[4] He was involved in a series of petty thefts as a teenager, primarily stealing soda pop and beer from local distributors with an assortment of childhood friends until one of them was caught and informed on the rest.

He later detailed his experiences to reporters prior to the Barcelona Olympic games and used the material for his book and speaking tour as an example on how to turn one's life around.

During adolescence Johnson was afflicted with Osgood-Schlatter disease in both knees that kept him from participating in high school sports for the most part.

[5][6] At Azusa he started to compete in the decathlon – at 6'2-1/2" (190 cm),[7] he put his innate abilities and his constant physical training to use and began setting records.

[citation needed] At this time Dan O'Brien appeared on the scene and began to provide Dave with his first real competition.

[4] For the 1992 Summer Olympics the team of "Dan & Dave" was promoted as the inevitable winners in the decathlon and the question of who would take first and who would be second was widely debated.

Dan failed to qualify for the team when he no-heighted on the pole vault, leaving Dave as the presumed gold medal winner.

[4] Johnson's endorsement career continued for at least a year after the Barcelona Olympic Games and included Oakley sunglasses, Pert shampoo, Ryder trucks, and Reebok shoes.