With all the talk of steroids in MLB and the effect these so called role models have on the youth who look up to them, idolize them and emulate them, I started thinking. Especially after a comment made by Hank Steinbrenner that believes the NFL is rife with steroid abuse and he just doesn't understand how they get away with it. So, I said to myself, I said "Self? Write a blog on Steroid or PED's in the NFL". After all, NFL is my thing. I'll debate the NFL all day. I can carry on a conversation for about 10 minutes about the NBA until the conversation veers towards any team other than the Celtics. I really don't follow other teams in the NBA until close to Playoff time. MLB, until the season actually starts, I can discuss for about 30 minutes until the subject turns to the Yankees and I get out before I say something I'll regret. I started my research for the blog and was amazed at what was popping up in my searches. All of a sudden, my blog veered to personal conduct. I'm not saying that education of steroid abuse isn't important to our youth, it is. That's a blog for another day I guess.
I'm of the opinion that actions speak louder than words. If you want respect, you need to earn it. So the blog became about player personal conduct in the NFL. At first, I was just going to write a blog about arrests of major league sports players. That became impossible after I saw the length of the blog by just listing NBA and NFL.
The NHL isn't immune either. Recently in Tampa, two members of the Montreal Canadiens were arrested after stealing a woman's purse and cell phone from a nightclub and resisting arrest respectively. Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ryan O'Byrne was arrested for Grand Theft. He allegedly stole the woman's purse, 20 dollars and her cell phone. When police tried to arrest O'Byrne his wingman, right winger Thomas Kostopoulos was arrested for resisting an officer. Both O'Byrne and Kostopolus make well over 500,000 dollars a year playing hockey.
MLB has problems other than PED's. Jim Leyritz a pitcher for the Yankees, Angels, Rangers, Red Sox, Padres and Dodgers was charged with Motor Vehicular Homicide and DUI after he ran a red light at 3 am and killed a woman on her way home from work.
The league that comes closest to the NFL in arrests and personal conduct violations may just be the NBA. As of July 2005, there were 84 arrests of NBA players with charges ranging from Failure to Pay Child Support to Statutory Rape and sodomy. That's as of July 2005! One player was arrested by Secret Service for firing shots near the White House! So,this week, I'm just going to focus on the NFL. Next week, the NBA.
By far, the NFL leads the way with over 360 arrests just since 2000. I've listed the ones since April of 2007.
Just for example : Seattle Seahawks and Oakland Raiders - Josh Booty (yep, brother of John David) - Arrested for DUI and had to be tased during the arrest.
San Diego Chargers - Safety Terrence Kiel - arrested at the Chargers practice facility by DEA agents for transporting and possession of a controlled substance.
San Diego LB Steve Foley - shot by police in a DUI arrest.
The source for my info is listed at the end if you would like to see prior years.
2/19/2008
Oakland
CB
Arrested on domestic battery charge in Florida. Girlfriend had red marks on her neck, according to a report.
2/19/2008
Denver
RB
Turned himself in and was booked into jail after arrest warrant was issued in Florida for failing to appear in court Feb. 5. The court appearance was for a charge of driving with a suspended or revoked license after traffic stop Jan. 11.
2/18/2008
Houston
WR
Arrested on charge of choking his common-law wife in Manvel, Texas.
2/17/2008
Buffalo
WR
Arrested on DUI charge around 4:30 a.m. in Miami.
2/16/2008
Philadelphia
DT
Arrested arrested and charged with possession of marijuana under 50 grams. Officers smelled it coming from his car.
2/5/2008
New England
CB
Two days after Super Bowl, he was charged with possession of a half-pound of marijuana, with intent to distribute, and driving an unregistered Crown Victoria in Lowell, Mass.
2/1/2008
N.Y. Giants
DE
Arrested on extreme DUI charge in Phoenix at 3 a.m., two days before team played in Super Bowl.
2/1/2008
Miami
DE
Arrested on public intoxication charge stemming from incident at bar in Iowa City, Iowa.
1/14/2008
Jacksonville
DE
Arrested on DUI charge around 2:30 a.m in 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe. He told police had had three vodka and orange juice drinks.
1/11/2008
Denver
TE
Arrested on suspicion of criminal mischief and
harassment of former girlfriend after argument about sale of their home.
12/29/2007
Baltimore
S_
Misdemeanor assault charge against him filed by former Raven Joe Maese after incident outside bars in Baltimore.
12/28/2007
Jacksonville
OT
Charged with felony battery in Fort Lauderdale after fracas at plant nursery over unpaid debt.
12/26/2007
Minnesota
DE
Cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession, failure to signal during traffic stop in Charleston, W. Va.
12/13/2007
Minnesota
S_
Cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession after traffic stop.
12/8/2007
Denver
P_
Cited for simple assault after alleged altercation with cab driver. He then was transported to local detox facility.
12/1/2007
Denver
QB
Arrested on suspicion of DUI at 2:20 a.m.
11/29/2007
Houston
OL
Arrested on felony charges of evading arrest. Police said he was pulled over for making illegal turn but speeded away and had to be chased and stopped again.
11/19/2007
Tampa Bay
LB
Arrested, charged with DUI in Tampa.
11/3/2007
Jacksonville
LB
Charged with resisting arrest without violence.
11/3/2007
Jacksonville
OT
Charged with DUI after being found asleep behind wheel at McDonald's drive-thru window.
10/23/2007
St. Louis
OL
Charged with assaulting his wife at suburban Houston hotel.
10/22/2007
Denver
WR
Arrested on suspicion of drunken driving in Denver.
10/12/2007
Washington
OL
Charged with being drunk in public, destruction of property and simple assault after dispute at restaurant.
10/4/2007
Pittsburgh
RB
Charged with domestic violence, child endangerment and unlawful restraint after incident involving mother of his 5-year-old son, who suffered a swollen lip.
9/29/2007
Jacksonville
OT
Cited for careless driving, leaving the scene of an accident and violating terms of his probation after his 2007 Mercedes was found crashed into tree.
9/5/2007
Cleveland
CB
Arrested, charged with misdemeanor aggavated disorderly conduct, resisting arrest after driving backward and wrong way outside Cleveland airport.
8/27/2007
Chicago
LB
Charged with leaving the scene of an accident after crashing his 2007 Lamborghini into pole and leaving it on side of Chicago expressway.
8/23/2007
Tampa Bay
WR
Arrested, charged with DUI after police found him passed out behind wheel of vehicle in Florida. Urine test revealed depressant drug in his system.
8/5/2007
Buffalo
DE
Arrested, charged with resisting arrest, harassment and criminal mischief after allegedly striking a police officer outside a nightclub.
7/26/2007
Carolina
OT
Arrested, charged with misdemeanor assault. Accused of pointing a gun at female employee of strip club in Charlotte.
7/17/2007
Atlanta
QB
Indicted along with three other defendants on charges of violating federal laws against dogfighting.
7/14/2007
Miami
WR
Arrested, charged with driving while impaired, reckless driving and speeding in North Carolina.
7/5/2007
Oakland
DE
Arrested in South Carolina after traffic stop. Outstanding warrant in Florida for defrauding a pawn broker. Also served warrant for writing bad $1,500 check. Ticketed for driving with a suspended license and driving a vehicle without a headlight.
7/3/2007
Chargers
LB
Charged with assault stemming from traffic confrontation. Waters allegedly struck a man who threw a rock at his windshield.
7/3/2007
Miami
WR
Arrested, charged with felony possession of marijuana and Ecstasy in Atlanta.
6/28/2007
St. Louis
DL
Arrested on charge of misdemeanor property damage stemming from argument with girlfriend in Louisiana.
6/24/2007
Miami
DL
Arrested in Miami, charged with battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and trespassing. Police used taser guns on him after he allegedly refused to get out of a taxi. He was on probation in Texas after February 2007 arrest for marijuana possession.
6/22/2007
Chicago
DL
Pulled over for speeding, arrested for "DUI Impaired to the Slightest Degree" in Arizona.
6/20/2007
Tennessee
CB
Charged with felony coercion stemming from February melee and shooting at Las Vegas club.
6/17/2007
Green Bay
LB
Charged with battery after altercation at Appleton, Wisc., tavern.
6/17/2007
Cincinnati
RB
Charged with disorderly conduct after refusing police request to disperse after wedding in West Virginia.
6/16/2007
Cleveland
WR
Charged with misdemeanor aggravated disorderly conduct, resisting arrest at nightclub.
6/2/2007
Atlanta
CB
Charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession in Virginia.
5/20/2007
Denver
WR
Charged with felony assault after alleged fistfight at party. The other man in the fight was hospitalized with broken bones in his face.
5/20/2007
N.Y. Jets
CB
Arrested, charged with misdemeanor assault. Police said he swung at a man but hit a woman instead when the man ducked at New York nightclub.
5/18/2007
Cincinnati
LB
Arrested, charged with misdemeanor assault. Police said his girlfriend told them he hit her in the eye.
5/10/2007
Pittsburgh
LB
Arrested on charges he ran a prostitution ring in Las Vegas, three felony counts.
5/10/2007
Baltimore
QB
Arrested, charged with being the owner of a vehicle being operated by a drunken driver. McNair was a passenger in his truck.
5/5/2007
Jacksonville
CB
Arrested in Atlanta and charged with carrying a weapon without a license, possession of drugs and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Police search car and allegedly find pink tablets thought to be ecstasy.
4/19/2007
Minnesota
CB
Arrested on outstanding misdemeanor warrant for reckless driving. But police were mistaken.
- http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/nfl/arrests.html.
I think the NFL has bigger things to worry about than Spygate. I think Spygate should be fully investigated and put to rest one way or another once and for all. The league however needs to clean up its player's acts and put a more forceful and stronger personal conduct code in place.
Alison Preston
Tatiana Golovin
Best Players 6-5 and Under
Did You See That?
Comments (27) Add A Comment
Wow. I did not realize that so many players in the NFL were in the books. And here all those jokes about the Bengals have been made time and again.
I had no idea about Patterson. They need to cut his sorry self regardless of his moniker of being "Baby Sapp".
Oso Famoso
Palinville, AK
Total Comments (17911)
Wow, my Broncos seem to be on this list quite a bit. Maybe I should go easy on Cincy fans. JK.
BSchwartz07
Shreveport, LA
Total Comments (6416)
The one that gets me on this list is Seigler from Pittsburgh..not that a bunch of them arent as bad..but a prostitution ring? Good GRIEF !
KPKahder -
Total Comments (45280)
Nice work Kp, maybe you should send a copy to the commissioner.
Foxy's Back
Total Comments (11967)
Professional athletes are simply the products of society's youth. There are 30 teams in the NFL. wth 55 guys on a team, not counting taxi squad members etc. that would take the number closer to 2500. 360 arrests over a period of 8 years is a very small percentage--and probably no different than the public at large. We just don't hear about the gentlemen in the group.
Hllywd: Old…
Columbus , OH
Total Comments (7942)
thanks Sandy
I agree Hllywd (32 teams in the NFL) - the problem is, that our kids arent pretending to be the guy in general society when they play Madden or a game of backyard football.
KPKahder -
Total Comments (45280)
Good work...a lot time went into this and it shows
badgerfan07 back in…
Whitewater , WI
Total Comments (1543)
Careful what you wish for Astro - lol
My SS# is.....
jackman....!
Draft A Qb, NC
Total Comments (8487)
Welcome back, Deb.
upstatebosoxbabe
Rochester , NY
Total Comments (853)
will you be running the rap sheet of fannation members?
The Houston Asteroids | 02/23/08, 03:25 PM
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Thats an excellent idea ... may just do that
KPKahder -
Total Comments (45280)
My first ? is who the F is Hank Steinbrenner? Let me guess, he is the crumbs George is leaving behind so it stays in the family?
Cassidy's House:…
Whatsittoya, NO
Total Comments (16281)
I am with ya on the NBA. Cant stay awake for a full regular season game. Pretty much just like college basketball's March Madness, the real season begins after every team has completed their 82.
Cassidy's House:…
Whatsittoya, NO
Total Comments (16281)
I can talk MLB all day once the season starts, but from October to April I need to turn my mind elsewhere lest I suffer burnout for that sport. Same with NASCAR, but there offseason is so small which is a good thing btw. Did I mention that todays race is in California?
Cassidy's House:…
Whatsittoya, NO
Total Comments (16281)
I follow the NHL regular season but just reading the box scores for my Penguins and the headlines about anything major going on in the sport. Once the playoffs start I am there on Versus even if Pittsburgh isnt playing.
Cassidy's House:…
Whatsittoya, NO
Total Comments (16281)
What these pro players do is just a microcosim of society. You have your good guys and your bad guys and all the people in between.
J Ley is not a pitcher, btw.
Cassidy's House:…
Whatsittoya, NO
Total Comments (16281)
Great blog as usual Deb. The Colts seem to stay out of trouble. Bill Polian is a good judge of character.
Why do we hear so much about the Bengals? They aren't much worse than anyone else.
Dallas Clark- SB in…
Total Comments (1344)
wow, I didn't hear about Andre Hall. Thanks for the blog.
ROYALw/CHEESE*…
Near Cleveland, OH
Total Comments (1765)
sorry .. my bad Cass.. catcher.. not pitcher.. infield too right?
KPKahder -
Total Comments (45280)
http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/historical/mlb_player_locator_results.jsp?playerL ocator=Leyritz
Catcher!
Cassidy's House:…
Whatsittoya, NO
Total Comments (16281)
didnt he play first base too for a while?
KPKahder -
Total Comments (45280)
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