How Can Scott Olsen Smoke a Dozen Cigarettes a Day and Still Be a Successful Professional Athlete?
Baseball March 6th. 2009, 9:00am
Think any NBA or NFL athlete could prosper with a habit like this?
Scott Olsen pulled out a cigarette, one of the dozen he allows himself every day, though sometimes, with a beer or two, he’ll smoke a few more. He tried to quit on his 25th birthday, in January, but that didn’t work. Now he’s thinking he’ll give up the habit only when his girlfriend gets pregnant.
Does it kind of make you wonder a) How good the perpetually-angry Olsen, who has been a hot head since his little league days, could be if he gave up his vice? b) if MLB athletes are in the same solar system, athletically, as other professional athletes, c) how so many people can retain their athletic ability despite the cancer stick habit?
Nats’ Olsen Lights It Up With His Arm, Mouth (Washington Post)
42 Responses to “How Can Scott Olsen Smoke a Dozen Cigarettes a Day and Still Be a Successful Professional Athlete?”
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March 6th, 2009 at 9:02 am
I have personally witnessed two NBA players smoking within the past year…one of whom has played in an All-Star game.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Jim Rome wants yesterday’s screed back.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:03 am
He’s a pitcher though.
And how has Jim Leyland not traded for this guy already?
March 6th, 2009 at 9:09 am
one has to be sheed.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Didn’t Vlade used to smoke in the locker room?
And, yeah, he’s a pitcher. I got to think the extra 100 lbs CC is carrying around with him is more of an issue than smoking.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:10 am
In terms of hand-eye coordination, I’d say they’re superior. Everything else? Probably not. I wouldn’t mind seeing Jose Reyes return punts, though.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Mario Lemieux smoked 2 packs a day when he broke into the NHL, but then again he wasn’t the picture of health over the course of his career.
Sounds like Olson is planning on his girlfriend getting pregnant. One of the vets on that team needs to take him aside and teach him the ways of the major leager.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:14 am
I have personally witnessed two NBA players smoking within the past year…
Nah, I doubt Sheed smokes tobacco products.
The All-Star of whom I speak has been traded twice in the past two years. And he didn’t just smoke one cigarette. He smoked bout 10 in a hour and a half. Ditto the other player.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Mark Grace sees nothing wrong with this.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:19 am
marion?
March 6th, 2009 at 9:21 am
a dozen is reasonable. once you go over that you are reaching pack a day territory though.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:21 am
That CP3 move last night against the Mavs was BEYOND sick! Video coming up soon, TBL?
March 6th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Charles Barkley’s career would have been scary if he wasn’t blacked out doing the congo line at 4am every night.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Practice, practice, practice.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:25 am
He’s pitching on 12 cigarettes? Try pitching on strawberry microdots!!
/Dock Ellis’d
March 6th, 2009 at 9:28 am
dont you guys follow? Jay is a Pacers fan – has to be Danny Granger
March 6th, 2009 at 9:30 am
nba and nfl players have less to worry. they stick to coke and pot.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Jay V is a 76ers fan. It has to be Allen Iverson
March 6th, 2009 at 9:33 am
yea but he said he was traded twice in the past two years…can’t be granger.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:34 am
oh shit…i think you got it dude.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Jay V is a sixers fan, but he’s BFFF with the Pacers coach or some shit.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:39 am
i thought he was BFF with jeff foster?
March 6th, 2009 at 9:39 am
Jay V and Larry Legend are good friends
March 6th, 2009 at 9:41 am
Guy LaFleur was a legendary goal-scorer and smoker. I’ve heard stories of him smoking on the bench in between shifts.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:42 am
Babe Ruth smoked in the OF.
Jack Elliot: We’re not athletes, we’re baseball players!
March 6th, 2009 at 9:46 am
A kicker or a punter? They’re in the same athletic class as most pitchers I’d say.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:46 am
I was valet parking at a party that many Red Wings attended. It was the year before they won the cup in 97. All the Russians on the team were coming outside for cigarettes every 20 mins. Vladamir Konstantinov (before his accident) even sent me to the store to pick him up a pack.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Luckily, I heard he’s a baseball player, so the cigarettes shouldn’t hurt his play.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:48 am
It has to be Allen Iverson
Bingo. And I bet the brand rhymed with Newport.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:53 am
KOOL doesn’t rhyme with Newport.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Spencer – AI makes too much money to smoke the poor man’s Newps.
March 6th, 2009 at 10:05 am
AI prefers a native blend
March 6th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Yep. 76ers fan. Yep. BFF w/Jeff Foster. You guys were on the right track w/ the Pacers connection.
It’s not Marion, but Marion was involved in one of the trades.
And @ Irish : Jay V and Larry Legend are good friends
Damn, I wish.
As an aside relative to AI…bout 5 years ago was in AC at Bally’s Wild West, argaubly the worst casino down there, but they have a plentiful amount of uncrowded $10 blackjack tables. Iverson showed up at some point at my table, and I’m thinking “$10 table…really, AI?” To add to the hilarity, he was rolling w his crazy mama, and they were both drinking Gin & Coke, a concoction that just sounds awful.
March 6th, 2009 at 10:28 am
@Jay V- tell your boy Foster to quit hacking Dwight in the paint and man up. thanks
March 6th, 2009 at 10:31 am
@Irish…man, he’s been hacking for 10 years now, I doubt he’s gonna change now.
March 6th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Jermaine O’Neal smokes a lot of cigs?
March 6th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Iverson was in trump taj in AC about a month after he got traded from the sixers to the nuggets a few years ago. He was not playing $10 tables when i saw him. he was at a roped off table and i saw him win 75k on a hand. People were being dicks to him in general so he was not in a good mood to talk to anyone. His mom was with him and played roulette with us and was actually very nice. His entourage was about 10 deep and only one of them played any table games.
this concludes the iverson casino report.
March 6th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Youngstown…yep. And Shawne Williams.
March 6th, 2009 at 10:52 am
it all makes sense now…
March 6th, 2009 at 10:54 am
..that’s less suprising
March 6th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
When you take steroids you arent affected by this as much. Your workouts over come the smoking. Athletes have been smoking for years, Babe Ruth, Micky Mantle, plus many more!! Roids may be the cure for Cancer. Hmmm, thoughts?
March 6th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Talent > Hardwork, taking care of yourself, etc…