The character in the 1999 movie, Life, played by a young Bokeem Woodbine, was nicknamed, “Can’t Get Right.”
He was given this nickname in the movie because those around him believed that he was “slow”. Today, we would say that he had a developmental disability.
They were wrong about him.
By the end of the movie, Can’t Get Right disproved his nickname by making out better than the rest.
Today, I was saddened to read the news of someone who, in the 1980’s, had so much promise that those who witnessed his exploits were amazed at the level of unbridled talent that was on display — every fifth day.
During his rookie year in 1984, the buzz about this kid was thick in the air around Shea Stadium. By his second year in the Majors, a carnival atmosphere surrounded each of his starts.
I was there.
I remember the electric sense of anticipation that preceded each pitch, and the roar of the crowd when able batters would succumb to his powerful fastball or have their knees buckle when he threw that ridiculously looping curveball for strike three. His record was 24-4 that year.
It was beautiful.
They posted a mural of him on the face of a building in Times Square, and even the gigantic size of that likeness could not convey the awesomeness of his presence when he was on the mound.
Dwight Gooden was magnificent!
Today, he was arrested again.
I read several stories about his arrest. It occurred following a car crash this morning. I also read many of the comments that people left below the stories. Most of the ones that I saw, ridiculed him for his failings.
I pity him for his affliction.
No, I’m not excusing what he has done with his life. I recognize that he has traded his chance for baseball immortality for drugs and alcohol.
He knows this too.
Despite all of his troubles, I’ve never viewed him as a bad man who would be deserving of scorn; rather he is, for me, a tragic figure, who for whatever reasons, just “can’t get right.”
So those remarkable days did not last for him or for his fans. They ended long ago. Looking back, he probably knew that he would end up this way – repeatedly in trouble and incapable of controlling his demons. He probably knew long before anyone around him that he would not win in life. He probably knew from an early age that he was an addict.
Addiction is a bitch.
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Ray Colon has written 136 posts on Ray's Blog.
He works with numbers for a living, but don't judge - boring accountants need love too. His blog has no niche (unless writing about things that are important to him is a niche). Some folks cringe when he gets “all political” on them, but he does it anyway when he's in that kind of mood. Sometimes, he writes something nice about someone, but you shouldn't get used to that. His first book, the one he hasn't written yet, is not available on Amazon. Subscribe to Ray's Blog via RSS or Email.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Very true and very well written. I wonder what happened that led him to his life of addiction. I’m always interested in the psychology behind a person’s actions. I don’t believe people wake up and decide they are going to do something terrible that day. It’s little things that add up to that great and terrible moment. Too bad it happens to such talented people as well. They seem to fall the hardest and disappoint others the most. I agree with you that these people are not bad and they do not deserve ridicule. He made mistakes as we all do.
Thank you, Tristan.
I imagine that if we knew the answer to that question, there would be a whole lot less suffering in the world. I believe that we all have the capacity for addition, although I suspect that what we become addicted to has a lot to do with the depths to which we can fall. For example, I enjoy gambling, but I don’t do it often. However, because I enjoy it, I can see how it can easily morph into additive behavior. Also, since I’m a smoker, it’s clear that there are elements that draw us toward them, even if we know that they are no good for us.
I feel for Gooden, and I believe that he had been doing really well for years prior to today’s incident. I suppose that as I’ve heard various support groups profess, there is no end to recovery, so those who try to get better must do so one day at a time. Ray
I know addiction is a bitch. I know because I have an addiction of my own. No, it’s not an illegal substance, but I still can’t put it down. I know it’s ruining my health, but I still do it. I don’t know what triggers addictions, but I do know it can ruin lives. I’ve seen it in person. I don’t think anyone wants to purposely ruin their lives or the lives of others, but it happens every day. That is why when I see someone trying to overcome an addiction, I cheer them on, try to help them help themselves. I know people who “talk the talk and walk the walk” every second, every minute, every hour, every day. They’ve made a decision to get away from their addiction, as hard as it is. I’ll never know why some people succeed and some people fail. The failures are painful and not just for the addict. And some lose more than others. Dwight Gooden does not deserve public scorn. I’m not excusing his actions either, but all I can say is walk a mile in his shoes.
I can feel your passion for this subject in your response, and I hear you. You may not have seen my response to the prior comment because it was posted just a few minutes before yours, but in it, I speak of my addition to smoking. I’ve never seriously tried to kick the habit, but I do not fool myself into believing that it would be easy. In fact, I’m certain that it would be pretty damned hard.
When I learn of an addicted person’s struggles, my impulse, like yours, is to offer encouragement, because I know that there is no fundamental difference between that person and me, so I could easily find myself in a similar circumstance. I guess that that’s why I recoil at the taunting that is directed at Gooden, and so many others.
Some are tired of the story, because he has done this before, but to me this is the nature of the sickness — always lurking about, waiting to seize the next weak moment to encourage one to begin the destructive behavior anew.
Other people are affected, for certain, and it is those nearest to him who are affected the most. They truly feel his pain. For strangers to cast dispersions is as nonsensical as it is unkind.
I thank you for adding your insights to the conversation. Ray