http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/13/AR2008061303416.html Sad and uplifting story in the Washington Post about Santino Quaranta. Santino talks about his drug addiction and recovery back to MLS. I had no idea about Santino's drug addiction, and this really is a must read for any D.C. United fan.
Re: Goff- 'I Should Have Been Dead' Wow. just catching this story and my first thought is he is too young to have gone thru so much. Boy, it sure does explain a lot. About his attitude then and now. Wow. Just wow.
Re: Goff- 'I Should Have Been Dead' This is powerful. To his credit we only hear about this now. If he were like some, he would have been trumpeting this as soon as he arrived. I hope and pray his early sobriety can turn into long term sobriety. Didn't folks suspect this a long time ago? I had heard rumors on the boards about him using cocaine a while ago, how did anyone know? No wonder he took forever to heal. The fact that he withdrew so badly meant he was really hooked bad. And the fact that suicide looked like an option shows you just how lousy an antidepressant alcohol really is.
Re: Goff- 'I Should Have Been Dead' You might want to change the title -- it sounds like Goff thought Goff should be dead.
Re: Goff- 'I Should Have Been Dead' Yes... we all need to support him. I'm still in shock over the whole thing.
Re: Goff- 'I Should Have Been Dead' Wow. This is an amazing story. Good for Santino for getting his life together, and getting and staying sober.
Wow. This makes me appreciate Tino's resurgence evne more. Congrates on kicking the drugs and geting back in form - We love you, man.
Great story of some terrible times in the life of a young man. I wish Santino the best. I'm very grateful that we have the kind of people in our front office who can look beyond what happens on the field. Their willingness to give him a second chance says a lot. His willingness to work hard in return is apparent.
My volunteer work puts me in contact with many people who have been addicted to alcohol and/or drugs, and I can tell you that those who admit to the problem and seek help (knowing from sad experience that they can't solve their problem alone) show an enormous inner strength that those of us who don't have these issues can scarcely imagine. Santino isn't "cured," and I think he knows that, so he has to exhibit that strength all the time. It's incumbent on those of us who love DC United to give him our full, and vocal, support, so that this story will have a happy ending.
I really don't know how to react to this. He is certainly taking a brave step forward by putting it out there.
I had heard whispers about this, but nothing definitive. Forget soccer. I'm glad that he is getting himself right for his family, which is by far the greater concern. With that being said, I hope he fulfills the potential that everyone knows he has. At this point, he owes it to himself.
WOW!!! His adittude has seem alot better since comming back. Just keep at it Tino. I hope he scores a hat trick tommorow, icing on the cake would you say.
And if he does, I hope he goes home and celebrates it with his wife rather than the way he used to celebrate. As long as he remembers that rehab isn't a place you go, but rather the way you need to be all the time, he'll be fine. It's easier said than done, though.
No kidding. I know I'd feel pretty embarassed; it's a brave thing to put it out there. In fact, part of me wonders if the act of telling everyone about this is itself part of his fight to make sure it doesn't happen again: if he makes sure everyone knows about what happened, it would be a lot harder for him to hide those behaviors in the future -- which is how he wants things to be.
I agree with Bootsy, it seems like putting this out there in such a way is also a plea for help. His last quote is telling... he knows its not over, but this will help stop it. Very, very good piece... really puts what this season must mean for him into perspective.
Wow. Addiction - especially opiate addiction - is really tough to kick. God bless Tino for making the effort to get his life back and also for sharing his story. And God bless DC United for having the class to give him that opportunity.
Being a huge Texas Rangers fan, I know all about the player with huge potential ruining his life and making the long road back(Josh Hamilton). Great story and I wish Santino the best. I'll certainly be cheering him when they come to Dallas.
It also makes you wonder about the number of other phenoms who flamed out, and wonder if some of them had similar stories that never came out in the press. The only reason this one came to light is Quaranta himself letting it out.