Tarpley Sues NBA And Mavericks For Discrimanation

To me one of the greatest sins in the world is to be born with extraordinary talent, and allow your inner demons to make those skills irrelevant. If you are a regular reader of mine either on this site or our sister sites www.thesackattack.com , or www.nflgridirongab.com you know that I have chastised athletes in all sports for allowing this to happen. Whether it is the NFL with Michael Vick, or MLB with Milton Bradley I have witnessed too many promising careers go down the tubes, because these men have allowed the moment to master them rather than being the master of the moment.

Two NBA players in the 1990’s were the epitome of what I am talking about, Michael Ray Richardson, and Roy Tarpley. Both of these men were dominant dynamic All-Star players, but they both had a love for illegal substances, namely Cocaine. Both players were given lifetime bans from the NBA, which they could after a period of time apply for reinstatement. Richardson actually did, but unfortunately he gave into his demons again and was kicked back out of the League. Both these players faded off into oblivion, remembered only by longtime NBA fans such as myself who looked back and wondered what might have been.

Well one of these gentleman have resurfaced, Roy Tarpley. Mr. Tarpley is now suing the NBA and his former team the Dallas Mavericks for discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Tarpley who was banned from the NBA in 1995, says he was discriminated against because he had a disability as a drug addict, and the NBA refused to employ him. Roy, sorry sir but this just out and out garbage. This is like killing your parents, and asking the Judge for mercy because you are an orphan. Now, I am not a “Holier Than Thou” type of guy, you want to sniff drain cleaner be my guest. I look at drugs as a victimless crime, as long as you are not stealing to get the money to pay for it, or get behind the wheel of a car. But Roy, you have to do something to help yourself, and you have to play by the rules. You sir did neither. Tarpley who is now 42 says he has no desire to play again he just wants to clear his name. Roy, you were the one who trashed it! As I have said many times your credibility and your reputation are the only two things nobody can take away from you. You can only lose them yourself.