Another athelete, another lesson not learned

[Racket_Man]

http://kevin-blackistone.fanhouse.co..._lnk3%7C172285

I guess some of these guy just will never learn. To mis-quote Vince Lombardi "I guess winning at any cost IS everything".

if any of us "little" people did this we would be facing 20 years in jail even with a good lawyer.

[Greenday]

Since when do you get 20 years in jail for drunk driving?

And bollocks to anyone who says he shouldn't be allowed to play. How would you like it if someone said you can't go to work because you got a DUI?

[protege]

Still though, I didn't see any mention of fines and/or jail time in that article. Anyone want to guess what someone else (i.e., someone who is *not* a football player) would have received? They'd have ended up with heavy fines, their license suspended, and at least a night in jail. Gotta love the double-standards.

[blas87]

Athletes and celebrities get away with way too much.

When you drive drunk, you make a bad choice that can affect your own life and everyone's around you. You make the choice to lose your license temporarily if you get caught. It'd be your own problem if you couldn't get to work anymore or if you were turned down for a job anywhere because of it.

[Greenday]

Well, Braylon Edwards did go to jail until a judge was around to hear his case. He is going to be heavily fined, I'm sure. And no doubt he will have his license suspended. It's not like punishment is instantaneous for anything in the same situation.

[drunkenwildmage]

Since when do you get 20 years in jail for drunk driving?

And bollocks to anyone who says he shouldn't be allowed to play. How would you like it if someone said you can't go to work because you got a DUI?

The league has a "Good conduct policy" that members have to follow, not to mention it wouldn't surprise me that this could fall under their substance abuse policies as well. also there could be some kind of clause in his contact with the jets regarding this behavior.either a fine, or suspension or something..

[BlaqueKatt]

Still though, I didn't see any mention of fines and/or jail time in that article.

that's when you look for a follow up or better article like for instance this one

He is due back in court on November 7, and if convicted, the Jets' No. 17 could face up to a year in jail.

"We are reviewing the information with the league and will impose the appropriate disciplinary measures."

Edwards' probation(for an assault charge) began in January, and depending on the outcome of his drunk driving charges, he may have to return to Cleveland to face possible probation violation and jail time.

[BigGiant]

Ummm......

And bollocks to anyone who says he shouldn't be allowed to play. How would you like it if someone said you can't go to work because you got a DUI?

I work in manufacturing, and I've seen 2 supervisors get a 3 day suspension and have to go through substance abuse programs for DUI convictions.

It really isn't all that uncommon.


The worst thing about Edward's arrest is that the Jets actually offer (for free) to all of their players a driver and a car for them to use if they have been out drinking (see link) http://deadspin.com/5644293/the-jets...n-edwardss-dui

So, yeah. What a world class idiot.

[Racket_Man]

And bollocks to anyone who says he shouldn't be allowed to play. How would you like it if someone said you can't go to work because you got a DUI?

hmmmmm lots of companies can and DO take an interest in your "personal" life. AND there are jobs out there where if there is even a HINT of DUI you can get suspened or FIRED. in some line of work if you get even one OWI you can and WILL be banned for life from doing that particular line of work ever again. and now with DUI OWI staying on your driving record for 50 to 70 YEARS (yes that is correct) if just might be a good idea to stay sober

think about jobs that involve driving such as over the road truckers or pizza delivery drivers or route drivers such as Schawans or Frito-Lay or post office people like mail carriers (either fully employed or independant contractors). then there are firemen or cops or EMTs. then consider construction workers or forklift operators

Heck one of our delivery drivers got taken off the road for 6 months for a single speeding ticket off the clock.

Ummm......



I work in manufacturing, and I've seen 2 supervisors get a 3 day suspension and have to go through substance abuse programs for DUI convictions.

It really isn't all that uncommon.


The worst thing about Edward's arrest is that the Jets actually offer (for free) to all of their players a driver and a car for them to use if they have been out drinking (see link) http://deadspin.com/5644293/the-jets...n-edwardss-dui

So, yeah. What a world class idiot.

the general public and lawmakers and companies are taking a harder line approach to DUI DWI OWI and the like (booze illegal drugs smoking tobacco, etc.). Just like drug testing what you do off the clock can and DOES effect what rules you have to follow on the clock.

[ZedOmega]

And bollocks to anyone who says he shouldn't be allowed to play. How would you like it if someone said you can't go to work because you got a DUI?

For some odd reason, people still consider athletes to be role models. Of course, everyone knows that role models are as full of vices as anyone else in the world. Just ask Tiger Woods.

[Lace Neil Singer]

For some odd reason, people still consider athletes to be role models. Of course, everyone knows that role models are as full of vices as anyone else in the world. Just ask Tiger Woods.

Or the entire English football (soccer) team.

The fact is, he might be facing a year in jail, but he's unlikely to get that much. A lot of celebrities and sports stars, particularly Americans, tend to get a lot of leeway that Joe Public wouldn't get in a million years.

[Greenday]

Well, the Jets can't fine him or suspend him right now. There's never been a precedent set for this. If they did either, the NFLPA would sue the hell out of them.

The NFL will look into it next week. That's how it works. Whatever is investigated this week is brought up next week.

Obviously he was a moron. I mean, for a guy that never drives in NYC because he hates it, why this time? When they have free rides for the players?

He'll probably get a one game suspension next week.

[MadMike]

Anyone want to guess what someone else (i.e., someone who is *not* a football player) would have received?

I have some idea. Last year, a friend of mine made the mistake of driving drunk. It was stupid how it happened, she wasn't even going out to drink. One of our other friends was sick, and she got in her van to take her same Theraflu. I got an email from her that said, "After I get my hair done, I'm going to take some Theraflu to (other friend's name.)"

A couple hours later, I was online and got a message from the other friend telling me she was worried about her. She told me when she got there, her boyfriend offered her a drink, and she overdid it. They realized she'd had too much, and tried to keep her from driving. They even offered to have one of them drive her van home while the other followed, but she insisted she was fine and drove off.

While we were talking, she told me she heard something on her police scanner about an accident nearby. They went to check it out, and it was her. Luckily it was just a fender-bender, but she was at almost 3 times the legal limit.

Throughout the rest of the year, she's dealing with courts and lawyers, trying to get it all straightened out, work out some sort of deal, etc. She even went into rehab voluntarily to hopefully get a break on any jail time she might end up with. She did end up going to jail, but was told she might be able to get work release. Later on, she found out that particular prison doesn't offer any sort of work release, and they refused to cut her any sort of break for going into rehab. She was sentenced to 90 days, and had to pay thousands of dollars in fines and reimbursements for all the tests they did on her. I went to visit her once, and it was heartbreaking, to say the least. I kept a smile on my face, but that night when I went out with my friends, I had a bit of a breakdown. I felt like I had just left her there, even though I had no choice in the matter.

She did end up catching an unexpected break. The county decided to experiment with house arrest, and they picked one person for it. It had to be someone whose DUI case was cut and dried, and who had at least half of their sentence remaining. They picked her, and she's lucky they did it when they did, because a week later she would have had less than half of it left. They also let her have a few hours out of the house each weekday for work release, but outside of that she was not allowed out of the house, not even in her own yard. She had to wear an ankle bracelet that not only monitored her position, but also could detect if she drank any alcohol. She couldn't even use mouthwash or certain cold medicines, because those would set it off. So she was still confined, but at least her friends could come see her anytime without a damn piece of glass between her and them.

She's since completed her sentence, and she was lucky enough to get a provisional license that lets her drive a few hours during the week for work. She can get her full license back next January, but they'll probably require her to have a breathalyzer installed in her van. She'll be on probation until next August, so she really had to stay out of trouble until then, and she has to make sure she keeps making payments on her fines. She also has to attend several councelling sessions. She told me she has to behave herself, because one of her former inmates told her, "You're getting one helluva break, and if you blow it and end up back in here, I'm kicking your ass!"

[tropicsgoddess]

I think Stallworth and Edwards got off good on their DUIs to be honest. If some regular Joe or Jane did the same thing as Stallworth did they would've had more than 5 years up the river for a DUI and vehicular manslaughter. It gets me pissed off how so many athletes these days act so spoiled and childish.

[Greenday]

Psh, let's completely ignore the fact that in Stallworth's case the deceased was dumb enough to try to run across a busy major highway just to catch a bus. Or that Stallworth immediately stopped and called the police when he could have kept going and probably gotten away with it.

I think people want to see celebrities and athletes get harsher punishments just because they succeeded in life. "Damn, they've got it so good they should get extra punishment for doing well in life." Also, forgot the crapload of charity work they do every year. These people will never fair trials in any case because everyone wants to just stick it to the man (the man being anyone doing better than you).