Stupidity Knows No Bounds

A friend of mine once said, "You can only be so smart, but stupidity knows no bounds." I recall the quote often in the appreciation of sport, since it appears the very genes that makes humans good athletes also seem to rob them of common sense or good judgment. Indeed, the decision to make a career as an athlete often is the product of poor judgment. Consider the sheer numbers of high school and college athletes that decide, "hey, i don't need an education, i'm going to be a pro (fill in the blank)", only to finish their prep career, go undrafted and end up sleeping in their parents' house working at McDonalds, if that.

But that's a larger discussion for another day. Today's Stupidity involved the immensely talented, but immensely troubled, Elijah Dukes. His history of his many suspensions for poor attitude and trouble-making in the minors is well documented, and despite being rewarded for all that by making the Devil Rays this season out of spring training and enjoying some success (10 homers so far), he still doesn't know how to live and interact like a human being.

Earlier this season he made not-so-veiled threats to his estranged wife, and now today a new story comes out about how he impregnated a then 17-year-old foster child in the care of his step-grandmother.

This is, I think, the key quote in the story. It comes from his mother, since Dukes and the team refused to talk for the article.

'Dukes' mother, Phyllis Dukes, said she didn't know about the allegations. "He's doing well on the field," she said. "He's doing so good. It's just every time he turns around there's something coming at him."'

"...something coming at him". As if he isn't bringing on himself, it's being forced on him by outside agents. Incredible. I just don't understand sometimes how people's visions of right or wrong get so clouded. What's the decision making process like. "Hmm, my step-grandma's got this hotty 17 year old foster kid, why don't I just nail her on the living room couch? Yeah, that sounds sweet, man." Instead of indignation or pity, HIS OWN MOTHER brushes this off like he got a damn speeding ticket. He HAD SEX with a 17 year old IN THE CARE OF HIS GRANDMOTHER!!! Where the anger and disappointment from the mother? The only disappointment she seems to show is that her boy has things more things "coming at him".