It’s been a bad time for NFL quarterbacks. Bernie Kosar, who played for the Browns, Cowboys, and Dolphins, filed for bankruptcy.  Ryan Leaf, who played for the San Diego Chargers followed by brief stints with the Cowboys and Seahawks, was arrested for trying to flee the country to avoid facing charges of burglary and obtaining controlled substances: painkillers. And Steve McNair of the Titans and a team formerly known as the Cleveland Browns was found shot by a gun that had been purchased by his 20-year-old girlfriend — who was also shot.

The pro-athlete-gone-bad story is almost as trite as dog-bites-man, but each new case hits the headlines. Maybe it’s schadenfreude, maybe it’s human interest. After all, there is no male more alpha in American culture than an NFL quarterback. These people work unbelievably hard and get hit more times than anyone should, but they also have been on top in high school (dating the prettiest girls, getting a nod and a wink from teachers at test time), in college (provided with professional women, attending special classes with special tutors), and then in life. They were groomed for two things: football and stardom. (more…)