OT Whoa, Maradona in bad shape

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 7:49 pm

Just saw this over at Washingtonpost.com:

<<<Diego Maradona in Critical Condition

By VICENTE L. PANETTA
The Associated Press
Monday, April 19, 2004; 12:48 PM

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Diego Maradona was in critical condition Monday, breathing with the help of a respirator after heart and blood pressure problems.

The former Argentine soccer star was hospitalized in the intensive care unit Sunday, hours after watching his former team Boca Juniors play in the domestic league. . . .>>>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ar ... Apr19.html

I saw him in the crowd recently at one of the Argentine League matches, and I couldn't believe how big he had ballooned to; I hardly recognized him. I was making light of it with firends at the game on Saturday, but this is not good.

I am still miffed by the fact that he was banned from USA '94 over ephedra, something that was available readily in otc cold remedies at the time. We missed the opportunity to see if he could manage one last show, and I was not interested in '86 when he was at his best, or even '90.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 7:53 pm

"I saw him in the crowd recently at one of the Argentine League matches, and I couldn't believe how big he had ballooned to".

I guess the lousy economy in Argentina didn't limit how much food he could eat.

mobiggins · Post by **mobiggins** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 8:07 pm

Not to be insensitive, but the situation he finds himself in now is directly related to the way he lived his life. When he was on top of the world his only priority was figuring out the next substance to abuse his body with and get high from. I say the only priority because he could play insanely well in his sleep. That's what he was; he needed no training to do it, to stay in shape, etc. so football wasn't a priority for him. I can't imagine someone with all that fame, adulation, and money wasting it on drugs, alcohol, and whores. As if playing at the top of your game in Argentina, in the world cup, weren't enough of a high. Guess it isn't once you get up there. I have no sympathy for the guy.
THis has nothing to do with his present situation, but another thing that bothers me is the dishonesty of his Hand of God goal, even having the gall to name it that himself in the days after the controversy. A real class sportsman would have never tried that kind of stunt to score a goal in the first place, much less reveled in it afterward. The guy had no class.