Memo to Monta Ellis, the talented young star guard with the Golden State Warriors: When you have the priviledge of playing in the NBA and you get a huge contact extenstion to the tune of $66 million dollars, you don’t put that in jeapordy by doing activities that put your body at risk. 

Ask Jay Williams, formerly of the Chicago Bulls or Kellen Winslow of the Browns who almost threw away a career before he could step on an NFL field because he wanted to do bike tricks.  Fellas listen up!  Your body is your meal ticket.  You do not jeapordize it by doing stupid things even if you think you are immortal. 

And if you happen to take your chances anyway and get burned, whatever you do – please don’t lie to the team about it.  They have doctors that are smarter than you!  They can tell if you roll your ankle playing basketball or if your free wheeling it on your ATV.  These guys put major jack on the line and they expect you to honor the physical restrictions on your contract.  Still since you messed up it would have been much better to fess up right away and taking the fine and the bad pub for putting your career and the Warriors season in jeapordy.  Instead you made up the, “I was playing basketball” lie and now the team is pissed!  And they should be.  Is it too much to ask for a baller to value his most precious commodity?  Come on Monta!

If you want to go Evel Knievel or try your hand at the X-Games – do yourself, the team, and us fans a favor and go for it after you’re done with the sport that pays your bills!