Edward "Eddie" DeBartolo Jr. had a terrible 1997.
If you're a die-hard Bay Area sports fan, you might remember what happened to him in December of that year, when, on the verge of facing charges for his involvement in a federal gambling fraud case, he stepped down as owner of the San Francisco 49ers — a move that was formalized in 2000 when he ceded control of the team to his sister, Denise York.
But the gambling fraud scandal, in which DeBartolo Jr. ultimately pleaded guilty to failing to report a felony and was sentenced to two years probation, was just the icing on the cake.