If you have been perusing sports sites this morning or watching ESPN, then you will have certainly heard about Andre Agassi's admission to using crystal meth during his career slump in 1997. The admission, and many others, comes in passages in his new autobiography Open, which will be on sale November 9th. In the book, Agassi also admits that the mullet-mohawk he infamously sported in the early 1990's was in fact a wig. Looking back it does seem to look very "Joe Dirt".
Although this will inevitably, and justifiably, get a lot of press and inspire a lot of conversation on radio, blogs, and television, I hope that these admissions don't hurt Agassi's legacy. I hope fans and sports followers will see the trials Agassi had to overcome, the personal demons, instead of just seeing the lines "Agassi took crystal meth". I hope people understand that none of this changes who Agassi is today, who he turned himself into after those suspect years. Know that this is a man so comfortable, so at peace with himself, that he has chosen to reveal these stories. He has chosen to let us all know. He could have easily left it hidden in the closet and gone about being one of the most loved American athletes of his generation. But he took an opportunity to be honest to his fans and to himself and that is the kind of man Andre Agassi is today, a true role model.
For a more eloquently written article on the subject please read Rick Reilly's fantastic piece about Agassi.
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