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