As a former professional athlete--
although admittedly not a big time one--
I never actually made a living at it---
I used to think that professional athletes were just a microcosm of the population at large.
A few really nice people,
a few irredeemable jerks,
and mostly people in the middle, just doing the best that they could.
In later years, however, I came to entertain the idea that perhaps, we're a bit above average in the irredeemable jerk category.
I like to think that if I had ever made it to the Oscar DeLahoya-Lennox Lewis level of fame and achievement and wealth,
I would have still been your relatively average jerk
and not an irredeemable one like so many athletes in the news.
We'll never know.