![]() Molly Bloom is the author of the book “Molly’s Game.” It was also turned into a movie starring Jessica Chastain, portraying how Molly Bloom was arrested in 2013 for running one of America’s largest underground poker rings. We even get into whether or not some of these factors played a role in his sister’s whirlwind life after skiing. The documentary goes in depth on all of those topics, as Bloom and I do for Wednesday’s podcast. But if I’m fighting demons in my head, I don’t have any resources,’” Bloom said. “She said, ‘If I twisted an ankle, I’d have 10 of the best orthopedic surgeons in the country fixing my ankle. But the slightest physical tweak she may have endured brought a flock of medical experts. In the film, former figure skater Gracie Gold tells the tale of how she didn’t know if - or where - she should turn for mental support from U.S. But I don’t think it is binary where it is ‘this’ or ‘that.’ I think it is a combination of a lot (of factors).” “And maybe one of those ingredients are concussions in that stew. “I think we are dealing with a stew of lots of ingredients,” Bloom said. Or a failure to diagnose warning signs early in the development of athletes. Others wonder if a reliance on painkillers or other self-medicating substance comes into play. Some have wondered if concussions are a factor in the deaths of some of these athletes. Peterson via self-inflicted gunshot, Holcomb as a result of an apparent overdose of alcohol and pills. Both of them ended up taking their own lives. I feel very grateful that I never had thoughts of suicide.”īut the most gripping tales are about aerial skiing specialist Jeret “Speedy” Peterson and bobsled driver Steven Holcomb. “I would not describe it as elevated depression to the point of thoughts of suicide like some of the athletes in the film. “I would describe it as extreme sadness,” Bloom said of his own Olympic results. Hurdler Lolo Jones gets into great detail about how hard it was to balance the books funding her own training and the depression that followed her after failing to medal in 20. Phelps also has admitted to dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts.įamed snowboarder Shaun White had legal trouble in recent years and tells similar stories in the film. He’s had multiple DUIs since his fabled Olympic swimming career ended. It chronicles the careers of multiple Team USA athletes and how their mental health has suffered dramatically in the wake of retirement or Olympic shortcomings. The problem of ex-Olympian mental health has gotten to the point where Bloom decided to partner up with film director Brett Rapkin to produce a documentary titled “ Weight of Gold,” which was recently released on HBO. To the point that, in recent years, a few former Olympic medalists have either considered - or committed - suicide. And debt.Īnd if they lose, it can be soul crushing. Sometimes, those who are heralded as heroes in America for international athletic accomplishment find themselves coming home with little cash and even less direction once the anthems stop. And they don’t have the option of turning to an NFL career.īecause of that ability, Bloom was able to handle that Olympic disappointment much better than some U.S. By April, he was a fifth-round draft choice of the Philadelphia Eagles.įor some Olympic athletes in their mid-20s or early 30s, their dreams are done after two shots at the games. Six days after the 2006 games in Italy, Bloom was at the NFL Scouting Combine. “How could that not gnaw on you?!”Īnd despite three World Championships and 11 World Cup gold medals, Bloom didn’t medal in either the 2002 or 2006 Olympic games. “I was so close to being part of a Super Bowl winning team,” Bloom exclaimed with a laugh. So he had to watch on television as his former team marched to a Super Bowl trophy six months later. The receiver/return specialist was cut from the Steelers late in training camp of 2008. He even made the Olympics as a freestyle skier.īut he also knows the emotional pain of coming so close to your lifelong goals and coming up just short. In the big picture, former Pittsburgh Steeler Jeremy Bloom led a charmed life.
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