Just plain sad.

“This is not a case of a pampered athlete,” Hobson said. “He took it like a man. He took it like any citizen in this situation. He didn't whimper, he didn’t cry, he didn't beg. He took it like a man.”

You had to live in New York during the 80’s to understand just how big an event Dwight Gooden was. He took the city by storm at the tender age of 19 and it seemed as if his career would be nothing short of spectacular. So, this year is the first year Gooden is eligible to be voted into the Baseball’s Hall of Fame and when the ceremony for the inductees rolls around, Gooden more than likely will be in a jail cell.

How very sad.

How big was Gooden at that time? He was one of those rare sports figures who were big enough to transcend sports. On April 7, 1986, he was the cover of TIME Magazine, along with the title: “Doctor K: Baseball's Hottest Pitcher.” And the record will clearly show that the 1986 Mets won the World Series.

Gooden at that moment was a 21-year-old world champion with a Major League record of 58-19 and 744 strikeouts in three seasons. It should have been just the beginning for this once-in-a-lifetime talent. But if it was a beginning, it was the beginning of trouble.