Arenas, Lesson Learned: Grade F

You would think that after all of the publicity, fines, and prison that Gilbert Arenas would have learned that athletes are not immune from the law.  Plaxico Burress and Michael Vick are prime examples of no matter how well known or how much money you make, screw up bad enough and you’re going to pay for it.

In our nation’s capital where gun laws mirror some of the toughest cities in the country, Gilbert handguns to the Wizard’s arena and then people found out when he and another Wizard got into an argument and drew down in the locker room.  Arenas is currently under investigation by local and federal authorities as well as the NBA.  David Stern, NBA Commissioner, suspended Gilbert indefinitely without pay and will more than likely win any appeal by the Players Union because of the stronger gun language in the 2005 bargaining agreement.  The suspension is costing Gilbert about $147,000/game and with more fines and legal fees possible; the true cost is unknown until the investigation is complete.  Depending on the outcome, the Wizards may have the option of voiding his contract saving them about $84 million over the next 4+ years.

Gilbert said he took the guns out of his house once his daughter was born but offered no justification of why they were in his locker.  Stories are conflicting on what exactly happened in the locker room but what is clear is that he has learned nothing from seeing other well-known athletes spend time in prison.  Vick’s situation is a little different but Plaxico is serving 2 years in prison for his gun related incident which included the discharge of the gun in a public place. 

Maybe, just maybe, athletes of all sports will learn to leave their guns at home, but I’m sure it won’t be too long in the future when some well known sports figure will again get caught with a gun or shoot someone.  We all know it happens on a daily basis around the country, but the more famous you are, the more visible your actions become.  The NBA has been dealing with the “thug” reputation in recent years.  The “Jailblazers” of Portland come to mind and that crew includes Sebastian Telfair who has been suspended by the league twice for packing illegal heat. He was arrested in 2007 after police found a loaded handgun in his car and in 2005, he boarded a Portland Trail Blazers team plane with a handgun.  Stephen Jackson, another NBA player, was charged with criminal recklessness after firing shots outside an Indianapolis club during a scuffle in 2006. This past September, the Cleveland Cavaliers' Delonte West was arrested for allegedly carrying two loaded handguns and a shotgun in a guitar case after being stopped for speeding on his motorcycle.  Charges against him are currently before the courts.

These athletes are earning millions of dollars, constantly in the spotlight, and for some youths they are the ultimate role models.  They need to start acting like the world is watching because we are.  Grow up or lose your lifestyle and go to jail.