John Daly's Gambling

I like John Daly as a golfer with long drives, yet soft hands around the greens. In his autobiography, he claims to have lost $50-60 million in gambling losses.

Perhaps the attorney-side of me is coming out, but my first thought is how could he not know the amount? If he doesn't know, you'd think there is someone in his organization who would know the amount. His admission is similar to a government agency who reports that its lost $25-35 million. Money that somehow just disappeared from the government coffers. It's bad enough that money is lost, but how can you not know if it's $1 million let alone $10 million.

Now, the author-side of me. By stating (unverifiably) the grandiose amount, he has received a tremendous amount of publicity. It's a great way to sell books. Create controversy, even if it reveals a negative characteristic.

On a personal note, I assume Daly can afford the loses while he's on tour and earning endorsements and tour monies. He seems to have an addictive personality, whether it's drugs, smoking, drinking, or gambling. If he decides to slay all of them, I wish him the best.