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There's no question that being a prominent amateur athlete these days is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, most of these up-and-comers receive special treatment from the moment their immense talent is discovered. This special treatment comes in all shapes and forms, from receiving passing grades in school despite sub-par work to getting lots of sponsorship dollars, equipment, and merchandise in sports where that kind of thing doesn't constitute recruiting violations. I don't think that any of these athletes would tell you that they resent any of these perks!

On the other hand, however, these athletes live under almost constant media scrutiny from a very young age. They don't really have the opportunity to enjoy a normal childhood, they aren't allowed the same leeway to make mistakes that all young people tend to make, and they are subjected to an intense level of pressure that most of us will never know.

So it's not surprising that a lot of these athletes simply can't live up to the hype that surrounds their development.  For every Peyton Manning who actually surpasses the expectations that people have about them, there are countless Ryan Leafs who either make it to the pro ranks before imploding or do so well before that time.

Though there are plenty of examples in mainstream sports that I could draw from, I follow Supercross and motocross very closely, so I'd like to talk about a recent example from that world.

When discussing Supercross and motocross, the word "hype" and the name Mike Alessi are inextricably intertwined -- and seem destined to be so for that young man's entire career. In motocross, most professionals started their career at a very young age. Many of today's current stars report that they first got a motorcycle (yes, a "real" one that runs on gasoline, has a throttle, shifter, brakes, and everything) at the age of three or four, and began racing soon after.  Though that may sound a bit shocking to parents of very young children (I know I'd be scared to let my own three-year-old anywhere near a motorcycle), it's quite normal for the motocross scene.

Alessi, who is currently a star on the Red Bull/KTM factory team, was one of those child prodigies that received a lot of attention while growing up. He and brother Jeff were well-known on the amateur motocross circuit starting at a very young age. They were home-schooled so they could travel across the country to compete in all the big national races. The Alessis were so good that both boys had sponsorship deals with Honda. Getting an amateur sponsorship deal in motocross is like hitting the mother lode -- especially when you consider the high costs of competing at that level. You always need new bike parts, several bikes (different sizes for different classes, practice bike, race bike, etc.) riding gear, helmets, goggles, etc.

When Mike finally made it to the pro ranks, there was a lot of hype surrounding his arrival. He set up camp at the track a few weeks before the actual race and practiced on it every single day. He said some things to the media that the more established riders viewed as unduly arrogant.  And it didn't help much that the people in his camp wore t-shirts that said "Believe the Hype" with a target on the back.

Alessi ended up not scoring a single point in his debut race, after finishing 27th and 25th in the two motos. The fans and other riders came down on him, and it seemed to be a terrible start to his career. But Alessi sat out the next race and then came right back and scored a 3rd overall in just his second professional event -- in the 250cc class, no less!

Since that time, Alessi has still been involved in his share of controversy. He was in the middle of several incidents that some people termed "take outs," but that others dismissed as part of racing. Alessi was on the receiving end on some of those moves, and also on the giving end. Things came to an unfortunate head at the final race of the 2005 motocross season. Alessi was still in the hunt for the championship when he tangled with points leader Ivan Tedesco on the first lap of the second moto. Mayhem ensued when Alessi tried to pick up his bike and appeared to be trying simultaneously to prevent Tedesco from getting his bike off the ground.  

After reviewing the tapes of the incident, the AMA decided that Alessi would not receive any points from the event, which dropped him from second to third in the overall standings. He was also deemed ineligible for the Rookie of the Year award, which is rumored to have cost him a bonus in the six-figure range.

This year, Alessi is contesting his first full season of AMA Supercross. He got off to a rough start through the first few races and finished mid-pack. That's certainly not where he nor his team expected him to be. Alessi also started to hear boos from some fans who were still upset about the Tedesco incident from the motocross season.  Things were not going this young man's way.  In fact, it was hard at times to keep in mind that he is still just 17-years-old and prone to making mistakes just like any other teenager.

In the last two weeks, things have picked up for Alessi. He scored two third-place podium finishes and seems to be getting used to the different skill set that's required for Supercross. His results should continue to improve from this point forward.

In addition, it must be noted that Alessi seems to have changed his approach as far as interviews and fan interaction is concerned. According to many different sources, Alessi is genuinely more humble now and is hoping to repair his image and reputation on the professional scene, both with the fans and with the other riders.

I personally like what I've been seeing from Mike Alessi this year. He deserves a second chance to establish himself in the sport and I'm glad to see that he's making the most of it.  I hope the fans will respond to this and realize that, like it or not, Alessi is part of the future of the sport.  At just 17 years of age, he has dealt with more than most young men his age. It's good to see that he is learning to handle himself as a professional athlete and to realize that when he's on a national stage like this, his actions can have long-lasting consequences. If this new direction is any indication, Alessi will end up being a true star in the sport.