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Ev and Ocho: Keepin' It Real Goes Wrong

In the wake of his arrest for domestic violence, Chad Johnson's real-life excellence on the football field is now a mere memory.

(The Root) -- The so-called fairy tale has turned out to be a nightmare. Reality-show stars Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson and Evelyn Lozada's romance has officially come to a screeching halt. [UPDATE: Lozada filed for divorce on Tuesday, claiming her 41-day-old marriage to Johnson is "irretrievably broken," according to reports.] Johnson was arrested over the weekend on a domestic-violence charge after allegedly head-butting Lozada in a car. Apparently, the two were arguing over a receipt for a box of condoms found in the trunk of his car.

Following Johnson's arrest, VH1 pulled their reality show, Ev and Ocho, from the schedule because of the "seriousness" of the incident. And the Miami Dolphins terminated his contract, which could be the final nail in the coffin of a once-promising NFL career.

Johnson's real-life excellence on the football field is now a mere memory, thanks to the bright lights and overexposure of reality television. Some may forget that he is a six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver and instead mostly recall his foray into reality television on The Ultimate Catch, Dancing With the Stars, The T. Ocho Show (with fellow NFL troubled player Terrell Owens) and eventually Basketball Wives as the love interest of hot-tempered Lozada. Johnson's willingness to moonlight in that world has cost him the job of a lifetime -- the possibility of playing and retiring with the Miami Dolphins, his hometown team.

Johnson's fall from grace reflects the reality of life unscripted. Unlike reality television, where folks fight it out -- physically and verbally -- with few consequences, real life may not have a security team, gaffers or camera operators on standby to break up altercations.
Read the full story at theroot.com.
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(Photo: Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

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