This fucking breaks my heart, man. For two reasons:
#1- I was at USC when Todd was there. Never met the man but we were in the same year and I had friends who knew him. It just makes me feel old I guess, seeing his pic; granted, it's a mug shot but still...last time I saw him he was like the total golden boy. He really defined the stupid term BIG MAN ON CAMPUS when he was at USC. I can't image there was one thing he would have wanted- a girl, a car, a check- that, at the time, he could not have gotten. Just amazing and sad. Boy I feel old today.
#2- I always heard these stories about how Todd's father was obsessed with him becomming an NFL great and from early childhood had put Todd on that path. The big story that got repeated all the time at SC- which I can't imagine is true- was that until he came to college, Todd had never been allowed to eat a hamburger (because he was on such a strict training regimen his whole life). True or not, I can't say. But it makes me very happy that I really could give two shits what my kids grow up to be, as long as they are happy and kind, or doing what they can to become happy and kind. To that point, it makes me really happy that my parents didn't care what I grew up to be, as long as I was happy. I mean, damn people, let your kids be who they want. There is a HUGE difference between parenting and controlling. Hell, as long as you raise them to be good people, the rest is, really, none of anyone's damn business but their own. God, to think how many kids are simply ruined because they have parents who think it is their place to determine what their kids will become, who they will be, what they will want. Just amazing and, again, sad.
Good luck Todd. No one deserves a shitty life and I hope you find whatever strength you need to turn this shit around.
See ya'll.
David