Link: The Curious Case of Rolando McClain

RTR91 · Dec 18, 2014

He was perfectly content, back when his life was so quiet last autumn.

Most mornings, Rolando McClain, then a retired NFL player at the age of 24, would rise from the bed in his mansion on Lake Tuscaloosa and drive 20 minutes to work out and attend classes at the University of Alabama, where the two-time dean's list student was finishing his degree in family financial planning. Other mornings, he'd run up a hill on his four-acre property, over and over, trying to stay in shape in case the pull of playing football ever returned.

But the real peace for McClain last fall came when he was alone on the lake, fishing rod in hand, his thoughts free to wander wherever they pleased, from pondering the nature of God to trying to understand why he sometimes felt a torrent of anger rising inside him. Out on the water, alone on his boat, he was unburdened and absorbed fully in the moment, not running from the ghosts of the past or concerned with the future. It was, in retrospect, his therapy.

gman4tide · Dec 18, 2014

Sounds like me...'cept for the "run up a hill on his four-acre property, over and over, trying to stay in shape in case the pull of playing football ever returned".

bama_wayne1 · Dec 18, 2014

Nice article!

TouchThatThang · Dec 18, 2014

I've found myself pulling hard for the Cowboys this year simply because Ro plays for them. I wonder if he played for another mediocre team, and the passion was missing from the locker room, if he wouldn't just quit again. Being authentic is important to this guy. I hope they make the playoffs, win a playoff game, and the whole city is revitalized with a new optimism that has long been absent in Dallas. I think that would keep him coming back for more.

Alasippi · Dec 18, 2014

That's the best article I've ever read in Bleacher Report. Awesome. Thanks!

Catfish · Dec 18, 2014

Alasippi said:
That's the best article I've ever read in Bleacher Report. Awesome. Thanks!

Lars Anderson is an excellent writer. Much better than any of the Bleacher Report's usual guys.

KrAzY3 · Dec 18, 2014

This kind of reminds me of the time I saw him walking around before an Alabama game (after his career there). He was by himself, nothing to set him apart, and he didn't even really look like a football star (big guy but he's not a monster like some of the Alabama linebackers). You could kind of get the idea that's how he liked it.

Tidetwin · Dec 18, 2014

Alasippi said:
That's the best article I've ever read in Bleacher Report. Awesome. Thanks!

A sensitive portrayal of a kid in process. Good luck Ro.

Con · Dec 18, 2014

What a great story. I appreciate you finding it and sharing it on here.

CrimsonEyeshade · Dec 18, 2014

Tidetwin said:
A sensitive portrayal of a kid in process. Good luck Ro.

A Process all his own.

Gr8hope · Dec 18, 2014

CrimsonEyeshade said:
A Process all his own.

Great description. Sometimes we have to work through tough times to become what we are meant to be. So glad he made it through and wish him much success.

Tidetwin · Dec 18, 2014

Gr8hope said:
Great description. Sometimes we have to work through tough times to become what we are meant to be. So glad he made it through and wish him much success.

Well said.

NCTide · Dec 18, 2014

Very cool.

mdb-tpet · Dec 18, 2014

That is a nice article about a fantastic athlete, and hopefully a man who has found and stays on his positive path in life.

RedStar · Dec 18, 2014

Catfish said:
Lars Anderson is an excellent writer. Much better than any of the Bleacher Report's usual guys.

BR gets a bad name because of fanposts, but guys like Adam Kramer, Barrett Sallee, etc. are genuinely good at what they do.

RedStar · Dec 18, 2014

KrAzY3 said:
This kind of reminds me of the time I saw him walking around before an Alabama game (after his career there). He was by himself, nothing to set him apart, and he didn't even really look like a football star (big guy but he's not a monster like some of the Alabama linebackers). You could kind of get the idea that's how he liked it.

Um... he made me feel tiny, and I'm 6'3".

Al A Bama · Dec 18, 2014

Thanks for the post. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article. I really enjoy watching him play for Dallas.

Dallas used to be my favorite team when LeeRoy Jordan wore #55. Now, I pull for them just like when
Jordan played middle linebacker.

I honestly hope they win it all this year! And I hope Rolando is one of the main reasons.

Rolando, just stay out of Decatur. Stay around people who are not leeches who are trying to suck the blood or money out of you.

I honestly think he could be a college or NFL coach in the future. He was taught by the very BEST!

Al A Bama · Dec 18, 2014

KrAzY3 said:
This kind of reminds me of the time I saw him walking around before an Alabama game (after his career there). He was by himself, nothing to set him apart, and he didn't even really look like a football star (big guy but he's not a monster like some of the Alabama linebackers). You could kind of get the idea that's how he liked it.

You mean that there are/were some linebackers at Bama who are even bigger than Rolando? 6'4" 259 is not bad.

I honestly do think it would be depressing playing for the Oakland Raiders. They are not what they used to be when Stabler played there.

uaintn · Dec 18, 2014

If he doesn't win comeback player of the year, they should stop giving it.

Catfish · Dec 18, 2014

RedStar said:
BR gets a bad name because of fanposts, but guys like Adam Kramer, Barrett Sallee, etc. are genuinely good at what they do.

You may be right. I used to read a fair amount of stuff over there and some of it wasn't bad. But, I pretty much gave up on Bleacher Report about a year ago because of all the articles that require you to click-through 30, 40, 50 pages to read them. I doubt they have anybody else of Lars Andersen's calibur writing for them, though. Just because there are very few writers of his calibur anywhere.

Link: The Curious Case of Rolando McClain

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