With his father no longer there to tell him what he should do, Frank was free to make his own decisions about his career. In April 1989 he quit football to go to medical school, something he had wanted to do since ninth grade. I can't want to play only for the money. There has to be passion. But I sort of realized there was a deeper side to life than just catching passes, filling up a stadium.
Some athletes pursue sports as a way to win and keep friends.
Many children learn quickly that sports can make you popular. In high school, I was running track to get girls. That's also why I spike my hair. It's why I train every day and go to extremes and punish myself with triathlons. This often results in superficial friendships and relationships.