In life, there is no easy way out

I haven't been able to get my cousin off my mind.

Visions of him flash through my head while watching football games, reading books and viewing movies.

Maybe it's because, as a sportswriter since 1994, I've come in contact with more than a few teenagers that remind me of him.

In the mid-1980s, my cousin - whose name I will not use for reasons of privacy - was an outstanding high school athlete with a bright future.

Standing 6-foot-5 with a crisp jumper, the small forward attracted attention from Division I college basketball teams. Some coaches said he had what it took to play professionally overseas or even in the NBA.

However, my wish for him never involved a lucrative signing bonus, an NBA all-star selection, or even a championship ring.

I wish he could have avoided the decision that led to his death. In 1989, he was shot to death as a result of dealing drugs.

Too often in sports, we hear of stories with similar endings. For various reasons, some teenagers trade the roar of the crowd for the excitement in the streets.

Going to college was never in my cousin's game plan. Not even the lure of playing on ESPN kept him out of trouble.

I can still hear him saying, Why get an education when I can make money hustling? I love basketball, he'd say, but I can make more money hustling.

Shortly after saying that, he was kicked out of a Philadelphia Catholic high school for disciplinary reasons. It wasn't long after that that he dropped out of an alternative school and turned completely to the streets.

Driving expensive cars and wearing fancy clothes, my cousin was the big baller of the neighborhood. You either feared or respected him. At least that's what he thought.

One day, he was shot and killed by someone who claimed to be his friend. I love and miss my cousin. It's hard to shed a tear, though. Time after time, he was warned.

As kids we were always warned that being dead or in prison is the only way one ends up when doing wrong. I can still hear my uncle asking, How do you want to end up?

My cousin should have left the easy money alone, went to college, and provided for his family the honest way. Perhaps he didn't have what it took to play ball professionally. But becoming a corporate executive, a doctor or an accountant could have been great consolation prizes.

Unfortunately, my cousin's story is not unique.

As a reporter, I sometimes come across athletes looking for an easy way out. After a while, they think sports are a waste of time.

They're wrong.

I suggest that every teenager participate in an extracurricular activity at school, whether it's sports, the band, the chorus or ROTC. Participating in extracurricular activities builds confidence, character and discipline. And most important, it keeps you out of trouble.

Some teenagers will still choose to take the easy way out. They'll say, Who needs high school or college? Their plan is to make quick money the easy way.

They don't believe that only leads to unhappy endings. Believe me, it's true.

If not, my cousin wouldn't be on my mind. He would be at my side.