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Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

The many highs and lows in the life of Todd Marinovich

Say the name Todd Marinovich and football fans will shake their heads. Back in the late 1980s and early ‘90s, Marinovich was considered a future NFL star, arriving at USC with magazines hyping him as a “robo-quarterback,” with the abilities of a test-tube athlete.

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By Madeleine Brand • Aug 24, 2016 • 1 min read

Say the name Todd Marinovich and football fans will shake their heads. Back in the late 1980s and early ‘90s, Marinovich was considered a future NFL star, arriving at USC with magazines hyping him as a “robo-quarterback,” with the abilities of a test-tube athlete. That was due in large part to an infamous training and diet regimen devised by his hard-charging father Marv. Marinovich played professional football for the then-Los Angeles Raiders, but was soon cut because he couldn’t resist drugs and alcohol. Since then, he’s been arrested countless times, spent time in prison and rehab, and has been homeless. But lately, Marinovich was thought to be clean and sober. He was painting murals around Orange County and his artwork appeared in local galleries. But he was arrested again last Friday after being seen wandering around naked, holding a paper bag with drugs and paraphernalia inside.

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    Madeleine Brand

    Host, 'Press Play'

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    Matt Holzman

    Producer, 'The Document'

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    Anna Scott

    Former KCRW Housing and Homelessness Reporter

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    Jolie Myers

    Managing Producer, 'Press Play'

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    Mike Sager

    journalist

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Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand