You can play professional lacrosse, but they make less than a teacher's salary now. I always thought about that. And it's a very difficult career, a short career, as a pro athlete.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I think the big thing is you really have one chance to do this... to play hockey for a living, you have one chance at your career, and you have to take full advantage of it.
A little-known secret is that being a pro athlete is not that great. It's a pretty short lifespan. I know all these parents are out there driving their children to be professionals, but so many pros will tell you, 'No, you don't want to do this.'
I grew up with lacrosse in my life because my dad played lacrosse all throughout college, so I grew up with the gear in my house - like the sticks, the helmet.
I believe in professionalism, but playing is not like a job. You have to be grateful to have the opportunity to play.
I grew up in Michigan, so I played hockey, football and basketball. I played a little bit of lacrosse, too. My brother played more lacrosse and ran track.
I played professional level sports. When you're playing for money, it's a whole other level.
Professional sports is a business.
I went to Dartmouth College, graduated, and had the opportunity to play two professional sports - I played for the New England Patriots in the NFL and professional lacrosse for the Boston Blazers. I had an injury, so I had to stop so I could heal. But when I was playing football, I wasn't making a lot of money; I wasn't a superstar.
I played basketball, and I loved it. But I never thought of it seriously as being a professional.
It is just a crazy life as a sportsman. My daughter, Sam, wants to go into tennis, and I tell her, 'No, you don't want to go into professional sport.'
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