Boys Gone Wild

Boys Gone Wild examines why some professional football players participate in deviant, and sometimes illegal, behavior while others do not. According to Carter's research, nearly one in three professional football players have been charged with serious crimes. Carter gained access into an exclusive group of National Football League players, interviewing and surveying 104 participants. His qualitative data revealed three core themes: deviance, anomie, and social ties. A substantial number of players had prior experience with deviant and illegal behaviors. Many reported problems coping with how drastically their lives changed (i.e., anomie) upon entering the NFL. Moreover, virtually fifty percent reported being unhappy with their life—despite being wealthy and famous. It appeared that some level of anomie was present in a number of these players' lives; however, players that had strong ties to various social groups appeared less likely to succumb to anomie and deviance. Supporting the qualitative data, the quantitative findings revealed that anomie was one of the significant predictors of law-breaking players. Carter suggests that many of the players were involved in behaviors that could be labeled anomic deviance. Furthermore, the findings supported the primacy of social ties and support in buffering anomie and deviance in the lives of professional football players.