Now, of course, Ben is my boy, and I want to believe that he wouldn't do that. Sure, he gets his. But at the same time, what pro athlete doesn't? I mean, Jeff Reed runs through girls on the Southside at will.
So, that's my disclaimer. I don't believe the woman. In part because I like Ben, in part because there have just been far too many instances where sports stars are accused, only for the story to fall apart - see Kobe, the Duke Lacrosse Team, the Bus himself.
But frankly, the most telling aspect of this from my standpoint is Ms. McNutty's failure to file criminal charges. Civil charges are all well and good, but are really better suited for determining fault in cases of negligence or deciding contractual obligations. Their role in determining fault in criminal matters is really pretty trivial.
Everything else about this story has already been said. It's fishy. Why wait so long? Why right before training camp? What's with her accusing like 8 other people of covering-up for Ben? Oh, and last but not least, what is with this bullshit of "I didn't file criminal charges because I was afraid of getting fired"? It's less likely you'll be fired by filing civil charges? Not only is that fishy, but it also doesn't make any sense.
But, really, my stance is that until Ms. McNutty decides to file criminal charges, this is nothing more than a ruse to get as much out of Ben, so that Ben can have this off his chest before the season opener against Tennessee. Sexual assault is a serious crime. The criminal system is in place to deal with serious crimes, in the sense of both handling the case with an aggression that cannot be found in the civil system (because the DA is there to protect the interests of the people of whatever jurisdiction he works for) and the level of protection that is afforded to the defendant's rights (why? because it's a serious crime, and you better be damn sure before you go convicting someone of that kind of crime). It is a crime to file a false police report. You can be charged with perjury and any other local laws which may apply to that situation. That's because in the criminal system it is recognized that you don't make the very, very serious allegation of rape without evidencing an understanding of the seriousness of your allegation - the fact that it will forever stain the life and reputation of the accused.
So, until I see a criminal complaint from Ms. McNutty, there is little question in my mind that she understands the consequences of making a false police report, and is behaving accordingly.
Other Randomness (and hopefully not channeling Peter King with that subject title)
- Christine Brennan today blamed Erin Andrews for Erin Andrews being the subject of some (especially) creepy voyeurism. "I also would suggest to her ... that she rely on her talent and brains and not succumb to the lowest common denominator in sports media by playing to the frat house."
Now, I think we can all deduce exactly what's going on here - specifically that Christine Brennan, who has had to work and scrap her entire life to make her way through this boys' club we call sports journalism, hates the fact that Ms. Andrews (who is WAY WAY WAY prettier than Christine Brennan ever was) has had it all easy standing on the sidelines and chatting up the boys.
Well, Christine Brennan's opinions, much like her writing, are mediocre at best. Now, I don't necessarily say that just to snipe at her, but if you take a look at the trash that Ms. Brennan has been churning out at USAToday, you'll see someone who lacks creativity and insight when it comes to writing about sports. What I'm trying to say is that Christine Brennan is a "C"-grade sports writer.
Contrarily, Erin Andrews is an "A"-grade sideline reporter. Sure, she's attractive, but she actually does know a bit about sports, and, unlike most sideline reporters, is able to stand over there and not sound like a complete bimbo when talking about sports. Dare I say it, she actually sounds like she really likes sports and really likes reporting on them. Ironically, that is where the attraction stems from. The fact that she can talk about sports, and is talented at her job. Yes, this does get most sports nerds going.
For example, this has led to sports nerds' interest in such sideline reporters as Suzy Kolber and Bonnie Bernstein over the variety of other no-name sideline reporters who may have been far more attractive - i.e. (the former?) Mrs. Scott Erickson, who some people say was hot, but I couldn't tell you what she looked like, just that she was a fucking idiot when it came to sports.
So, I guess my point is this: Christine, she's popular with the "frat crowd" because she's so good at her job. Being pretty is a basic qualification for sideline reporters, it's that she actually knows what's going on that gets the guys all hot and bothered... - COMPLETELY unrelated to sports, there's been a lot of hubbub about these two stories: South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford found a crease in the time-space continuum that allowed him to teleport from Erwin, Tennessee to Buenos Aires, Argentina without even knowing it, causing him to fall wang-first, into a young Argentinian woman.
In similarly humiliating fashion, it appears that a suburban Boston police detective tried to arrest a very well-respected Harvard professor named Henry Louis Gates Jr. for trying to get into his own house. He then actually did arrest Gates because Gates got pissed off that some dumbass cop was accusing him of trying to break into his own house. Oh yes, did I mention that Gates is black?
So, I'm of the opinion that both of these individuals need to be removed from their respective positions of power and discretion forthwith. I believe this not because Sanford is an adulterer or because this cop may or may not be a racist. I believe this because these two individuals, who are often required to make important decisions, are CLEARLY INCAPABLE OF MAKING GOOD DECISIONS.
I mean, shit, you go to Argentina, telling your staff that you're going to Appalachia, and then give them no way to get a hold of you? How stupid are you? You have the power to make decisions about anything, nonetheless hold office as the chief executive of an entire state??? I can halfway see him spending $40 billion on anchors to throw off the coast of Hilton Head Island to hold it down during hurricanes, with his track record.
And as for this suburban beantown cop. Look, I know that Boston is the most racist place that thinks it isn't racist. Whitest city in the world, hands down. I understand, you've probably seen 3 black people ever. However, if you see a well-groomed, well-spoken, highly-educated individual, presumably in a suit, trying to get in THE FRONT DOOR of his house AT 12:44 PM!!!!!!!!1ONE!!!!!! And then he shows you (1) his drivers license (with an address matching the one he's trying to get into) and (2) his Harvard ID identifying him as, indeed, someone who might live in the area, the proper response is not to continue to give him a hard time, and then arrest him when he takes your hard-time-giving poorly (seriously, if a cop tried to harass me for trying to get into my own house, and then did anything except ask for ID and then APOLOGIZE and leave immediately, I'd be fucking livid)...Well, my friend, you are not capable of making a rational decision. Oh yeah, did I mention that the guy you are harassing is black? You should treat him with due respect and courtesy regardless, because, again, you ARE A PUBLIC SERVANT, SERVING AT THE PLEASURE OF THE PUBLIC, but seriously dude, think about it, this is a lot more of a story when you're a dick to a well-respected African-American man than if this were some white dude. Even if you're not enough of a person to treat people with respect regardless of race, you have to be smarter than that, and certainly if you're a representative of the government.
So, in short, both of them should be gone. They make decisions like they're Tony Romo and there's only 1:37 left in the game. (Bad, poor, disastrously bad, even)... LOL. More like Tony Rompwn3d!!!!!!!! - Speaking of bad decision-makers... LeBron + Nike... It really wasn't bad at all. They turned it into the sickest dunk ever in everyone's mind...
- In case you haven't been reading this blog for very long, let me explain this to you: Donte Stallworth may have caused the death of some poor construction worker. The construction worker also may have run out in the street, not in a cross-walk, in an attempt to cross 3 lanes of 40+ MPH traffic.
Even though what Stallworth did was stupid, it's not clear that he was to blame for this death. That's why it got settled.
Nonetheless, what Stallworth did is FAR FAR FAR worse than what Mike Vick did. The lesson? Mike Vick's punishment was fucking preposterous. Stallworth was punished appropriately. Vick wasn't.
His suspensions should end as soon as Goodell has the chance to talk with him. Give him his shot. He's paid far more than his crime was worth, and the average person's treatment of him shows the deterioration of our culture and the lack of respect which we have for human life.
Additionally, I want to see him play football again, cause man he was entertaining.
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