Good points raised in both of these articles including the aspect that the mind-set & personality types (Type 'A') of a pro-caliber athlete is very different from money conserving type. Mike Tyson & Warren Sapp are good examples of this. The point of child support for children getting into big money also applies to the above personality as well.
I know that the various players' associations are trying to help their members here but that too has its own set of problems. Try telling a 20yo with a single mother and 5 siblings that he needs to watch his money, not give it to those who have supported him all his life! Add his extended family, friends and neighbors and money flows like water!
They had a great segment on ESPN with a financial planner on this subject a while back. The pointed out that one of the challenges with professional athletes is that their careers are “backwards” from a financial planning perspective. With almost any other career, a person doesn’t enter their peak earning years until they are in their 40s and 50s. With an athlete, their peak earning years can be over by the time they’re 30-35. As a result, even good financial planners would often make mistakes when advising their clients on protecting (and growing) their assets for the rest of their lives.