1 million dollars isn't all that much over a lifetime. Also, there are definitely PLENTY of athletes that go overboard with unnecessary stuff. But if you can afford a nice house then you get it. If you can buy your mom a nice house, you do that too. Same with a car and even cars for your wife and kids isn't a stretch. When you think of maintaining all of these normal (relatively speaking) things, then you add in where the rest of the money goes. Investing in a business or two is normal for anyone, not just these guys. It's easier for them to get tied to riskier businesses because at the time they don't see taking a loss as hurting them like it would one of us. Also, if one of us were thinking of getting involved in a business that needs big funding we're going out to find investors... these guys are the ones we're looking to find.
It's easy to say they should've been smarter (and again, that's true for A LOT of them) but they're just playing with higher stakes and it's a double whammy when their income takes a big hit all of a sudden. Keep in mind Magic's starbucks chains and movie theaters, 50 Cent's investment in Vitamin Water, Jay Z, Russell Simmons, etc. starting clothing lines. At the beginning would any of those look like better investments than real estate? Definitely not. Knowing everything else about Brunell I give him the benefit of the doubt.