11/05/24
February 25, 2006
Ex-USC player dies in prison: Why does it seem like every other day when you open the paper there is a story like this? I was terribile athlete in school, so I can't imagine throwing away so much talent and such a bright future over something so stupid. Esp when I see the story of the autisic high school basketball player it makes me want to scream at guys like this. Too late now though. Sad, sad, sad.
posted by commander cody to football at 03:25 PM - 17 comments
The 3 strike law was enacted because voters asked their legislators to make sure that career criminals are taken off the streets, and i was one of those voters, so i have no sympathy for him. Oh I don't really feel sorry for him (though I voted against the three strikes law), it's more that he was handed so much and wasted it all. That's a shame.
posted by commander cody at 03:46 PM on February 25, 2006
I'm not too familiar with this guy. Did he give a reason for doing all of these crimes? The first thing that pops into my head (naturally) is drugs. Or was it just for the thrill? I'll have to search around for his bio. What a waste of talent. You hate seeing these things when you see kids every day dreaming for what he had.
posted by wingnut4life at 03:59 PM on February 25, 2006
From what I've read on him (and remember from news reports here in L.A.) he did the first crime for the "rush" he got from it. After 7 years in prison he almost got his life back together, but less then a month after he came off parole he robbed a liquer store because he said life on the streets "confused" him after being in prison so long.
posted by commander cody at 04:10 PM on February 25, 2006
Just another spoiled athlete. Hopefully Michael Irin will follow his lead when he goes to jail.
posted by IHATELIBERALS at 04:45 PM on February 25, 2006
mustve been nate newton's role model
posted by aaa76 at 05:31 PM on February 25, 2006
Just another spoiled athlete. Hopefully Michael Irin will follow his lead when he goes to jail. How about just another criminal who just happens to be an athelete so he gets a news article about him which allows him to be discussed on online sports blogs.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 05:33 AM on February 26, 2006
Thank you for pointing that out Ying Yang ...Hard to imagine him being spoiled after 7 years in prison and no pro career...Hey I know this liquer store down the street, they only got one camera man...
posted by Sprdave32 at 07:46 AM on February 26, 2006
What a waste. I can think of a hell of a lot of ways to get a "rush" that aren't illegal and won't ruin your life if/when you get caught. :o)
posted by Steeler_Fan at 09:25 AM on February 26, 2006
A story that should be discussed in EVERY high school (hell, JUNIOR HIGH, now) locker room, by EVERY coach, PERIOD! Will it? Nah...
posted by wolfdad at 10:16 AM on February 26, 2006
Probably never will, wolfdad. Not with the 'ME' generation in control. There are too many people that think this was a shame because it was allowed he be locked away for life (viz, ACLU lawyers, etc). And with attitudes like that as abundant as they are, we are doomed to see much more of this stuff happen. It's in process now on the east coast, where expelled college kids are trying to beat robbery charges by the dozens. Even pro athletes think the law doesn't apply to them. Too bad, but true.
posted by mrhockey at 10:28 AM on February 26, 2006
he did the first crime for the "rush" he got from it..... after seven years in prison he "almost" got his life back together......LESS THAN A MONTH after he came off parole he robbed a liquor store.......he said life on the streets "confused" him What , pray tell, was "handed" to him other than an opportunity to get a college education, commander cody? Oh, an opportunity to get his life back together, that's what. He chose to die in prison. 3 strikes works ! Get 'em off the streets ! If you are ever victimized by one of these two-bit career criminals, commander, you will see things in a different light.
posted by mjkredliner at 10:40 AM on February 26, 2006
Ying Yang You missed the mark. Athletes are spoiled from the moment they show promise. Look at any middle school, the 6 foot tall 8th grader who is reading at a second grade level is being recruited by private high "schools". Don't be so naive.... The 13 year kid on Long Island playing lacross get's a free pass when he "inappropraitely" touches a classmate. McDonald's restaurants and prisons are full of "athletes". We are too soft on them too early.
posted by IHATELIBERALS at 12:23 PM on February 26, 2006
Think about it for every Bill Bradley, Tiger Woods, Derek Jeter and Alan Paige there are hunderds of Denny McLains, Michael Ray Richardsons, Rick Williams, Michael Irvin, That idiot former NJ devil who tried to have his agent killed, Jason Williams (sorry he was innocent). Not to mention former players going bankrupt. Gotta make you wonder....
posted by IHATELIBERALS at 12:28 PM on February 26, 2006
In the United States in 2004 there were... 16,137 murders 94,635 rapes 420,806 robberies 854,911 aggervated assaults 2,143,456 burglaries 6,947,685 thefts 1,237,144 vehicle thefts What you seem to be implying IHATELIBERALS is that the majority of athletes are spoiled and are either going to commit crimes or end up poor and work in a fast food franchise. However, last time I checked, the majority of the USA's 2004 population of 290,788,976 people were not athletes. Crimes are commited by ordinary people every single day, and an insanly higher rate than crimes commited by athletes. Sadly, crime in the USA is not uncommon and is commited by people from all walks of life. Simply, it isn't that athletes are spoiled and commit crimes, it is that the person who commits one of the all to frequent crime just happens to be an athlete.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 02:15 PM on February 26, 2006
What , pray tell, was "handed" to him other than an opportunity to get a college education, commander cody? Oh, an opportunity to get his life back together, that's what. He chose to die in prison. 3 strikes works ! Get 'em off the streets ! If you are ever victimized by one of these two-bit career criminals, commander, you will see things in a different light. What was handed him was an athletic ability that few get. I am not saying (and never did, though some seem to have that impression) that he didn't deserve prison for the things he did. What I was saying (which would be obvious to anyone who bothered to read my words) is that it was a shame that such talent went to waste considering how many others wish they had been born with it. What I don't understand is this need you seem to have to twist my words into a law and order screed against anyone who has ever committed a crime or made a mistake. Certainly criminals should pay for their crimes (and I never even hinted otherwise), but I still voted against the 3 strikes law because it takes sentencing away from the people would should decide how long they should go to prison for, the Judges. They are called Judges for more reasons then just helping to decide if someone is guilty. They are also there to judge what the penalty should be. Oh and by the way, I have been a victim of crime (I live in L.A. for God's sake), but if I allowed it to turn me bitter then that would be a complete victory for the criminal. They used to say that a conservative was a liberal that's been mugged, but I say a person who turns "conservative" only because they've been mugged is a coward who's been mugged, not a liberal.
posted by commander cody at 04:13 PM on February 26, 2006
A story that should be discussed in EVERY high school (hell, JUNIOR HIGH, now) locker room, by EVERY coach, PERIOD! Will it? Nah... posted by wolfdad at 10:16 AM CST on February 26 Right on wolfdad.
posted by commander cody at 04:16 PM on February 26, 2006
The 3 strike law was enacted because voters asked their legislators to make sure that career criminals are taken off the streets, and i was one of those voters, so i have no sympathy for him.