Caron Butler has an autobiography that he’s promoting called “Tuff Juice”. Seems like a great read which features a story about how a police officer made a choice not to convict him for drug distribution when he easily could have. And Butler also discusses addiction in the book …
His addiction to Mountain Dew.
During his 14 years in the league, numerous players have encouraged him to quit, wondered what was wrong with him and given him a hard time. But it’s just something he can’t totally cut out though he has gone from a whopping two-liter a day habit to one every couple of days.
Two liters a day??!?!?? Butler should either be the fastest player in the league or dead!
“You’re sitting in the back of the bus and eating the right thing and (guys will) be like ‘why are you drinking that?’ And I’m like ‘what’s wrong with Mountain Dew?’” he said. “Guys are just shaking their heads and they have got water and those special crushed juices and I’m drinking a big Mountain Dew, just downing it frozen and stuff. They’re like ‘this guy, he’s not going to make it.’”
Butler said he tried to hide his habit when he played with Kobe Bryant, who is well known for keeping his teammates’ diets in check. “He’d just shake his head,” Butler said.
That must be why he only lasted one season with the Lakers.
“Guys knew I needed help. I still do. That’s like the battle I can’t get away from. I can get away from the streets, I can get away from all of these different things,” he added. “I can’t get away from Mountain Dew.”
Seriously, I don’t know how this cat ever sleeps. Especially if he ever graduated to that Kick Start or Game Fuel, the latter of which has 121 mg of caffeine per 20 oz. bottle. If he’s drinking two liters of that per day? The crash will be after his career is over and he sleeps for a month. Butler is going to be the reason they invent a Mountain Dew flavored patch to ween him off the stuff. Trust me, I had to quit caffeine cold turkey and it wasn’t fun. You can do this, Caron.
Picture of Butler standing still long enough to shoot a free throw by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images.
