Split End: The Curious Case of Warren Wells. Warren Wells was a star wide receiver which not many people today have heard of. He played for the Raiders in 1967-70 and was a two-time Pro Bowler. His teammates speak highly of him and feel he could've gone on to being an all-time great if it wasn't for his alcoholism and trouble with women off the field.
When he violated the terms of his probation and Judge Leonard Dieden sentenced him to serve his time in Synanon, a cult which professes to be a drug & rehab counseling center, but operated without any government oversight. Synanon practiced a group therapy called Attack therapy (i.e. "gang therapy") where people circle around and verbally insult a patient and zero in on his weaknesses. This is meant to make a person see their mental weaknesses and improve themselves better but, in reality, for vulnerable people like Wells it makes them more defensive and angrier.
Wells broke out of Synanon after six months in rehab and attempted a comeback but when he was on the practice field he was a shadow of his former self. His Flash-like speed was gone. When teammates looked into his eyes they noticed he was dwelling on negative memories. He was cut by the Raiders and never played football again. It's a tragic tale of a football star of what-could-have-been.
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