And That's Why You Never Trust a Crackhead

From the brilliant Jamboroo over at Deadspin:

Now, if this is the last time we end up seeing the Buzzsaw this season, it warrants mentioning before they depart that Edgerrin James pays crackheads $20 to spot him in the weight room during the offseason. It’s an old story, but really, does a story about crackheads EVER get old? From Michael Silver:

"I know it doesn't sound like much," James says jokingly, "but for crackheads, that's two hits and a solid meal."

The way the night owl James saw it, to regain the form that enabled him to lead the NFL in rushing in each of his first two seasons, 1999 and 2000, it was imperative that he work out on his own schedule, peculiar as it might have seemed. So James created Alligator Alley's answer to a 24-hour fitness center. As for his spotters and running partners, he didn't have a lot of options. "At that time of night the crackheads are the only ones awake," James says. "I'd roll down Second Street, find a dude stumbling around and say, 'Yo, come rack my weights.' Other times I'd pay one to run with me."

This man is the ballsiest man in history.

Edge: Hey, crackie! Could you stand by and make sure a rich fellow like me doesn’t get crushed by the 400 lb. barbell he’s trying to bench press?

Crackhead: What’s in it for me?

Edge: Breakfast. And more crack! A crack brunch!

There are about 800 things that can happen if you ask a crackhead to help you lift weights. One of them is not horrible. The rest involve a 25-lb. plate being implanted in your skull and your body being set on fire. Although RUNNING with a crackhead isn’t such a bad idea. All crackheads run a 2.8 forty time when blazed.

I agree. Not enough bad things happen at weight rooms that you can't make worse by getting a crackhead involved.