If doing heroin was a spectator sport where competitors were highly paid and needed to be in peak physical condition and perform impressive feats in order to be the best at doing heroin, then this analogy might be slightly more relevant...
And in that case, if an "extreme heroin" player published a mathematics paper, I still would be impressed.
> then this analogy might be slightly more relevant
Agreed, football is worse: we actively encourage and reward modern day gladiatorial combat such that otherwise brilliant people feel the need to participate. NFL players publishing papers and having successful academic careers afterwards are not the norm.
You are being incredibly hyperbolic. There are issues with football, but equating the sport to actual bloodsport (or heroin use... really?) is a ridiculous stretch.
It really doesn't do anything to further the discourse.
And in that case, if an "extreme heroin" player published a mathematics paper, I still would be impressed.