It is frustrating to watch your star player make a bone head play that cost your favorite team a big game. It’s disheartening to watch your team lose a game where it looks like they are not trying, but I believe nothing infuriates a fan more than watching a talented player blow his opportunity because he can not stay out of trouble. Justin Blackmon is the latest case of an athlete being callous to their well-being, their potential future, and the lives of others when he decided to get behind the wheel after consuming enough alcohol to blow a .24 (allegedly) on the breathalyzer test. Fans like myself can not imagine what can lead a player to take such a stupid risk–a decision that could end one’s own life, the life or another, or at the very least a promising career that has yet to be started.
What is mind-boggling is in this particular case-it is an entirely unavoidable situation–all it takes is one phone call-to a taxi service, Limo service, your friend, mother, your coach, the owner of your team–someone will pick up a million dollar investment. But the call never comes. And it’s a repeated cycle. Time and time again this happens, and people never learn. And especially in today’s society where everyone has a smart phone–it’s easy to look up numbers. You don’t need change for the pay-phone, you don’t need a phone book. All you need is your thumbs. There is literally no viable excuse why a driver is not found.
Justin Blackmon could potentially face some sort of suspension as well–even though this is is first offense as a N.F.L. employee (once he signs his contract, which has not yet been worked out) he also had a DUI in college. Regardless–why take the risk.
Seriously, anyone have an answer to this? Is there something built into world-class athletes that leads them to believe they are invincible (or young age?).
Who knows, but I’ll never understand why people take these type of risks when they are blessed with talent we as fans could only dream of.
Get a clue, Justin Blackmon. And pick up the phone.