The 2015 NFL Criminals Thread

[Rmfnlt]

Interesting article - thanks for sharing.

Seems to validate what I figured:
The actual percentage of offenses for NFL players is significantly lower than the national averages.

Athletes and entertainers are always going to get media attention. Lindsay Lohan, Miley Cyrus, The Beeb, etc.

Just comes with their territory.

Back in the day, carousing seemed to almost be glorified (think The Rat Pack).

Today, the media seems out to "get" these public figures.

Different times, for sure.

 

[fearsomefour]

To touch on what Prime has already posted....
the last year I could find comparable stats (quick search) was 2010, found this in article about crime/arrest rates as well....

"More than a few pundits have condemned miscreants in pro football, but the truth hurts their argument: NFL players are actually incarcerated less than the average citizen.

The numbers don't lie. One in every 45 National Football League players (2.2 percent) is arrested. The national arrest rate is 1 in 23 (4.2 percent), according to the FBI in 2010."

This is a non story to me.
The NFL is not more violent, drug addicted (excluding PEDs I guess), driving drunk or any other sort of crime compared to society at large.
This sort of hype about the NFL and crime reminds me of people getting a kick when they see a Ferrari pulled over and broken down on the side of the road, the owner on his cell phone....people like to see people they perceive as more successful than them suffer.
Stupid or irresponsible behavior isn't limited to the NFL....in fact it happens less in the NFL than outside of it.

 

[Thordaddy]

Interesting article - thanks for sharing.

Seems to validate what I figured:
The actual percentage of offenses for NFL players is significantly lower than the national averages.

Athletes and entertainers are always going to get media attention. Lindsay Lohan, Miley Cyrus, The Beeb, etc.

Just comes with their territory.

Back in the day, carousing seemed to almost be glorified (think The Rat Pack).

Today, the media seems out to "get" these public figures.

Different times, for sure.

JUST the yang to the ying of fame

 

[Prime Time]

This is a non story to me.
The NFL is not more violent, drug addicted (excluding PEDs I guess), driving drunk or any other sort of crime compared to society at large.

But it is more interesting than reading about Joe Six-Pack getting in trouble because it concerns and affects the game that we love. No one can claim that the problems Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson encountered didn't affect their team or the NFL. This is not about implying that NFL players are worse than the rest of society, percentage wise they are not. But to whom much is given, much more is required.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...veon-bell-expected-to-be-suspended-two-games/

Report: Le’Veon Bell “expected” to be suspended two games
Posted by Mike Wilkening on February 12, 2015

AP

Steelers tailback Le’Veon Bell finally settled the marijuana possession and driving under the influence charges against him last week, with 15 months probation the legal outcome.

Now, the focus turns to how the NFL handles the matter.

ESPN’s John Clayton reported Wednesday that Bell is “expected” to be banned for the first two regular-season games of 2015.

This shouldn’t come as any surprise. As PFT has noted multiple times dating back to before the Super Bowl, Bell’s inability to resolve the cases against him by November 1 left him in line for a two-game suspension under the league’s strengthened substance-abuse policy.

With a ban quite possible, the Steelers will need a contingency plan at the position, as G.M. Kevin Colbert noted Wednesday. After the release of LeGarrette Blount late last season, the Steelers were caught short at tailback, and when Bell was injured in the season finale and could not play in the wild-card round, the team was left scrambling at this key position.

But in this case, the Steelers will have had ample warning if Bell isn’t available.

 

[Boffo97]

I'm not sure what you mean by this.

????

Whenever some low character/off-field red flags guy comes up for discussion as to whether the Rams should pick or sign him, there's almost always someone who proclaims that it'll be okay because Fisher "knows how to handle these guys". And that with Fisher's leadership, the bad character guy is naturally just going to fall in line and never be a problem on this level.

If Fisher was the Blockhead Whisperer or something who could magically keep all these guys under control, then Pacman Jones would have been a great pick for the Titans.

Of course, I've always been insistent that character is vitally important, and for every 1 guy who grows up when he reaches this level, there's 100 or more that don't.

 

[Rmfnlt]

Whenever some low character/off-field red flags guy comes up for discussion as to whether the Rams should pick or sign him, there's almost always someone who proclaims that it'll be okay because Fisher "knows how to handle these guys". And that with Fisher's leadership, the bad character guy is naturally just going to fall in line and never be a problem on this level.

If Fisher was the Blockhead Whisperer or something who could magically keep all these guys under control, then Pacman Jones would have been a great pick for the Titans.

Of course, I've always been insistent that character is vitally important, and for every 1 guy who grows up when he reaches this level, there's 100 or more that don't.

I get it now... the Fisher/Jones connection.

And I agree with you regarding character. I also think it's very important. So it smarts, to me.

 

[LACHAMP46]

But it is more interesting than reading about Joe Six-Pack getting in trouble because it concerns and affects the game that we love. No one can claim that the problems Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson encountered didn't affect their team or the NFL. This is not about implying that NFL players are worse than the rest of society, percentage wise they are not. But to whom much is given, much more is required.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...veon-bell-expected-to-be-suspended-two-games/

Report: Le’Veon Bell “expected” to be suspended two games
Posted by Mike Wilkening on February 12, 2015

AP

Steelers tailback Le’Veon Bell finally settled the marijuana possession and driving under the influence charges against him last week, with 15 months probation the legal outcome.

Now, the focus turns to how the NFL handles the matter.

ESPN’s John Clayton reported Wednesday that Bell is “expected” to be banned for the first two regular-season games of 2015.

This shouldn’t come as any surprise. As PFT has noted multiple times dating back to before the Super Bowl, Bell’s inability to resolve the cases against him by November 1 left him in line for a two-game suspension under the league’s strengthened substance-abuse policy.

With a ban quite possible, the Steelers will need a contingency plan at the position, as G.M. Kevin Colbert noted Wednesday. After the release of LeGarrette Blount late last season, the Steelers were caught short at tailback, and when Bell was injured in the season finale and could not play in the wild-card round, the team was left scrambling at this key position.

But in this case, the Steelers will have had ample warning if Bell isn’t available.

Imagine the cost of smoking weed for this young man....And just think, it lead to Legerret (?) Blount going to the super bowl winner....strange game indeed...

 

[fearsomefour]

But it is more interesting than reading about Joe Six-Pack getting in trouble because it concerns and affects the game that we love. No one can claim that the problems Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson encountered didn't affect their team or the NFL. This is not about implying that NFL players are worse than the rest of society, percentage wise they are not. But to whom much is given, much more is required.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...veon-bell-expected-to-be-suspended-two-games/

Report: Le’Veon Bell “expected” to be suspended two games
Posted by Mike Wilkening on February 12, 2015

AP

Steelers tailback Le’Veon Bell finally settled the marijuana possession and driving under the influence charges against him last week, with 15 months probation the legal outcome.

Now, the focus turns to how the NFL handles the matter.

ESPN’s John Clayton reported Wednesday that Bell is “expected” to be banned for the first two regular-season games of 2015.

This shouldn’t come as any surprise. As PFT has noted multiple times dating back to before the Super Bowl, Bell’s inability to resolve the cases against him by November 1 left him in line for a two-game suspension under the league’s strengthened substance-abuse policy.

With a ban quite possible, the Steelers will need a contingency plan at the position, as G.M. Kevin Colbert noted Wednesday. After the release of LeGarrette Blount late last season, the Steelers were caught short at tailback, and when Bell was injured in the season finale and could not play in the wild-card round, the team was left scrambling at this key position.

But in this case, the Steelers will have had ample warning if Bell isn’t available.

I agree.
I think your perspective is right on and I would be lying if I said I did not follow some of these stories for the reasons you stated.
I just get tired of the "the NFL is full of super rich scumbags" angle that the press usually takes. I know that is not what you are saying.
Bell, Bell, Bell....get it together dude.

 

[Prime Time]

the Blockhead Whisperer

:snicker:

 

[rams2050]

Considering the backgrounds and early home lifes of so many NFL players, I think the greatest majority are to be commended for staying out of trouble once they hit the 'bigs.' I mean, it can't be easy to leave behind all those negative influences with which so many of them have had to deal for almost all of their short lives. I have never been one to point fingers at NFL players and say, "Shame, shame, shame!" Just read the daily newspaper and you'll get your fill of miscreant activity, white, black and everything in-between. NFL players are the least of the worries of the U.S. criminal justice system. They just happen to be quite visible, and thus easy pickin's for our lazy news media.

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/02/13/jury-finds-nick-fairley-not-guilty-on-dui-charges/

Jury finds Nick Fairley not guilty on DUI charges
Posted by Darin Gantt on February 13, 2015

Getty Images

Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley doesn’t have a contract at the moment, but a big impediment toward getting the next one was just removed.

According to Jacqueline Quynh of WKRG.com, a jury just returned a not guilty verdict in Fairley’s 2012 DUI case.

Fairley would have been subject to a two-game suspension under the league’s new conduct policy if convicted.

While the Lions didn’t pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract as a motivational ploy, Fairley played well enough to draw plenty of interest in the open market.

And now that he’ll be able to play the first two games of the year, that interest could go up.

UPDATE 3:18 p.m. ET: Fairley was found guilty of reckless driving, and fined $500.

 

[Boffo97]

No, but there are plenty of other crimes Goodell is guilty of.

90% of them involve the Patriots in some way or another.

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...hmad-bradshaw-cited-for-marijuana-possession/

Report: Colts RB Ahmad Bradshaw faces marijuana possession charge
Posted by Mike Wilkening on February 13, 2015

Getty Images

According to a published report, Colts tailback Ahmad Bradshaw was charged with marijuana possession last week in Ohio.

According to WDTN.com, which cited court records, Bradshaw reportedly faces the marijuana charge and a following-too-close charge after being pulled over in Preble County, Ohio on Thursday, February 5. He faces a court date on Tuesday, February 17, according to the report. WDTN.com is the website of WDTN-TV in Dayton, Ohio.

Information on Bradshaw’s reported arrest wasn’t immediately available on the Preble County courts website.

The 28-year-old Bradshaw rushed for 425 yards and two TDs on 90 carries last season for Indianapolis.

 

[Mackeyser]

Lord Almighty... we need to just legalize weed already so that this can end.

CBD or canniboids are BETTER for helping players heal and manage pain than opiates.

It's not for a lot of players that they are stupid or drug addicts. In many cases, it's the opposite. They don't want to BECOME addicts.

As a Service-Connected Disabled Vet who's dealt with chronic pain for over 20 years, I can say without hesitation that I have not regretted my decision to avoid opiates. It's been a hard, but fruitful road and I've watched fellow vets stroll down to the Pain Management Clinic and get their Percocets and Vicodins and Hydrocodones and Oxycodones only to later become addicted, lose everything and then BE BLAMED for becoming addicted to the known, very addictive substance given explicitly for the relief of pain.

What could go wrong there?

These guys punish their bodies and brains badly and medicine isn't helping them with "icebaths and opiates"

The fact that it took until 2015 to have a Chief Medical Officer for the NFL is a scandal in itself.

Frankly, I'm done judging players for using pot, not that I did it before.

The only dumb part is that it's against the rules. Now some aren't doing it on principle. They're just breaking the rule. Whatever. If the NFL is going to punish this, then fine. There's umpteen examples that show the NFL still doesn't give two craps about player safety in a real way.

The most criminal part of all this is that marijuana is still a Schedule I drug. Obscene, even...

 

[Prime Time]

we need to just legalize weed already so that this can end.

Don't care what someone uses to ease their pain when they're in the privacy of their own home. But if they get behind the wheel of their car and they're mentally impaired because they've been smoking weed, then they need to be dealt with by the law. Last year my son had his car totaled by two stoned teenage girls who ran a red light. They got off with a slap on the wrist. This happened in Indiana where weed is still illegal. So yeah, I have a bias when it comes to this topic.

I'm guessing that NFL players have enough money to hire a driver but in some cases not enough maturity or intelligence to do that. So if they get busted that's on them.

 

[Memento]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/02/13/jury-finds-nick-fairley-not-guilty-on-dui-charges/

Jury finds Nick Fairley not guilty on DUI charges
Posted by Darin Gantt on February 13, 2015

Getty Images

Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley doesn’t have a contract at the moment, but a big impediment toward getting the next one was just removed.

According to Jacqueline Quynh of WKRG.com, a jury just returned a not guilty verdict in Fairley’s 2012 DUI case.

Fairley would have been subject to a two-game suspension under the league’s new conduct policy if convicted.

While the Lions didn’t pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract as a motivational ploy, Fairley played well enough to draw plenty of interest in the open market.

And now that he’ll be able to play the first two games of the year, that interest could go up.

UPDATE 3:18 p.m. ET: Fairley was found guilty of reckless driving, and fined $500.

If Goodhell has any sense of integrity, he'll suspend this bastard for the entire year. I think that this is the fourth time he's been arrested for DUI, and it sickens me that he got off again. Of course, that probably means that Goodhell won't even dream of suspending this prick. $500? Fairley wipes his ass with that and gladly pays it.

That fucking piece of fucking shit makes me sick.

 

[Boffo97]

If Goodhell has any sense of integrity, he'll suspend this bastard for the entire year. I think that this is the fourth time he's been arrested for DUI, and it sickens me that he got off again. Of course, that probably means that Goodhell won't even dream of suspending this prick. $500? Fairley wipes his ass with that and gladly pays it.

That freaking piece of freaking crap makes me sick.

If Goodell tried, the NFLPA would undercut him so fast it wouldn't even matter.

No matter how many people think Fairley "got off", you can't have anyone punished when found not guilty in the courts... since there's always that chance they are not guilty.

 

[iced]

Don't care what someone uses to ease their pain when they're in the privacy of their own home. But if they get behind the wheel of their car and they're mentally impaired because they've been smoking weed, then they need to be dealt with by the law. Last year my son had his car totaled by two stoned teenage girls who ran a red light. They got off with a slap on the wrist. This happened in Indiana where weed is still illegal. So yeah, I have a bias when it comes to this topic.

I'm guessing that NFL players have enough money to hire a driver but in some cases not enough maturity or intelligence to do that. So if they get busted that's on them.

driving high isn't anything like driving drunk...I'm not saying its okay to do it, but I have my doubts weed is the reason the teenage girls ran a red light (if it were me I'd blame it on them being terrible drivers in general, cell phone, some kinda distraction, etc..)

Bout to play devils advocate here though:
For people who have ADD/ADHD, it does help for driving - some people drive slower, more cautious, pay more attention, etc.

But if you're mentally impaired from anything, you shouldn't drive. Doesn't matter what your vice is; if you even question whether or not you should drive, chances are you shouldn't.