The Front Row

It's always easy to bash athletes who aren't too bright, but I respect professional athletes just as I do engineers, doctors or attorneys (or any other job that requires education). I listened to a radio interview with Ray Allen after he was traded to the Supersonics and found it very interesting. He was asked what the hardest part of the trade was. He said it was how it threw off his diet and his sleep.

Most of us have no concept of what it takes to perform at the level these guys do.

Professional athletes probably spend as much or more time dedicated to being great at their craft than anyone else who works for a living does. Some like to think athletic prowess just happens while being smart is something to be prouder of, yet the truth is that you're born with whatever capacity for intelligence you have through no fault or credit of your own, while professional athletes work constantly on improving all aspects of their athletic performance. It takes as much hard work and dedication as doing what most of us do for a living.

Yup, and it was REALLY bad when he first started, it loosened up some but Tress definitley had some tough standards to deal with.