Jim Thorpe's recent troubles

[Shindig]

It's tragic what happened to Jim Thorpe. How do you even forget something like that? Read More (ESPN)


The first issue of Golf Digest I ever read contained his "My Shot" piece. Because of this, I think he was the first golfer - aside from the super-famous like Woods and Nicklaus - whose name I knew.

Watching the Champions Tour this year just won't be as exciting without him. He was the first professional I tried to emulate, swing-wise. Well, in particular, after I would hit a good drive, I would try to have his finishing pose. In any case, I hope he recovers fine from this and is back next year. Maybe even win the 2011 Schwab Cup Championship.

[iacas]

I'm surprised. Last I heard I thought they were saying he'd just have to repay the taxes plus some penalties.

I mean, if you have $2M in taxes, you should have that money somewhere to pay it...

I can see how, if someone typically handles things for you most of your life, you kinda forget about it... but taxes?! Maybe you don't know the price of a gallon of milk or something, but taxes?!

[sean_miller]

I'm surprised. Last I heard I thought they were saying he'd just have to repay the taxes plus some penalties.

We're sitting here talking about taxes? Not a game. Not a game. Taxes.

[Big_M]

I'm surprised. Last I heard I thought they were saying he'd just have to repay the taxes plus some penalties.

yeah... I'm wondering why the prison term is in there... usually just penalties paid on taxes and you would think he could pay the penalties.

Anywho... he seems like a good guy, hopefully he gets his house in order and all is well.

[Elvisliveson]

yeah... I'm wondering why the prison term is in there... usually just penalties paid on taxes and you would think he could pay the penalties.

That's because what Thorpe did most likely constitutes fraud. If you fail to include more than 25% of your gross income it becomes a fraud case punishable by imprisonment. $2M in taxes represents an awful lot of income that he must have omitted from his returns, approx. $6M, so it most likely exceeded 25% o his total income. Most people who only get penalized don't come close to omitting 25%.

[senorchipotle]

i don't feel sorry for him at all. anybody who makes that much money has no reason not to be honest with their taxes. i feel for the family of 4 who only makes 80 grand a year and has to shell out 18 percent once a year. nope, i don't have one iota of sympathy for him.

[mrt10x]

i don't feel sorry for him at all. anybody who makes that much money has no reason not to be honest with their taxes. i feel for the family of 4 who only makes 80 grand a year and has to shell out 18 percent once a year. nope, i don't have one iota of sympathy for him.

I agree... he did this on purpose.. This income was certainly not earned from his winnings, which are automatically reported and therefore taxed.. He perpetrated fraud on off course income.. Probably autographs, memorabilia, etc. He's not the first athlete to get busted for it and won’t be the last. Got what he deserved.

[HoosierGolfer]

i don't feel sorry for him at all. anybody who makes that much money has no reason not to be honest with their taxes. i feel for the family of 4 who only makes 80 grand a year and has to shell out 18 percent once a year. nope, i don't have one iota of sympathy for him.

+2. He did the crime, now he can do the time.

[jubess]

I like Jim Thorpe and always followed him on the Senior Tour. I saw some interviews with the Golf Channel about his generous donations to charity and churches. He is always a good interview and appears down to earth. I know he likes to go to Vegas quite a bit and gamble, maybe he was hiding some winnings from his gambling as well. I think the Feds want to send a message to these guys that you will do hard time of if you don't report a significant amount of your income..Hope he gets back to the tour next year.

[Shorty]

It's tragic what happened to Jim Thorpe. How do you even forget something like that? .

How is it tragic? He is a scumbag low life piece of s**t. Ordinary folk pay their taxes and do the right thing. Pigs like Thorpe think they're above it. The tragedy is that more of these dishonest frauds don't end up in jail.

[ElWagonne]

How is it tragic? He is a scumbag low life piece of s**t. Ordinary folk pay their taxes and do the right thing. Pigs like Thorpe think they're above it. The tragedy is that more of these dishonest frauds don't end up in jail.

Scumbag....low life pos....that's a bit harsh chief. Scumbag's are people who kill people, hit women and try to hurt kids. People who try to get over are exactly that....people that try to get over. This time Mr. Thorpe got caught. Hopefully he'll learn his lesson but I will not be the one to cast aspersions as if I've never made a mistake....unlike others.

[Shindig]

How is it tragic?

A fine athlete is going to jail. I don't know the details of the case, and whether he did this deliberately or what.

Ordinary folk pay their taxes and do the right thing.

Plenty of folks don't pay their taxes - and they get caught. They don't all go to jail. Most simply have to repay, with interest, what they didn't pay. Many of them just fall for those emails we get every April telling us that paying is voluntary (it gets discussed on most internet boards annually). Maybe Thorpe just fell for a scam like this?

[Alex B]

How is it tragic? He is a scumbag low life piece of s**t. Ordinary folk pay their taxes and do the right thing. Pigs like Thorpe think they're above it. The tragedy is that more of these dishonest frauds don't end up in jail.

Well, you just implied the original definition of tragedy: a powerful/upper-class individual makes flawed actions that bring about his sudden downfall. Think Oedipus.

[senorchipotle]

A fine athlete is going to jail. I don't know the details of the case, and whether he did this deliberately or what.

i wouldn't necessarily call him an athlete. even so, i don't see how he should get any preferential treatment because of his status. did you feel sorry for mike vick? or o.j.? i didn't.

Plenty of folks don't pay their taxes - and they get caught. They don't all go to jail. Most simply have to repay, with interest, what they didn't pay. Many of them just fall for those emails we get every April telling us that paying is voluntary (it gets discussed on most internet boards annually). Maybe Thorpe just fell for a scam like this?

well, some go to jail, some don't. it all depends on how badly they've tried to cheat the system. if thorpe fell for one of those internet scams, then he deserves to be put in jail for being an idiot.

[Shindig]

i wouldn't necessarily call him an athlete. even so, i don't see how he should get any preferential treatment because of his status. did you feel sorry for mike vick? or o.j.? i didn't.

I'm not suggesting preferential treatment. I said it's tragic because he's going to jail. Alex B gave a great definition of tragedy above.

well, some go to jail, some don't. it all depends on how badly they've tried to cheat the system. if thorpe fell for one of those internet scams, then he deserves to be put in jail for being an idiot.

We're putting people in jail now for being idiots?

[Shorty]

Well, you just implied the original definition of tragedy: a powerful/upper-class individual makes flawed actions that bring about his sudden downfall. Think Oedipus.

I probably wouldn't be making comparisons with tragic figures like Macbeth or Oedipus. You don' t think you might be be overstaing it a bit? Not that I'm suggesting that tax evasion equateds with murder, or conspiracy to murder.

I'd define his actions in a slightly more urbane fashion: "Dishonest tax cheat thinks that giving to charities and churches is a good way to deceive the public into thinking he's a decent human being. He gets busted. He goes to jail."

[clubchamp]

This thread cracks me up because there's no way thorpe doesn't have an accountant who handles all of his taxes. I'm not saying either way if he knew what was going on or he didn't but I highly doubt he is fully to blame. Plus even I use an accountant and if he was cutting some corners for me I'd probably never notice. Then again it's my cousin so I don't feel the need to double check if it was someone I didn't know at all I'd probably take a look.

[colin007]

we're sitting here talking about taxes? Not a game. Not a game. Taxes.

hahahahahah!!!