Unfortunately for NFL, alcohol-related incidents not uncommon

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- When Herm Edwards was head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, he sounded a warning whenever his players had some free time.

"Don't show up on Dah-Dah-Dah . . . Dah-Dah-Dah! " Edwards would say, singing the theme song of ESPN's "SportsCenter."

That was Edwards' way of saying he did not want to see any of his players' names on ESPN's scroll detailing arrests or other off-the-field incidents.

In the last few weeks, the NFL has been hit hard by two off-field tragedies, and alcohol played a major role in one and likely contributed to the other.

Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent was under the influence of alcohol when his Mercedes hit a curb, flipped over and killed Jerry Brown, a linebacker on the club's practice squad on Dec. 8. Brent was jailed on an intoxication manslaughter charge, and it was reported that his blood-alcohol level was 0.18, more than twice the legal limit.

Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher spent the evening partying in the Power & Light District before shooting and killing his girlfriend and himself on the morning of Dec. 1. While toxicology reports have not been released, Belcher was found by police sleeping in his Bentley hours before he went on his rampage.

Despite all of the programs the NFL and the individual clubs make available to their players, including a free taxi service that's provided in every league city by the NFL Players Association, drinking and driving continues to be a problem in the NFL.

Brown's death was the third time since 2009 that an NFL player killed another person because of a suspected DUI. Brent's arrest marked the 18th time this year an NFL player was arrested on suspicion of DUI, more than double the figure of seven in 2011 and closing in on the all-time worsts of 20 in 2006 and 19 in 2009.

"It's wrong," Chiefs quarterback Brady Quinn said of drinking and driving. "But it happens all across this country. Whether it's players who do it or everyday workers who do it, it's something people need to take individual accountability for and stop and understand it's affecting the lives of not just the driver but other people. I don't care if it's drinking and driving or texting and driving, it's no different. Texting and driving now has become more dangerous than that.

"In both cases, people need to understand if they're the driver, to be responsible for themselves driving and getting to go where they're going safety."

Actually, the percentage of NFL players arrested for DUI is smaller than the rate of the general population of males age 20-29. Of nearly 2,000 players on NFL active rosters and practice squads, an average of 14 DUI arrests are made each year, a rate of 0.7 percent. Nationally, males ages 20-24 have twice as many arrests, 1.6 percent; while those 25-29 are at 1.4 percent, according to FBI statistics for 2011.

But any DUI, especially when it leads to an injury or a fatality, is one too many.

"It's a wakeup call," former NFL safety Jason Belser, now senior director of player services and development for the NFL Players Association, said after the tragedy in Dallas. "We know from underage drinking and drunk driving, the prime ages are 20 to 24, and the point we try to tell players is proper planning. . . . . 'If you know you're going out, have a prearranged transportation service.' "

Not everyone listens to that advice. Belser said "six or eight" rides were administered the weekend as Brown's death in Dallas - through the NFLPA's free taxi service.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/19/3148744/unfortunately-for-nfl-alcohol.html

los angeles kings earth day timothy leary jonathan frid pujols watchmen hitch