I knew the truth about Walter would get out sooner or later:

Sports Illustrated's new book on Walter Payton reveals that the NFL Hall of Famer had many affairs and lived on heavy painkillers throughout his playing days.

Updated: September 28, 2011 2:04PM

Sports Illustrated will publish an excerpt this week from a new book about Walter Payton, and it does not paint a pretty picture of the NFL Hall of Famer.

“Sweetness: The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton,” authored by Jeff Pearlman, relates stories of infidelity and heavy drug use by the former Bears great.

The book says Payton lived on painkillers throughout his playing days, often lathering his body with “dimethyl sulfoxide, a topical analgesic commonly used to treat horses.”

Pearlman says Payton’s drug use escalated after his retirement in 1987. He writes that Payton “habitually ingested a cocktail of Tylenol and Vicodin.” He also tells a story about how Payton visited several dentist offices in 1988 complaining about a toothache. Payton reportedly received several prescriptions for morphine. When a pharmacist noticed the strange activity, he contacted the police, who issued Payton a warning.

http://www.suntimes.com/7923848-417/walter-payton-book-reveals-life-of-heavy-drug-use-infidelity.html

Obviously it's unfortunate if he had a problem, but I can't say it's too surprising that any pro athlete, esp a football player, would get hooked on painkillers.

Don't these guys get them in the locker room right after they're injured so they can get back on the field and play hurt?

That is part of why, when people say athletes are overpaid, I have to wonder "could you play football with a sprained ankle, or injured back, or concussion..."

NDRU said:

Obviously it's unfortunate if he had a problem, but I can't say it's too surprising that any pro athlete, esp a football player, would get hooked on painkillers.

Don't these guys get them in the locker room right after they're injured so they can get back on the field and play hurt?

That is part of why, when people say athletes are overpaid, I have to wonder "could you play football with a sprained ankle, or injured back, or concussion..."

Football is no joke. Especially if u play a position that get's hit on almost every down that u are on the field.

Graycap23 said:

NDRU said:

Obviously it's unfortunate if he had a problem, but I can't say it's too surprising that any pro athlete, esp a football player, would get hooked on painkillers.

Don't these guys get them in the locker room right after they're injured so they can get back on the field and play hurt?

That is part of why, when people say athletes are overpaid, I have to wonder "could you play football with a sprained ankle, or injured back, or concussion..."

Football is no joke. Especially if u play a position that get's hit on almost every down that u are on the field.

yeah, and they tend to not live very long

I always marvel at the linemen. Pro athletes who never even get to touch the ball!! They just bash into each other play after play after play

Graycap23 said:

NDRU said:

Obviously it's unfortunate if he had a problem, but I can't say it's too surprising that any pro athlete, esp a football player, would get hooked on painkillers.

Don't these guys get them in the locker room right after they're injured so they can get back on the field and play hurt?

That is part of why, when people say athletes are overpaid, I have to wonder "could you play football with a sprained ankle, or injured back, or concussion..."

Football is no joke. Especially if u play a position that get's hit on almost every down that u are on the field.

And Sweetness was pretty much all the Bears had for most of the years he played.

Genesia said:

Graycap23 said:

Football is no joke. Especially if u play a position that get's hit on almost every down that u are on the field.

And Sweetness was pretty much all the Bears had for most of the years he played.

Truth.

Graycap23 said:

Football is no joke. Especially if u play a position that get's hit on almost every down that u are on the field.

Just look at many retired players like Al Toon and Earl Campbell - they're physical wrecks. John Mackey(RIP) suffered from dementia.

Jim Brown and Barry Sanders had the right idea.

Graycap23 said:

NDRU said:

Obviously it's unfortunate if he had a problem, but I can't say it's too surprising that any pro athlete, esp a football player, would get hooked on painkillers.

Don't these guys get them in the locker room right after they're injured so they can get back on the field and play hurt?

That is part of why, when people say athletes are overpaid, I have to wonder "could you play football with a sprained ankle, or injured back, or concussion..."

Football is no joke. Especially if u play a position that get's hit on almost every down that u are on the field.

No it isn't. I didn't play past high school and left the game with a lost thumbnail, two broken and permanently altered fingers, and joint issues that surfaced only in my mid-30's.

Walter Payton toted the rock thousands of times in the Not For Long. This story is wholly unsurprising.

uPtoWnNY said:

Graycap23 said:

Football is no joke. Especially if u play a position that get's hit on almost every down that u are on the field.

Just look at many retired players like Al Toon and Earl Campbell - they're physical wrecks. John Mackey(RIP) suffered from dementia.

Jim Brown and Barry Sanders had the right idea.

Real Time did a story on a running back, Steve Smith (i think), who suffered degenerative injuries that worsened after retirement, to the point where he can now only move his eyelids. Depressingly sad.

Al Toon was headed for Canton before he got hurt.

Earl Campbell can bring tears to your eyes.

While I'm at it, let me recall the most grievous sin in my years of football fandom.

[img:$uid]http://media.washtimes.com/media/image/2009/01/25/20090125-013034-pic-794559180_s640x424.jpg?bd6797271879bc7a7884e458c2d1c9e31c5ef5cd[/img:$uid]

After nearly a decade of carrying the ball (and the cross) for the moribund Bears franchise, Walter Payton goes to the Super Bowl with one of the greatest teams of the Super Bowl era, and a defensive tackle gets a rushing touchdown, while Walter watches his just due get wasted for a gimmick (no disrespect to Perry intended).

Mike Ditka, his staff, and the entire franchise should never be forgiven for that.

namepeace said:

Earl Campbell can bring tears to your eyes.

TRUTH

We all enjoy the game, but it is a cold-blodded league. These cats pay a heavy price for what they do.

Graycap23 said:

I knew the truth about Walter would get out sooner or later:

Sports Illustrated's new book on Walter Payton reveals that the NFL Hall of Famer had many affairs and lived on heavy painkillers throughout his playing days.

Updated: September 28, 2011 2:04PM

The book says Payton lived on painkillers throughout his playing days, often lathering his body with “dimethyl sulfoxide, a topical analgesic commonly used to treat horses.”

http://www.suntimes.com/7923848-417/walter-payton-book-reveals-life-of-heavy-drug-use-infidelity.html

HotGritz said:

It's not really shocking, just a brutal fact of life in the NFL. Been going on for decades.

If I had a son, I would never let him play football.

uPtoWnNY said:

HotGritz said:

It's not really shocking, just a brutal fact of life in the NFL. Been going on for decades.

If I had a son, I would never let him play football.

Sad what they go through. And I thought boxing was a brutal sport.

HotGritz said:

uPtoWnNY said:

It's not really shocking, just a brutal fact of life in the NFL. Been going on for decades.

If I had a son, I would never let him play football.

Sad what they go through. And I thought boxing was a brutal sport.

Football is worst than boxing. Most boxers might fight any where from 1 to 4 times a year tops.

Football? 16 plus games a year depending on how far u go in the playoffs.

HotGritz said:

uPtoWnNY said:

It's not really shocking, just a brutal fact of life in the NFL. Been going on for decades.

If I had a son, I would never let him play football.

Sad what they go through. And I thought boxing was a brutal sport.

I'm not so sure. It really depends on the boy. Some boys get a lot out of the experience, and the overwhelming majority never suit up past high school. It's physically and mentally draining but as with any other sport, kids can learn a lot, and grow to love the details of the game.

I'd never encourage or recommend football were I to have a son, but if he wants to play, I'd make sure he was really ready for it.

I think the danger begins to spike at the high school level, when kids are put through year-long training regimens, camps, preseason practices, etc. The kids playing today are much bigger, stronger and faster overall, which have contributed to the increasing number of lasting injuries in college and at the pro level.

[Edited 9/30/11 13:06pm]

namepeace said:

I think the danger begins to spike at the high school level, when kids are put through year-long training regimens, camps, preseason practices, etc. The kids playing today are much bigger, stronger and faster overall, which have contributed to the increasing number of lasting injuries in college and at the pro level.

[Edited 9/30/11 13:06pm]

...and, some of these high school kids are taking shit they shouldn't be taking. The pressure and competition to get a scholarship at one of the big name colleges is intense.

uPtoWnNY said:

namepeace said:

I think the danger begins to spike at the high school level, when kids are put through year-long training regimens, camps, preseason practices, etc. The kids playing today are much bigger, stronger and faster overall, which have contributed to the increasing number of lasting injuries in college and at the pro level.

[Edited 9/30/11 13:06pm]

...and, some of these high school kids are taking shit they shouldn't be taking. The pressure and competition to get a scholarship at one of the big name colleges is intense.

Indeed. They were also taking stuff back in the 80's, not realizing that only a fraction of them (in my area, anyway) were truly big-time Div I material.