Todd Marinovich – Robo QB loves the chronic

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Todd Marinovich seems to find trouble everywhere

Todd Marinovich was raised by his father Marv to be the perfect quarterback.

Marv had played in the NFL as a lineman.

Marv put Todd on a strict diet and workout regimen early in life and it paid off with an incredible 9,000 yards of passing in High School, no less.

This led to his recruitment at USC, where his father had played. Todd got the impression from his father that he was going there all along.

Todd started at quarterback at USC and even took down Bo Schembechler’s Michigan Wolverines in Bo’s last game.

Todd Marinovich Football Factoid He was awarded the Dial Award for the national high-school scholar-athlete of the year in 1987. source

Everything was great or was it?

Todd was not getting along with the Coach, Larry Smith, and he was suspended multiple times allegedly for skipping class and smoking dope.

Todd took on a new name of Todd Marijuanavich. Cool name, but not for football and not at USC.

Somehow Todd survived and went on to the Pros to play for the Raiders and Chiefs. His career remained inconsistent and ended early. Todd “Robo QB” Marinovich then went on to play in the Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League, but the troubles just kept on coming.

He had problems with drugs, paternity suits, and even rape charges; authorities once arrested him during practice with the Los Angeles Avengers. In 1999, he partnered up with sports marketing agent and IBL San Diego Stingrays owner Scott Atkins in the QB12 Sports Collectors Art Series. QB12 was a limited edition sports art lithograph series with Marinovich as the sports artist. The series featured, Ken Stabler and Joe Montana. The project was cancelled due to Marinovich’s legal troubles, including court-ordered child support to three separate women. source

Sometimes it is hard for the rest of us to understand the pressures that others go through or what leads to their decisions.

We say, “Oh why did he throw his career away, we would never do that”. But he did. Now Todd is 38 and in trouble again.

Marinovich, 38, remained jailed Wednesday on no-bail warrants for probation violation pending a Sept. 6 pretrial hearing. Police said he was skateboarding in a prohibited area near the Newport Pier boardwalk shortly before 1:30 a.m. Sunday and ran away when officers tried to stop him. He was found hiding in a carport about six blocks away.

Marinovich had a guitar case, and inside officers found about a gram of powdered methamphetamine, a metal spoon and a hypodermic needle, Sgt. Evan Sailor said. source

You can be upset with Todd or just wonder why, but there is obviously some major problem going on.

In Orange County, Marinovich has had at least nine previous court cases, most of them involving drug-related crimes, and has spent several months in jail after pleading guilty or no contest to various crimes.

This is just not a Ricky Williams got to have the ganja type thing. It is more than pass the bong. Todd has been involved in attempted rape, child porn, marijuana, heroin, skipping class, etc. Todd has a major problem.

Todd Marinovich Football Factoid #2 In 2004 Marinovich was included in ESPN.com’s list of The 25 Biggest Sports Flops, coming in at number 4 on the ESPN.com editors’ list, and number 7 on the readers’ list.[2] His name, along with that of Ryan Leaf, is often used as an eponym for a highly vaunted football player who turns out to be a huge disappointment. source

Where does Todd go from here? You don’t have to feel sorry for him, but you do have to wonder why!

And while you are wondering why, maybe, just maybe, say a little prayer that Todd can find the peace of mind he is looking for, instead of the mind he is trying to escape from.

NFL Football Fan Question Can a football player use recreational drugs and still be a star?

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