QB Art Schlichter (official thread)

[brodybuck21]

Originally Posted by Steve19

Well said. I am deeply sorry that Art experienced gambling addiction. It cost him his family and everything he might have gained from his heroics on the field at Ohio State. I agree with NJ-Buckeye, MaxBuck, and Jake, he doesn't belong in the HoF.

Add me to your list.

[jlb1705]

I am watching the 1981 game vs. Stanford right now - I DVRd it on BTN the other night. I was born in 1980, so I never saw Schlichter play. Seeing him go head-to-head against Elway makes it clear just how much he threw away.

[jimotis4heisman]

Originally Posted by jlb1705

I am watching the 1981 game vs. Stanford right now - I DVRd it on BTN the other night. I was born in 1980, so I never saw Schlichter play. Seeing him go head-to-head against Elway makes it clear just how much he threw away.

#4 overall pick...

[Buckskin86]

Former Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter tells all in latest book
By Carlos "Big C" Holmes | Wednesday, August 19, 2009


Busted: The Rise and Fall of Art Schlichter;

New Book from Orange Frazer Press on Sale Nationwide September 1st;

Autobiography Details How Gambling Wrecked Family, Pro-Football Career

In 1978, Art Schlichter was one of the most actively recruited high school quarterbacks in America, chased by some of the legendary college coaches of the game, Bo Schembechler, Woody Hayes and Joe Paterno among them. But after a record-breaking four years at Ohio State, Schlichter?s bid at a pro-football career nosedived in a dramatic and public way.
Busted-L.jpg

In a new book from Orange Frazer Press, Schlichter and co-author Jeff Snook describe how Schlichter, a first round NFL draft pick in 1982, would fall more than $1 million in debt, become one of the biggest NFL flops of all-time and a full-fledged gambler and con man committing dozens of crimes that would send him to prison for more than a decade.

Busted, the Rise and Fall of Art Schlichter, tells the compelling story of how someone with fame, fortune and matinee idol looks was driven by the demons of a gripping addiction to steal from family and friends to support his gambling habit. The book is scheduled to go on sale nationwide on September 1.

An All-America collegiate player and top 10 Heisman trophy contender, Schlichter reveals his father?s burning desire to mold him into an idolized athlete who would win championships and make millions. Schlichter describes how a fateful interception led to Woody Hayes resignation and his frustration and anger with Earle Bruce?s conservative offense.

Drafted by the Baltimore Colts in 1982, Schlichter also reveals the causes behind his complete failure as an NFL quarterback and his suspension from the league in 1983. Schlichter also details how he used gambling to numb his self-inflicted pain until he contemplated suicide, and how he gambled away more than $120,000 in two days.

The father of two daughters, Schlichter?s compulsive gambling wrecked his marriage. Now living in Ohio in his boyhood hometown, Schlichter has been out of prison since 2006 and works as a sports commentator and helps others whose lives have been ruined by addiction.

Dayton Daily News | Dayton, Ohio, News and Information

[FairfaxBuckeye]

Interesting. I will likely pick this up when I am Columbus for games this Fall.

Schlichter's story is sad every time I time I read / think about it.

I'm showing my age, but I recall a book about Art Schlichter when I was a kid. The title was "Straight Arrow".

I was a huge Art Schlichter fan as a kid, and my Grandfather waited in line at a bookstore in Columbus to get it autographed by Art.

[CCI]

Originally Posted by Buckskin86

Dayton Daily News | Dayton, Ohio, News and Information

Art is from my hometown and he still is a Buckeye. Concerning the Buckeye HOF there is always a chance. Remember we live in America and people do get a second chances as long as the indivudals do the right , postive thing. He is giving back to society by speaking to NFL players ect about the dangers of gambling. I know Art on a personal level and IMO he is a changed man.

[MaxBuck]

Originally Posted by CCI

I know Art on a personal level and IMO he is a changed man.

Keep your hand on your wallet.

[Buckskin86]

September 1, 2009, 11:00 am
Chapter One: The Rise and Fall of Art Schlichter
By Toni Monkovic

Art Schlichter?s book, ?Busted,? is an unflinching autobiography of a life gut-punched by gambling.

He describes:
*his charmed rise as an athletic icon in Ohio; he was the center of a recruiting competition between Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler, and later threw the pass that got Hayes fired at Ohio State.
*his father, who lived vicariously through his accomplishments and later committed suicide.
* his harrowing (and sometimes comical) tour of some 40 prisons over a 10-year period.
* his failure as an N.F.L. quarterback.
* his lust for the high of gambling that Schlichter described this way:
?I had, and still have, an addiction. It?s a severe, severe addiction. It?s kind of like crack cocaine in that it takes away your soul and your character.?

He writes: ?Some people say to me today, ?Don?t worry, it?s all behind you.? ?
?No, it isn?t, because you can?t just walk away from a disease like mine.
?Will I do bad things again that will send me back to prison? I admit the urge is always there.
?Today, I know I?m still only one wrong step away from imprisonment, insanity, or death.?

Schlichter now manages gamblingpreventionawareness.org and is a speaker on the dangers of gambling addiction. The first chapter of the book, which comes out today and which was written with Jeff Snook, is below:

Chapter One: The Rise and Fall of Art Schlichter - The Fifth Down Blog - NYTimes.com

[Buckskin86]

riginally Published: September 2, 2009
'The Rise and Fall of Art Schlichter'
Comment Email Print Share
By Art Schlichter and Jeff Snook
Special to Page 2

Editor's note: The following is excerpted from "Busted: The Rise and Fall of Art Schlichter,"
? 2009 by Art Schlichter with Jeff Snook. Reprinted by arrangement with Orange Frazer Press, Inc.

Chapter seven: Who wants to be a celebrity?

One of my favorite movies of all time is "The Natural" starring Robert Redford, because I could relate to his character in the movie. I identified with the line when he said that all he wanted in life "was to walk down the street and have somebody say, 'There goes Roy Hobbs, the greatest ballplayer to ever have played the game.'"

I knew what he meant.

Too, I had a weakness for women like he had. I didn't really care about fame, fortune, or anything that accompanied it, just as Roy Hobbs hadn't. All I ever wanted was for people in my little hometown to say, "There goes Art Schlichter, the greatest ballplayer to ever come out of here."

My dad, on the other hand, mapped it out for me to become a collegiate superstar, then a professional athlete, and eventually a sports legend (I made two out of three anyway). He always had the bigger dreams for me, the bigger goals, all rounding into the bigger picture.

Those things weren't on my mind.

Nevertheless, whether I wanted it or not, fame and celebrity were gaining on me like a runaway locomotive by the end of the 1979 season, especially after we beat Michigan to finish 11-0, win the Big Ten championship and secure a Rose Bowl berth opposite USC.


Orange Frazer Press Former Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter recounts his rise and fall in "Busted."

Life as the starting quarterback at The Ohio State University couldn't have been much better. For starters, I loved winning as much as anyone who had ever played the game. And we'd won them all for the Buckeyes' first unbeaten regular season in four years, before the Rose Bowl loss.

I'd become, in all modesty, a huge name in the state of Ohio, even though that was never my goal. It just worked out that way.

Former Ohio State star Art Schlichter relives his college days and the beginning of his gambling problem in an excerpt from "Busted." - ESPN

[brodybuck21]

Originally Posted by Buckskin86

Former Ohio State star Art Schlichter relives his college days and the beginning of his gambling problem in an excerpt from "Busted." - ESPN

wow just reading that excerpt makes me want to read the entire book today. What a story

[CCI]

Sounds like a great read .

All I ever wanted was for people in my little hometown to say, "There goes Art Schlichter, the greatest ballplayer to ever come out of here."
Believe me Art they still do^^^^^^

[Buckskin86]

Former OSU quarterback speaks at Newark Rotary meeting
By TIFFANY AUMANN ? Advocate Reporter ? September 8, 2009


Art Schlichter, second from right, shakes hands with Dr. Ron Fuller while speaking with Fuller and Dr. Harold Kelch, second from left, after speaking Tuesday afternoon at the Rotary meeting. (Michael Lehmkuhle, The Advocate)

NEWARK ? Former Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter shared personal highlights from his days with the Buckeyes and troubled memories of his struggles with gambling as the guest speaker for the Newark Rotary Tuesday.
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Schlichter released a book about his life, "Busted: The Rise and Fall of Art Schlichter," Sept. 1.

"I hope anyone who is interested in Ohio State football or interested in addictions will reach out and buy it," he said. "It was very emotional for me to write it. It was very emotional for me to read it."

Schlichter, a native of Washington Court House, was recruited by several colleges as a high school player in the late 70s. For a time, he was torn between Michigan and Ohio State, a quandry in which Woody Hayes took personal interest. Schlichter recalled the famed coach's appearances in a scarlet and grey El Camino at his practices and the time Hayes came to Thanksgiving dinner.

"I thought, 'This is it. He's going to come in and shower me with praise and I'm going to tell him I'm going to be a Buckeye,'" Schlichter said.

Instead, Hayes gave him a brief hello and breezed by to meet -- or recruit, as he later realized -- his family.

"(After Hayes left) I walked back in the house and there was no way I was going anywhere other than Ohio State," he said.

Former OSU quarterback speaks at Newark Rotary meeting | newarkadvocate.com | The Newark Advocate

[Jake]

Originally Posted by Buckskin86

Former OSU quarterback speaks at Newark Rotary meeting | newarkadvocate.com | The Newark Advocate

*whew*

Glad to see some positive news about Art. I was afraid something had gone bad for him again, but it appears he's turned his life around.

[Buckskin86]

Art Schlichter Q&A: Ex-Buckeyes QB on Terrelle Pryor and more
Ryan Fagan
Monday, Sep. 7, 2009



Schlichter calls the comparison between his running and Terrelle Pryor's "nonexistent."Art Schlichter carved out his record-setting career as the Ohio State quarterback from 1978-81?he holds, among others, marks for most career passing yards and total touchdowns. Now an Ohio State radio analyst for WTVN in Columbus, Schlichter?whose book, "Busted: The Rise and Fall of Art Schlichter," was released Sept. 1?recently talked with Sporting News' Ryan Fagan about the Buckeyes and their star quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

Sporting News: With Pryor back for his second year, things are pretty exciting in Columbus again, I'd imagine.

Art Schlichter: When you've got a guy like Terrelle Pryor, it just makes it a little more interesting because he's such an exciting player. Offensively, the sky's the limit for us, which hasn't been the case a lot the past couple of years, ever since Troy Smith left. Now that Terrelle's matured a little bit ? my biggest jump as a quarterback was from my freshman to my sophomore year, as far as improvement, and I think that he will be the same. He's got great talent and a great future ahead of him.

SN: How would you compare your style as a quarterback with his style?

AS: We're a flip-flop, really. I was a much more polished passer as a freshman, even though I threw some interceptions. I think that arm-strength wise, I probably had a stronger arm than Terrelle, but the comparison running-wise is nonexistent. I was a quarterback who could move a little bit, but I wasn't anywhere near being able to run a 4.3 or 4.4 40 or have the quickness that he has.

We ran the option efficiently when I was there, but nothing to the extent that this kid can. He's just got such great natural athletic ability and speed; in that sense there's no comparison to me.

SN: That kind of speed is just about ridiculous for a quarterback, isn't it?

AS: It is, when you've got your quarterback as the fastest player on your team or one of the top two or three. And what's really impressive is his size. He's a kid who's 6-5, 6-6 who can just flat-out get it done. And he's learning how to be a better player, how to be a better passer. He's a true threat every time he touches the ball. I think that's probably why we're upbeat and excited about our team.

SN: And he broke some of your freshman records last year.

AS: To be honest with you, I didn't know I even had any freshman records. My freshman year was a pretty rough year for me, but it made it into a great sophomore year for me. We really kind of switch the touchdown-to-interceptions ratio from very bad to very good, and we just had lady luck on our sophomore year. We were one point away from winning a national championship in the Rose Bowl.

Art Schlichter Q&A: Ex-Buckeyes QB on Terrelle Pryor and more - Ryan Fagan - College Football - Sporting News

[Buckskin86]

9/17/2009
Schlichter reminisces about SCOL days at book signing
By MARK HUBER
mhuber@wnewsj.com


Art Schlichter (left) signs a copy of his book for Colt Smith, who is wearing an Indianapolis Colts jersey. The Colts were the NFL team that draft Schlichter out of Ohio State. The book signing was held at Books N More. (News Journal Photo/Mark Huber)


Art Schlichter had a lengthy Q&A session prior to his book signing Thursday at Books N More. (News Journal Photo/Mark Huber)

It was like sitting around the coffee shop following the big game. Art Schlichter was holding court at his book signing at Books N More downtown Thursday night.

There was a guy there from Circleville asking about playing the Tigers. Of course, folks from Wilmington were recalling the days when he played against Gary Williams and the Hurricane. Schlichter and Williams would later become stars at Ohio State.

Schlichter and Tony Berlin, high school rivals who became friends off the field, traded playful jabs much to the delight of those who attended. Schlichter was in town to sign copies of his book ?Busted: The Rise & Fall of Art Schlichter.? The book was published by Orange Frazer Press.

?This book is a tale of someone who had a lot and lost it all,? said Schlichter, who seemed at ease talking with the crowd. ?I lost my freedom, my family, my career ? lots of money.?

Schlichter said he hopes the book ?helps some people who are suffering with an addiction, gambling, alcohol, whatever it is. Gambling makes you a liar, cheater and a thief. It?s a daily struggle, working through an addiction. I?m hoping it will get a little better.?

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