I don't feel that way anymore.
Yesterday, GQ magazine released the online version of a much-hyped story about Dykstra. It was written by Kevin Coughlin, a former photo editor for Dykstra's magazine, The Players Club. The piece - titled "You Think Your Job Sucks? Try Working for Lenny Dykstra" - is either a gross, unconscionable case of libel, or a raw and revealing look at a deeply flawed man. Unfortunately, I suspect it's the latter.
The story alleges that Dykstra scammed employees out of tens of thousands of dollars (if not more) and that there are "roughly a dozen lawsuits" pending against him for failing to pay outstanding debts. The most repulsive part of the story, though, details Dykstra's alleged fondness for casually employing racist, sexist and homophobic remarks.
Coughlin outlines a meeting between himself, Dykstra and a gay page designer for the magazine in which Dykstra described a layout using a homophobic term. Coughlin writes that Dykstra later made fun of the gay employee with an equally offensive slur. Coughlin also claims he and his wife had a speaker-phone conversation with Dykstra during which Dykstra used a racist term and a sexist one when saying that no one can call him a racist because his first four covers featured three African Americans and a woman.
If you're wondering, Derek Jeter, Chris Paul, Tiger Woods and Danica Patrick appeared on the first four covers of The Players Club.
Yesterday, Dykstra emphatically denied the allegations made by Coughlin. He called them "lies." Maybe you believe Dykstra, and you think he's being viciously attacked by a disgruntled former employee. Maybe you want to give him the benefit of the doubt. I can't do that. Not anymore.
