As the blues tune laments, some folks are born under a bad sign, and Eddie Griffin was one. Despite all the stupid, wrong-headed things Griffin did to sabotage his basketball career, not to mention his life, over and over again, I never heard one of his teammates or basketball bosses speak of him in anger, only sadness and concern, or, when he was really going well a couple years back, guarded optimism and a sense of quiet but fierce protection. In the locker room, Griffin spoke in a shy monotone, almost never smiled nor grimaced, even when KG was singing his praises from the adjoining locker.
And yet the demons obviously ran deep. On the court, regardless of the advice given him, you could see that Griffin lived to block shots and shoot three-pointers, dedicating himself to those tasks--he was masterful at one, miserable at the other--with an almost autistic focus. He did inexplicable things, like fail to get eye surgery that could have--or at least should have--dramatically improved his game. He was an inscrutable dude. Off the court, the mystery darkened. Griffin's rap sheet was tragicomically long and sordid. After getting himself booted off his college team as a freshman and bounced off his first, and then second, NBA squad, for various incidents related to drug use, violence and depression, Griffin landed with the Timberwolves. And for a few blissful months it seemed like a mutually beneficial relationship.
But Griffin justifiably endured his share of bad jokes after the incident last off-season, when he was allegedly masturbating at the time of his car accident and, confronted with the damage, offered to replace the damaged car with anything but a Bentley. It is amazing to think that little more than a year later, having pissed away at least three distinct second-chances, Griffin would ignore a railroad intersection warning and crash through the barrier into a moving train at 1:30 in the morning last Friday, creating a conflagration that required dental records to identify the body. The blessing is that he apparently took no one with him on the final ride down.
Eddie Is a very good friend of mine, who would give you the shirt off of his back. He had a heart of gold, he loved to help others. I wish people would just let him rest in peace, if you didn't know him don't make negative comments about him.
Annoyed,
Here are some thing that annoyed me about your post:
1. It has not been proved that Griffin was touching himeself in his car.
2. His daughter is not poor. There's a high probability that you will take more from society than his kid ever will.
3. We all live our own way, not just EG.
4. His death improved the gene pool? He had physcial attributes that less than .00005 percent of the U.S. population do not have.
5. According to your line of thinking, if his daughter falters, it will be of her her own volition . . .so why blame EG or pray for her?
6. Is there actually a game called "blame game"? Where can I get it?
Annoyed, you annoy me.
Eddie's life and death were tragic, and because of his gifts they were played out on a more public stage than a lot of young people who have problems with addiction and depression. I saw a comment by John Lucas today that said Eddie didn't really love basketball. I think it had to be tough for someone who at twenty years old was expected to be the breadwinner for his family, playing a game he didn't love, but feeling he had to do it, because that is what was expected of him.
Tons, of college kids today have mental health and addiction problems dealing with the expectations set forth by their families, and some don't make it. I see a lot of parallels between Eddie and a kid I knew who died young.
"Annoyed"--
Getting on your high horse is a little easier with a masked identity. That said, I'm glad you chimed in because there is certainly a component of society that shares your view--people are responsible and accountable for themselves, devastating depression and addiction be damned. Frankly, I'm not an absolutist either way, and do think that Griffin had more chances and resources than most.
But it is also clear that you never met the guy.
I'll play the blame game. Unless you've been killed in a random or unpredictable event, you're always to blame for your own death. ALWAYS. Griffin dying in a car wreck, that's not random or unpredictable. That's exactly how you'd expect a drunk-self-toucher-in-car would die. I blame Griffin. No excuses. He lived and died his own way. It wasn't some random robbery. It wasn't a plane crash. It wasn't an act of nature. It's an act of Griffin. Griffin lived his life the way he wanted, and he ended it the way he wanted. Good for you. Thank you for improving the gene pool. Unfortunately, you left a poor father-less daughter in this world that now we as a society have to support and ensure that she NOT follow in her ill-fated father's footsteps. I pray she has a strong mother to raise her.
Britt and Asch: You guys want to get a room?
Sorry gentlemen, I couldn't resist.
Tragic end to a tragic story.
Eddie's demise feels nothing like the summer sports trilogy of 2007: Bonds, Vick and Donaghy. Of course, there are two gigantic differences: Eddie was a sympathetic character and now he is dead. But there is more to it than that. Though I never knew him, I am left with a yearning feeling. Everything I've heard and read gives me the sense that he was a man-child with an emptiness inside.
RIP.
Good to see you hear, Asch! Glad things are going well.
Shame on me: Erv Johnson was around for Eddie's first season with the Wolves. It also happened to be his most stable season with them, coincidentally or not, but that doesn't excuse my error. Bad Asch! Bad!
Thanks to Britt for the kind words. I have long read his stuff, great in-depth takes on the Wolves that sometimes leave me crosseyed from his details on strategies, rotations and minutes. Wouldn't miss 'em.
Appreciate the link, Britt, and the readership going forward from all.
Speak of the devil--I was probably praising Asch's Griffin piece at the same time he was popping in. Just wanted everyone else to know that it was entirely coincidental.
Snyder--
I was among those who participated in a conference call with McHale yesterday evening about Griffin's death, and, for what it's worth, he did seem genuinely shaken by the incident. We all know McHale isn't comfortable with emotional displays, but I suspect the conference call was convened because he wanted to emphasize that Griffin really didn't want to go out like this.
"He tried, he really tried," McHale kept emphasizing, describing Griffin, in response to a question about Eddie's alcoholism, as "more of a classic troubled person than a classic alcoholic." McHale also offered a window into how much Griffin craved acceptance, and spoke of the time shortly after he took over the coaching reins when Griffin hustled at both ends of the court making notable plays on three or four straight possessions. Right after the game, in the locker room, McHale praised Griffin and said that those plays decided the game. On the phone, McHale said he was again struck by how much that praise meant to Eddie and how much he took such things to heart.
Also, belated thanks, Snyder, for once again pointing out Asch on the scene at si.com. His Griffin piece was the most in-depth thing I've read about Griffin's stay with the Wolves, including revealing information about the caliber of people hired by the league to keep an eye on Griffin. I have asked the smart web people at The Rake to include Asch in my links at the left (I've also added Free Darko, another great site) and I heartily recommend Asch's piece to any who haven't yet read it.
I have covered malicious, aggressive, conniving, mean, ridiculous, resentful, narcissistic and even violent people in pro sports, and Eddie was none of the above. Had the Wolves still had Mitchell, Porter, Hammonds or even Erv Johnson around when Eddie arrived, maybe one of them could have gotten through to him. Then again, maybe not. Rarely have seen such a loner in a team sport, separated from the group by his demons. Sad mystery.
I'm sure KG feels the same way we've all expressed. Dismay over the waste of such potential and certainly sadness over the loss of a friend. I was disappointed by the relatively terse "official statement" from Kevin McHale. You'd think a guy who spent three years with the team would be worth more than a lousy paragraph.
Are there any toxicology reports pending for Eddie? I know he was pretty disfigured and that it took dental records to ID him. I'm guessing he was probably intoxicated. If he wanted to kill himself, there are more efficient ways.
But yes, a shame for the loss of that potential and more importantly the loss of the man. RIP.
I wonder what KG thinks of it all.
Posted on a new Wolves hoops blog-http://www.canishoopus.com/
Check it out, should be more content once the season begins.
Last year, as Eddie Griffin sat in solitude at the end of the bench while Mark Blount rebounded and patrolled the paint like a third grade girl, I found myself to be one of the only people clamoring for more Griffin time. Whether it was the numerous off-court incidents, or Eddie's instinct to chuck threes, most Wolves fans were happy to see Eddie finally taken off the roster following his violation of the NBA's drug policy. I for one, as the self-proclaimed world's biggest Eddie Griffin fan, was profoundly sad.
I can't place my finger on exactly why I liked Eddie so much, but he was really my favorite Wolves player. After the first game he started two years ago, when he went for 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 blocks, he was interviewed after the game and I was amazed at how genuinely humble the kid appeared to be. There is no lack of braggadocio in the NBA and I found Eddie Griffin's humble, and almost embarrassed demeanor to be quite endearing.
While I cringed along with everyone else every time a three-pointer left Eddie's hands, his shot blocking was a thing of beauty. The kid had a gift, and I always believed eventually that gift would lead to great success in the league for the young man.
Following his SUV masterbation incident, Eddie came into camp a man possessed. He lost a good deal of weight, and claimed his drinking problems were behind him. In the preseason, he was pulling down rebounds and blocking shots at an incredible rate, and I believed last year was to be his year. I ended up drafting him to rooms full of laughter in both my fantasy leagues, I thought he was going to break out.
Unfortunately, that breakout never happened. For unknown reasons, Eddie's fitness and fire in the preseason were not awarded with regular season minutes. As his minutes declined, you could tell his attitude was declining as well. When he did get to play, he certainly gave no indication that he wanted to be on the court, and usually just wandered around listlessly.
As sad as it was, I had the feeling that Eddie's days in a Wolves uniform were numbered, and that turned out to be the case. I think if Eddie would have been given a longer leash with his minutes early in the year, he could have focused on something other than drinking, and it would have given him hope in his life, but instead you could see he clearly had lost his desire, and just looking in his eyes you could tell he wasn't alright.
When I heard the news of Eddie's death yesterday, it came as no surprise. Some people are born with brain chemistry that makes them terribly self-destructive, and Eddie was clearly one of those people. I wish there was something someone could have done to help the young man, but he appeared to be on a path to this end for quite some time. It's just sad to think that such a well-liked, humble guy couldn't overcome such serious mental issues, but such is life.
RIP-Eddie Griffin
Everyone kept talking about how troubled he was, as if it was his fault that he has pshy issues that were barely addressed in his life.
RIP EG
God knows best!
Asch weighs in on Eddie Griffin
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/steve_aschburner/08/22/gri...
Last Updated: Aug 22nd, 2007 - 10:37:11
Eddie Griffin: A Few Words
By Stephen Litel
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Aug 21, 2007, 22:07
In late June 2006, I wrote an article in this same space asking Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor to do the right thing and get troubled forward Eddie Griffin off the team. Although it did not occur when I had hoped, I eventually did get my wish, as we all know. It was after I realized that Mr. Taylor would keep Griffin for awhile longer, I made a conscious effort to talk with him more than I had and attempt to get to know him.
It was during this time that I changed my stance and wanted nothing more than to have the Eddie Griffin experiment work out in Minnesota. As I
spoke more and more with him, I was struck by the level of humanity in the person, rather then the disappointment of the basketball player.
Unfortunately, Griffin was unable to stay in Minnesota as a member of the Timberwolves. Hindsight being twenty-twenty, I wish that our relationship could have begun earlier so I could have had more time with one of the most down-to-Earth players--and, more importantly--humans that I have ever come across.
Now, with the news of Eddie Griffin’s death, I am very saddened that this unfortunate soul was unable to find what he was looking for in life. I hope that he is able to find his treasure in death.
R.I.P. Eddie.
Stephen Litel covers the Minnesota Timberwolves for Basketball News Services, powering HOOPSWORLD.COM, SWISH Magazine, and The Basketball News Report.
There is no blame game happening here, or elsewhere as best I can tell. The circumstances are pretty clear. Those who were captivated by Griffin's obvious talent, myself included, may feel a greater sense of ownership over his player persona and put resentment on his inability to fulfill his potential. But the point of my post was that, as best I could tell, he was unreachable in the places where he suffered most, and that fact was recognizable to teammates and coaches alike. People were less angry and frustrated by his frequent lapses (in basketball and in life) because there was this overwhelming sense that it was beyond his control.
RIP EG,
I cannot help think that Eddie suffered from clinical depression and wonder if the tragic accident was actually suicide. So sad. I was pissed at him for his play and outside activities as well. However, being a talented basketball player does not guarantee one won't suffer from other ailments that afflict many other individuals in our society.
I have had several calls from my brother who suffers from depression where he tells me he is thinking of walking out onto the freeway, where the quick pain of being hit by a semi will end the long and suffering pain he lives with each day. I may not ever understand that pain, personally, but it is enough to know that many people do feel this pain each and every day.
I seriously hope we don't get into a blame game on top of this tragic loss. Eddie exercised his free will and had plenty of positive influences.
John Lucas worked with Eddie while in Houston. The T-wolves, if I know Glen Taylor and the caliber of our players, were interested in Eddie's success.
Eddie sadly died the way he lived.
This may sound selfish but, Im kinda pissed at this guy. I was rooting for him so hard. For some reason I just wanted this guy to make it, despite his troubles. I dont usually pull for those who have off the court or off the field troubles. But I remember walking by him at a nightclub in Houston, TX a couple of years ago, and apparently we are the same age. He, as was I, alone, though among the people. But he understandably made no effort to mingle.
This is such a dissappointment to me. Undoubtedly, he squandered all of his chances to change his behavior. But oh well, he lived his life the way he wanted, I suppose; not the way his fans wanted him to. RIP man.