Gatlin arrived at the World Championships with frostbite on his feet as a result of his personal training methods. [Justin Gatlin Dealing with Frostbite]

Former Chiefs and Penn State running back Larry Johnson, who signed with the Miami Dolphins, must now prove he can both contribute and stay out of trouble. The following quote sums it up: “It's kind of hard to convince anybody with my colorful background that, yeah, I've changed. But you change with every situation you go through. You know that you can't get many more shots. You do the best you can with your opportunity and ride on out to the sunset." [Larry Johnson Signs with Dolphins]

Business

For those of you aspiring to be the face of a franchise, please take into consideration factors other than your physical tools and knowledge of your sport. For example, your physical appearance may also be a factor. Ask No. 1 overall pick Cam Newton. [Cam Newton Told To Be Tattoo-Free]

NFL wide receiver Nate Hughes has found his true calling and a back-up plan for his post-athletic career: being a registered nurse. Yeah, you read that right! [Lions WR Nate Hughes doubles as registered nurse]
Although returning Stanford senior quarterback Andrew Luck could have been the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, there is clearly a lot of benefits to finishing school, as current NFL player Matt Leinart points out: “College is college. You’ve got to have fun. In the N.F.L., it’s a business. You have more responsibilities. You’re older. Guys have families, have kids. It’s a job. In college you have the responsibility to do schoolwork, but there’s less on your plate. Just enjoy it.” [Lessons About Not Leaving]

Human Relations

Congrats to free-agent wide receiver Kevin Curtis, who recently signed with the Tennessee Titans, after battling testicular cancer last year. I wish him nothing but the best as he tries to restart his NFL career. [Can Kevin Curtis Help Titans Receivers]

High school wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham is currently the No. 1 ranked player in the nation. Going into his senior year, the 6-6, 220-pound 18-year-old is being compared to Randy Moss, A.J. Green, and Calvin Johnson for his play on the field. Yet, very few people know how much this Missouri native has endured to this point. [Dorial Green-Beckham's Journey]

Disclaimer:

Access Athletes, LLC owns the exclusive copyright to all information contained within the articles posted on The Real Athlete Blog. All information is for the End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed, or otherwise used for commercial purposes without the expressed consent of Access Athletes, LLC. The information is an educational aid only and it is not intended as and nor shall it be construed as legal, medical, financial, psychological or other professional advice or treatment for individual situations, conditions, or predicaments. The information provided in The Real Athlete Blog articles shall not constitute an attorney-client, doctor-patient, psychologist-patient relationship or any other professional-client relationship for that matter. The End User shall seek the advice or treatment of his or her own qualified licensed professional(s) and the End User shall not rely on the information contained herein as such. End Users who leave comments on the Blog articles or email the contributors personally shall have no expectation of privilege or confidentiality. Additionally, we strongly recommend that you consult your doctor, nurse, nutritionist or pharmacist before following any of our workout or nutrition regimens to ensure that it is safe and effective for you.

Access Athletes, LLC makes no representation or warranties as to the information, opinions, or other services or data you may access, download or use as a result of accessing The Real Athlete Blog. All implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose or use are hereby excluded. Access Athletes, LLC does not assume any responsibility for your use of or reliance on any of the information provided by The Real Athlete Blog.