January 2002 - July 2006 - The Jerry Quarry Foundation

great athlete, choose your parents well!" While athleticism runs in families, it
doesn't necessarily always bless all, or equally. Genetics is the single biggest
necessity for becoming a star. Hard work, toughness, character, etc. only
affords an edge over the ~other~ talented athletes.often not because of
their general goodness, but because of their ability to do well on the
field.***Lots of good athletes are good guys, but many are bums too.
Their failings are almost always overlooked however, in direct proportion to how
good they are.It means special treatment and free passes in life, as a
kid.***And often a sense of entitlement. When the backstage passes in
life slow down or end, this can be very hard on the athlete. Then, the
college and pro experience is more of the same, on a bigger stage, with lots of
money.***Yep, and girls, and everyone telling you how wonderful you are,
just the way you are, and no matter what you do (as long as you continue to
perform). It almost reaches Biblical proportions, with satan in the
garden.Now I think I understand what you were getting at: When that's
all over, it's like falling off a cliff. I was looking at it from the point of
view of an adult. I figured that if suddenly I was a great athlete, making lots
of money, I'd be wise and invest and I'd also realize that when I'm forty years
old and no longer the best, it would be over. But if I had been getting this
special treatment since age 6 or 7, I would never have known life without it---
and that's probably the root of the psychological woes that hit some former
great athletes (plus their inability to fit in when their great talent is
diminished or gone).***Men, more than women, tend to identify with what
they do as who they are. Not all, and not totally, just more. In a sports mad
world, the sports machine is almost a form of brainwashing, and can really skew
values, even though no one is actually setting out to do that. What the bullet
proof young athlete (and even "grizzled veterans" are young men when they're
forced to quit) never sees is the dichotomy, the mixed messages. On one hand,
he's treated like a god, but on the other, despite what's happening on the
surface, he's also being used. Used by his coaches, the owners, handlers,
hangers-on, and fans out for a thrill and vicarious Walter Mitty excitement,
everyone. In the football movie, "North Dallas Forty," the character played by
Mac Davis says, "Hey, we're all whores anyway, so we might as well be the best!"
This is a reflection on the system, and may sound cynical, but in truth it's
pretty right on.No intent to preach with yet another Biblical reference,
but vanity ~is~ definitely satan's favorite sin.|
|3/6/04 10:02:14 PM|Kent|La Habra, Ca||kentallenent@aol.com||||10|It was great
to see Mike Quarry get his Calfornia boxing hall of fame award and to see him
and all of his and Jerry's surviving siblings and their mother gather on the
stage to receive the award. They also picked up an award for Jerry,
posthoumously. The awards ceremony also honored Ernie Indian Red Lopez,
Armando Muniz, Andy "The Hawk" Price, and many others but the promoter of the
show, Don Fraser, saved the best for last as the Quarry brothers once again
shared center stage.|
|3/7/04 12:50:01 AM|Sonia Hathaway(Quarry)|Joshua Tree,
CA||Sonia90101@aol.com||||10|Kent, by any chance did you take any pictures? If
you didn't no sweat but if you did can send me a couple pictures. If not don't
worry. I bet Uncle Mike, was on cloud nine. Well I hope everyone keeps
visiting, and posting. Thanks to all!|
|3/7/04 12:57:38 AM|kookoo|ny||kookooclock000@yahoo.com||||10|HEY KENT, INDIAN
LOPEZ WAS NOT AN INDIAN AT ALL, HE WAS JUST ANOTHER BEAN BURNER THAT DRANK IT
UP, COMMON SENSE KENT THATS WHAT LOPEZ LACKED, HEY, I USED TO DRINK , BUT YOU
GET TO A CERTAIN POINT, HEY YOU CAN'T TAKE IT NO MORE, MEXICAN LOPEZ WAS NEVER
SMART TO BEGIN WITH, LETS LEAVE IT AT THAT |
|3/7/04 06:31:32 AM|Kent|La Habra, Ca||kentallenent@aol.com||||10|No Sonia, I
didn't take any pictures. I think Brenda took some though and Wilma's husband
had a video camera.Mike was in a great mood. It was a good day for