Mark: The Beast...what might have been

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Great article from last year but well written and worthy of another read.

An excerpt:

A 6 feet tall, 247-pounder who could run a 4.5 40-yard-dash, Pierce was a crucial cog in the Hogs' SEC-leading run offenses of the early 2000s. He announced his arrival as a true freshman with three touchdowns against Ole Miss in 2001 and throughout his career scored roughly one touchdown for every eight times he touched the ball. He was an Arkansas Razorback football star.

http://www.sportinglifearkansas.com/mark-of-the-beast-downfall-of-an-arkansas-razorback-football-star/

[ThrillaHog]

Wow, good read. I never knew MP was in prison! Dude was a beast in more ways than one...

[Vantage 8 dude]

Great article from last year but well written and worthy of another read.

An excerpt:

A 6 feet tall, 247-pounder who could run a 4.5 40-yard-dash, Pierce was a crucial cog in the Hogs' SEC-leading run offenses of the early 2000s. He announced his arrival as a true freshman with three touchdowns against Ole Miss in 2001 and throughout his career scored roughly one touchdown for every eight times he touched the ball. He was an Arkansas Razorback football star.

http://www.sportinglifearkansas.com/mark-of-the-beast-downfall-of-an-arkansas-razorback-football-star/

I well remember the playing days of Mark. Yep, he was truly a MAN!! Problem was that like many players he never could find a way to positively channel his on the field aggression when he was off it. A truly tragic accident that landed him where he is today.

Despite the odds that seem to be stacked against many who come out of prison I truly hope that Mark not only makes it to the end of his sentence, but that he can reenter society a better and changed man. He certainly deserves that opportunity.

[LZH]

I don't know what the testing policies were in those days (still don't, really), but most of the time he came up in conversation around the clubhouse steriods were always mentioned.  Mostly for that 'roid rage angle that was in the article.

I had forgotten about his dad.  I just hate the whole thing, what a shame.

[Mike Irwin]

He was extremely close to his dad. The two of them had always shared football together as father and son. When his dad died Mark was lost. He got depressed, then angry. Started drinking too much and the rest was predictable. A really sad story.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

And for your enjoyment, the highlights of that 2001 game of the Hogs and Pierce (and MJ) vs. Ole Miss that resulted in a 7 Overtime win for the Hogs.

LOTS of great action here from days gone by. Including MJ.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f66Lk3lBdH4

[oldfart]

he has truly abeast on the field. he was my young daughters favorite player. really sad to see how his life turned out.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

he has truly abeast on the field. he was my young daughters favorite player. really sad to see how his life turned out.

He was a beast and with a lot of potential, so sad that most of it was wasted. But did you watch the highlights of that Ole Miss 7 OT game? That was some exciting stuff right there.

[Hawginj]

Truly sad.

[BPsTheMan]

Is there still time on the statute of limitations to prosecute his direct distributors of steroids?

...rhetorical question...

Drug dealers always seem to whistle off into the distance scot free don't they.

I've seen friends affected by steroids. It's not good. They could have killed themselves. They could have killed others. I watched one barely taken down by several other players holding him back, with him screaming he would kill another teammate who he thought jumped in front of him on the squat bar. And he might HAVE killed him.

[john c]

Ironic how a guy that could take out lots of 200 pound plus stud athletes might have been brought down by a small pill.  His story should alert us as to our own infirmities and how you just never know what kind of battle your buddies may be fighting.  The world can be difficult and some people seem to be dealt an extra tough hand.  Going to pray for him tonight.

[JIHawg]

Great thread.  Mark should be getting out when?  Hope he gets his life together and finally slays his demons.

[Amityvillehogger]

Guy was a hoss. Hope he turns it around.

[FelixJonesorDMAC?]

Terrible all the way around. 

[Biggus Piggus]

I don't know what the testing policies were in those days (still don't, really), but most of the time he came up in conversation around the clubhouse steriods were always mentioned.  Mostly for that 'roid rage angle that was in the article.

I had forgotten about his dad.  I just hate the whole thing, what a shame.

Anyone who encountered Pierce off the field would have a hard time forgetting about it. Nasty dude.

[Mike Irwin]

The steroids were clearly an issue but it got a lost worse after his dad died. That's when his troubles started on Dickson Street.

After practices he was easy to deal with from a media standpoint. Very upbeat. Very polite. But then I'd hear these stories the next morning about a crazy night the kid had around town.

The good news is, unlike Shannon Wright, Mark Pierce will still have a chance to turn his life around.

Good luck to him.

[fortsmithokie]

Great thread.  Mark should be getting out when?  Hope he gets his life together and finally slays his demons.

Eligible for parole October 2016. If he ends up serving entire sentence, it ends April 2024.
Texas Department of Corrections website says he's at Hughes Unit now. Talked to an acquaintance who was a guest of TDC for about 12 years. He said going from Beto (where it says Pierce was housed when the article was written) to Hughes isn't a good thing -- or at least it wasn't when he was in. He got out about 10 years ago.

[sowmonella]

Sadly, stories like this are all to common. I really hope Mark will get his life back in order when the opportunity presents itself.  :razorback:

[lumphog]

He was extremely close to his dad. The two of them had always shared football together as father and son. When his dad died Mark was lost. He got depressed, then angry. Started drinking too much and the rest was predictable. A really sad story.

I can relate Mike. My father & i owned a liquor store in the early 90s. I had everything i had ever wanted & one morning he was murdered.....I lost everything & went off the deep end. I was very close to my father too. Mark was going through things you just can't imagine, unless you've been through it. God puts people in prison to get their attention sometimes. I'll say a prayer for Mark, he was a BEAST & one of my all time favorites.....I KNOW what he went through.

[LZH]

I can relate Mike. My father & i owned a liquor store in the early 90s. I had everything i had ever wanted & one morning he was murdered.....I lost everything & went off the deep end. I was very close to my father too. Mark was going through things you just can't imagine, unless you've been through it. God puts people in prison to get their attention sometimes. I'll say a prayer for Mark, he was a BEAST & one of my all time favorites.....I KNOW what he went through.

That's awful, hate to hear that brother.

Ya know, my dad always had a way of reeling me in at times when I was my own worst enemy.  There's no doubt in my mind that my life would have turned out much, much different if he had died when I was 22 instead of 32.  Wish he was still here, but to hear other's stories I realize that I'm so lucky to have had him as long as I did.

[jgphillips3]

I'm thankful to God I had my father until he died on my 43rd birthday.  He was a great man and made a difference in my life and the man I became.  I owe everything to my Mother and him for teaching me how to conduct myself in this world.  I can't imagine what losing him before I was a man would have done to me.  My sympathies for MP.

[Fatty McGee]

It's interesting to read how much we are empathizing with Mark Pierce, and the true sorrow for his condition (which is appropriate) despite serious felony convictions and a death involved.

But Mike Dyer gets caught with a gun and some weed, or DGB gets one conviction for weed, and they're unrepentant thugs who can't be rehabbed?

[Dr. Starcs]

I thought the same thing Fatty

[MuskogeeHogFan]

It's interesting to read how much we are empathizing with Mark Pierce, and the true sorrow for his condition (which is appropriate) despite serious felony convictions and a death involved.

But Mike Dyer gets caught with a gun and some weed, or DGB gets one conviction for weed, and they're unrepentant thugs who can't be rehabbed?

Let's not derail the thread, there are plenty of other threads about Dyer and DGB if you want to dredge them up. This one is about Pierce. Let's keep it that way. Thank you.

[Dan42AR]

It's interesting to read how much we are empathizing with Mark Pierce, and the true sorrow for his condition (which is appropriate) despite serious felony convictions and a death involved.

But Mike Dyer gets caught with a gun and some weed, or DGB gets one conviction for weed, and they're unrepentant thugs who can't be rehabbed?

Yeah but they chose not to be Razorbacks. I'm not saying it's right but you always want the best for one your own and could care less for the ones you feel took a dump on you.

[lumphog]

It's interesting to read how much we are empathizing with Mark Pierce, and the true sorrow for his condition (which is appropriate) despite serious felony convictions and a death involved.

But Mike Dyer gets caught with a gun and some weed, or DGB gets one conviction for weed, and they're unrepentant thugs who can't be rehabbed?

That's STUPID!!! The kid lost his FATHER!!! That's #%$@# devestating...... Nothing like the others.... WOW!!!

[lumphog]

That's awful, hate to hear that brother.

Ya know, my dad always had a way of reeling me in at times when I was my own worst enemy.  There's no doubt in my mind that my life would have turned out much, much different if he had died when I was 22 instead of 32.  Wish he was still here, but to hear other's stories I realize that I'm so lucky to have had him as long as I did.

You're right Zep, I was 32 when I lost my dad. I come from a long line of outlaws all the way back to Jesse James & that's the good side of the family. I went from having EVERYTHING i ever wanted ( thriving business & bass fishing every morning on the White River Refuge) to having nothing in the blink of an eye, for $200. I was very close to my dad & he kept me in line (to an extent), but when he was gone  . . . I lost it for about 10 years & turned in to a mean sob. Thank God, He didn't give up on me.

[supersaint]

The steroids were clearly an issue but it got a lost worse after his dad died. That's when his troubles started on Dickson Street.

After practices he was easy to deal with from a media standpoint. Very upbeat. Very polite. But then I'd hear these stories the next morning about a crazy night the kid had around town.

The good news is, unlike Shannon Wright, Mark Pierce will still have a chance to turn his life around.

Good luck to him.

Mark's and Shannon's stories are both tragic. I think it's important to note that Shannon killed himself while Mark killed someone else's dad.

[Semohog]

My first encounter with him was the Tyson vs Holyfield fight. He was my buddies roommate. He left and showed back up 2 days later with the same close one. He was a guy you didn't want to mess with.

[pigbreath]

You're right Zep, I was 32 when I lost my dad. I come from a long line of outlaws all the way back to Jesse James & that's the good side of the family. I went from having EVERYTHING i ever wanted ( thriving business & bass fishing every morning on the White River Refuge) to having nothing in the blink of an eye, for $200. I was very close to my dad & he kept me in line (to an extent), but when he was gone  . . . I lost it for about 10 years & turned in to a mean sob. Thank God, He didn't give up on me.

I too was 32 when I lost my dad to cancer... It was the worst thing that I've ever been through in my life, to date. I wholeheartedly believe that if I'd had been 22, I would have totally lost it myself. At that age, I was young, single, and stupid! However, I had a 2 year old daughter, and my son was just shy of 2 months old when dad passed, so I had to keep my head about me, and take care of my family. I hope that MP can get his life back into order. I always really enjoyed watching him play. He was an absolute man amongst boys out there!

[alwaysnextyear]

Pierce was a piece of crap before his dad died or the drinking or any of that. Liked to smack around women.