And the Ed Block Courage Award Winner....

[PistolPeaTear]

Solid explaination of the suspension.

 

He was suspended because he still broke the law, which no one here is refuting and I think we can all agree he deserved. As seen in your first post you seem to have never fully understood what entailed the award with the posting of his personal statistics and on field performance. It was awarded by his fellow teammates, as The Dean posted, who i think recognized someone on their team who has made steps toward being a better human being after making a terrible decision which I can imagine at least encourages Mr. Stallworth that he has taken the proper steps during some of his darkest times.

[Kelly the Dog]

He was suspended because he still broke the law, which no one here is refuting and I think we can all agree he deserved. As seen in your first post you seem to have never fully understood what entailed the award with the posting of his personal statistics and on field performance. It was awarded by his fellow teammates, as The Dean posted, who i think recognized someone on their team who has made steps toward being a better human being after making a terrible decision which I can imagine at least encourages Mr. Stallworth that he has taken the proper steps during some of his darkest times.

While this is a good post, none of us have any idea what his teammates were thinking when they voted him this award. Ultimately, it really could have had nothing to do with his vehicular manslaughter. The players could have simply watched him and what he does (after the fact) and said this guy does more than anyone on our team as a member of the community. That's what it seems the award is for. So maybe his teammates have seen what he has gone through, saw how he reacted, and then appreciated the way he has given back to the community in this particular year. It doesn't at all seem to be a lifetime achievement kind of thing, His teammates may have just believed he was doing the right thing and should be rewarded for it.

 

Then again, they might be a bunch of thugs and this was the best of a bunch of idiots.

[BADOLBILZ]

I can understand that position. But the award was given by his teammates. They don't seem to share your concerns here.

 

And, IMO Stallworth fits the "murdering drunk" definition the way Tony Washington fits "sex offender". By the strict definition what they did gets them that label. But in context it isn't anywhere near severe as the label would imply. Sometimes circumstance really are important. And, since none of us are without making some big mistakes. One way to judge another person is the way they handle themselves when they make those mistakes and what they do afterward.

 

On your first point, I think the teammates have a lot of empathy for him because it's really not uncommon for pro athletes to do unnecessarily risky things like driving drunk. A lockerroom full of 20 something instant-millionaires is going to have it's share of partiers. Accidentally killing someone when you are DWI/DWUI and then almost losing your livelihood and wealth............that hits home in the clubhouse. He is a tragic figure to them.

 

As for whether Stallworth fits the murdering drunk profile........I think most people assume that this wasn't the first time that he had driven drunk. Right or wrong, practically everyone knows someone who has been pulled over for driving under the influence and know full well that most offenders do so many, many times before ever getting caught.

[The Dean]

On your first point, I think the teammates have a lot of empathy for him because it's really not uncommon for pro athletes to do unnecessarily risky things like driving drunk. A lockerroom full of 20 something instant-millionaires is going to have it's share of partiers. Accidentally killing someone when you are DWI/DWUI and then almost losing your livelihood and wealth............that hits home in the clubhouse. He is a tragic figure to them.

 

As for whether Stallworth fits the murdering drunk profile........I think most people assume that this wasn't the first time that he had driven drunk. Right or wrong, practically everyone knows someone who has been pulled over for driving under the influence and know full well that most offenders do so many, many times before ever getting caught.

 

 

Not to beat this horse to death, but...

 

I won't speculate on whether Donte has driven drunk in the past. Possibly he has. But this is a unique situation, IMO. He wasn't leaving a bar/party/nightclub. He had residual alcohol in his bloodstream after waking up. How many people, even those who make damn sure they don't drive home drunk, might blow over a .08 in the morning? You don't have a buzz. The morning grogginess likely masks any left over alcohol effects. By the time you shower and leave the house you probably feel fine, and have no thought of last night's drinking. Unless you keep a breathalyzer in the house, how would you know what your blood alcohol level?

 

Yes, Stallworth's blood alcohol was well above the legal limit (.08), but let's not pretend that everyone feels/acts the same given the same blood alcohol level. They may all be legally drunk, but some may exhibit few signs or not feel much different. Add the circumstances of waking up to the mix and I think you may have a guy who could be very careful not to drive drunk in typical situations, not even considering last night's consumption, here.

 

Let's make something clear. I'm not excusing Donte because of this, but it adds context that should be used when evaluating the severity of the situation. In out current state of fear, people would blame Stallworth even if he were stopped at a red light and someone plowed into him, had his blood alcohol been found to be above the legal limit. Often alcohol plays the major role in an accident, sometimes it is a contributing factor and then there are times when it likely had no impact whatsoever in the situation. As I wasn't there, I can only speculate. But hitting a guy darting across a highway right before dawn, probably falls into one of the latter two categories.

 

Finally, let's remember the reason he is "guilty" of vehicular manslaughter is because he choose to plead guilty. Most anyone else would likely not have that tag associated with them, as they would have fought these charges, and very possibly would have beaten them. The incident doesn't change, but the punishment and labels do.

[DC Grid]

Not to beat this horse to death, but...

 

I won't speculate on whether Donte has driven drunk in the past. Possibly he has. But this is a unique situation, IMO. He wasn't leaving a bar/party/nightclub. He had residual alcohol in his bloodstream after waking up. How many people, even those who make damn sure they don't drive home drunk, might blow over a .08 in the morning? You don't have a buzz. The morning grogginess likely masks any left over alcohol effects. By the time you shower and leave the house you probably feel fine, and have no thought of last night's drinking. Unless you keep a breathalyzer in the house, how would you know what your blood alcohol level?

 

Yes, Stallworth's blood alcohol was well above the legal limit (.08), but let's not pretend that everyone feels/acts the same given the same blood alcohol level. They may all be legally drunk, but some may exhibit few signs or not feel much different. Add the circumstances of waking up to the mix and I think you may have a guy who could be very careful not to drive drunk in typical situations, not even considering last night's consumption, here.

 

Let's make something clear. I'm not excusing Donte because of this, but it adds context that should be used when evaluating the severity of the situation. In out current state of fear, people would blame Stallworth even if he were stopped at a red light and someone plowed into him, had his blood alcohol been found to be above the legal limit. Often alcohol plays the major role in an accident, sometimes it is a contributing factor and then there are times when it likely had no impact whatsoever in the situation. As I wasn't there, I can only speculate. But hitting a guy darting across a highway right before dawn, probably falls into one of the latter two categories.

 

Finally, let's remember the reason he is "guilty" of vehicular manslaughter is because he choose to plead guilty. Most anyone else would likely not have that tag associated with them, as they would have fought these charges, and very possibly would have beaten them. The incident doesn't change, but the punishment and labels do.

 

Wow, are you a PR guy for Donte?

 

1. Bars in Mia close at 4am, accident was before 7am...not exactly getting up the morning after, just as likely to be driving home from an after party set up.

 

2. Donte blew a .134, unless you're a tremendous alcoholic, you know your fighting off more than an innocent case of the sleepies.

 

3. Donte's only residual test was positive for weed. Also illegal.

 

4. Yes his friends and friendly reporters are how fast to point out he plead guilty as proof of how great he is, but strategically it made the most sense. Going to trial, won't only make the family "feel bad" it will make him look awful. Rich millionaire driving bentley home after a night of drinking kills immigrant worker running to catch his bus home, and had nearly twice the legal bac AND tested positive for weed. I know you and others talk about how he "would have won that case" but finding sympathetic jurors in a city with a jury pool made up largely of poor migrants might not go so hot. In fact I'd bet on a fairly quick guilty once it went to the jury, and a lot of liberal judges in Mia won't be any more sympathetic.

 

Second, he has an NFL career he is nearing the end of. Fighting the case which would take over a year, during which time he wouldn't be allowed to play, and afterwards facing still more of a ban if he lost PLUS POSSIBLY 20 YEARS IN PRISON. Dude paid a family off and got a guaranteed 30 days and limited his suspension to only a single season by making this trade. So he's a great guy for "ownning up" to his crime by spending 30 days in jail to avoid the possibility of 20 years in prison. Is it too late to give him the Walter payton award?

Edited December 25, 2010 by DC Grid