No, they're not normal citizens. That's part of the problem. I think Whitlock expressed it much better than I could, but these are normal kids with problems, etc. who are all of a sudden thrown into a situation most of us could never relate to. Luckily, most of them find a way to adapt into this elitist group of millionaires and do so without ruining their lives. Ever so often, however, one of them gets stuck on stupid and makes it look bad on the rest of them.
Arenas suspended indefinitely
- Thread starter Double-K
- Start date
You know, I'm not unsympathetic to those issues at all. As I pointed out above, there isn't nearly as much societal help for young people who need some kind of extra help and guidance. To me we are throwing away the lives of far too many young kids.
But the NBA is not absent role models for these young men about how to handle fame and fortune. In that sense they are far luckier than many other kids like them that will never get the opportunity they are blessed to receive. They can look past and present on any team for great role models.
Everyone makes mistakes No parent survives child-rearing without mistakes. But once you are an adult you own the responsibility for your mistakes. You have to deal with the consequences and do your best to make amends to those you've hurt or let down. Then you are not supposed to make the same mistake again (like Arenas).
On the other hand, some kids don't survive their parents mistakes/bad-parenting mentally, emotionally or physically or some combination. Then what they need is early and sufficient intervention. We fail those kids by the thousands every day. That knowledge causes me much pain.
But the NBA is not absent role models for these young men about how to handle fame and fortune. In that sense they are far luckier than many other kids like them that will never get the opportunity they are blessed to receive. They can look past and present on any team for great role models.
Everyone makes mistakes No parent survives child-rearing without mistakes. But once you are an adult you own the responsibility for your mistakes. You have to deal with the consequences and do your best to make amends to those you've hurt or let down. Then you are not supposed to make the same mistake again (like Arenas).
On the other hand, some kids don't survive their parents mistakes/bad-parenting mentally, emotionally or physically or some combination. Then what they need is early and sufficient intervention. We fail those kids by the thousands every day. That knowledge causes me much pain.
Well as I see it, Gilbert Arenas has a choice to make. He's made the stupid mistake. As an often fallible human being myself, I understand what that's like. I've never done anything like what he's done, but I've made other mistakes which I didn't think anyone would ever forgive me for. Even something as stupid as breaking an important vase by accident. I believe there's something called redemption. Actually, I believe it's one of the essential qualities of humanity. It's just as elemental to who we are as our tendency to make bad decisions, lose track of the big picture, forget other people have feelings too. The choice Gilbert has to make is whether he's going to learn something from this mistake or not. Maybe some people have already convicted him because he showed up the next day and made jokes about it. But I don't think he's a lost cause. I don't think he's got an IQ of zero. We've seen things like this happen before. If Gilbert Arenas goes in front of David Stern and tells him he wants to become the spokesperson for gun safety he can accomplish a lot of good out of this. Good which may eventually outweigh his mistake.
I don't think kids need perfect citizens to look up to. Nobody likes saints because nobody can relate to them. If the standard is going to be set impossibly high, why even try? But when a grown up kid makes a big mistake and does the right thing, takes responsibility for it, learns from it and uses his position of privilege to help prevent other people from making the same mistake -- well that's a role model I can relate to. That's redemption. That's the best possible ending to this for everyone and I think there's still an opportunity for that here.
Maybe people are right. Maybe Arenas will never get it. Maybe he's just a spoiled brat who enjoys giving other people a hard time. Maybe I'm a fool for ever believing otherwise. But I'm not willing to completely give up on the guy yet.
I don't think kids need perfect citizens to look up to. Nobody likes saints because nobody can relate to them. If the standard is going to be set impossibly high, why even try? But when a grown up kid makes a big mistake and does the right thing, takes responsibility for it, learns from it and uses his position of privilege to help prevent other people from making the same mistake -- well that's a role model I can relate to. That's redemption. That's the best possible ending to this for everyone and I think there's still an opportunity for that here.
Maybe people are right. Maybe Arenas will never get it. Maybe he's just a spoiled brat who enjoys giving other people a hard time. Maybe I'm a fool for ever believing otherwise. But I'm not willing to completely give up on the guy yet.
"That depends on what the definition of 'is' is."
You see where we've gone with this? Purely semantics. The point was that these are just people. Them being famous and having money doesn't immunize them from stupid behavior. As a matter of fact, it could be argued that it makes them more prone to it.
You see where we've gone with this? Purely semantics. The point was that these are just people. Them being famous and having money doesn't immunize them from stupid behavior. As a matter of fact, it could be argued that it makes them more prone to it.
And it shouldn't immunize them from the consequences of their behavior. Can you point to any other employer who wouldn't fire someone who blatantly disregarded a key condition of employment (the CBA restriction against having guns on the premises) and then laughed and made jokes about it?
The act itself was grounds for dismissal. The further actions of Arenas only made it more obvious he doesn't get it or doesn't think it's worth complying.
The act itself was grounds for dismissal. The further actions of Arenas only made it more obvious he doesn't get it or doesn't think it's worth complying.
Most employees are at-will. Arenas would have to have violated the terms of his contract to have the contract terminated. It appears that he has, but it's still up to the Wizards to take the steps to terminate the contract, and it won't happen without a fight. We're talking about close to a hundred million dollars here. If there's any fight to be had, they're gonna get it.
And when it comes to the NBA, players violate the rules all the time. Like I said earlier, I think Ron Artest's actions during and after The Brawl were more dangerous and damaging than Arenas' actions have been. Players do stupid and damaging things all the time. He's not the first. But when is the last time a player was banned from the NBA or any other professional sports league, especially a star player in his prime? It just doesn't happen. And considering the fact that more serious offenses have been committed without resulting in lifetime bans, I think it would be inordinate for Arenas to be banned. It might happen, but I think it would be overboard. (He might wind up in prison for the next five to twenty years, so it might be a moot point.)
And after that is settled, if the Wizards do successfully terminate his contract, and if he still wants to play in the NBA, are you telling me the 29 other NBA teams wouldn't touch him? If a team desperately in need of some talent could have the 29 year old former All Star Gilbert Arenas for the mid level exception, and there's no NBA suspension hanging over his head, he wouldn't get an offer? I find that incredibly hard to believe, especially in light of how quickly the Eagles snatched up Michael Vick.
I'm not trying to say that he shouldn't pay for his actions. I just think that the initial reaction from a lot of fans and media pundits has been "ban him from the league, he's a punk who doesn't get it", and I think that's doubtful to happen. He's made light of a very serious situation that he caused, he has a prior gun charge, is potentially facing another, and he didn't respond the way he should have initially... That's grounds for a lifetime ban? Not based on the way the NBA has historically handled knuckleheads. And let's not forget about all the philanthropy that has Gilbert Arenas' name behind it. His Scores for Schools program has generated over $400k in funds for DC area schools, and there's more.
All I'm saying about him is that, while he's guilty of incredibly poor judgment -- I'll say again that his actions rank pretty high on my "WTF were you thinking?!" scale -- he's not beating his wife and making it rain in night clubs and stuff like that. He should have to face the music, and he will, and it might cost him millions of dollars and even his career. He might do serious time. But I don't think he needs to be kicked out of the NBA. And if he does, then there are a ton of people that need to go with him.
And when it comes to the NBA, players violate the rules all the time. Like I said earlier, I think Ron Artest's actions during and after The Brawl were more dangerous and damaging than Arenas' actions have been. Players do stupid and damaging things all the time. He's not the first. But when is the last time a player was banned from the NBA or any other professional sports league, especially a star player in his prime? It just doesn't happen. And considering the fact that more serious offenses have been committed without resulting in lifetime bans, I think it would be inordinate for Arenas to be banned. It might happen, but I think it would be overboard. (He might wind up in prison for the next five to twenty years, so it might be a moot point.)
And after that is settled, if the Wizards do successfully terminate his contract, and if he still wants to play in the NBA, are you telling me the 29 other NBA teams wouldn't touch him? If a team desperately in need of some talent could have the 29 year old former All Star Gilbert Arenas for the mid level exception, and there's no NBA suspension hanging over his head, he wouldn't get an offer? I find that incredibly hard to believe, especially in light of how quickly the Eagles snatched up Michael Vick.
I'm not trying to say that he shouldn't pay for his actions. I just think that the initial reaction from a lot of fans and media pundits has been "ban him from the league, he's a punk who doesn't get it", and I think that's doubtful to happen. He's made light of a very serious situation that he caused, he has a prior gun charge, is potentially facing another, and he didn't respond the way he should have initially... That's grounds for a lifetime ban? Not based on the way the NBA has historically handled knuckleheads. And let's not forget about all the philanthropy that has Gilbert Arenas' name behind it. His Scores for Schools program has generated over $400k in funds for DC area schools, and there's more.
All I'm saying about him is that, while he's guilty of incredibly poor judgment -- I'll say again that his actions rank pretty high on my "WTF were you thinking?!" scale -- he's not beating his wife and making it rain in night clubs and stuff like that. He should have to face the music, and he will, and it might cost him millions of dollars and even his career. He might do serious time. But I don't think he needs to be kicked out of the NBA. And if he does, then there are a ton of people that need to go with him.
Talk about redemption: It would have came alot quicker had Gilbert seem sincere about apologizing for his actions. It was when he unapologized and really felt as though nothing was wrong with what he did is when everything changed.
Do I think it should be a lifetime ban...No, but definitely be something to show that you're not gonna violate the CBA either. People bring up the Delonte West incident, while having that many guns is well beyond ridiculous, he wasn't on the clock for the NBA. As far as Javaris is concerned if proven that he had his own gun loaded ready to shoot or whatever, he's done. Can't tell me that a Javaris Critterton will be missed in the NBA.
The talent is what ultimately sells in the league. Sure the "good-guy" characters of LeBron, DWade, Kobe, Dwight Howard etc. are nice but what keeps Ron Artest having a job is his talent. It's what will get Gilbert another even if he's gone a year (the quotes around good guy are for a reason, there are things going on with each of those people that the media will never talk about because it takes away from their "image")
Do I think it should be a lifetime ban...No, but definitely be something to show that you're not gonna violate the CBA either. People bring up the Delonte West incident, while having that many guns is well beyond ridiculous, he wasn't on the clock for the NBA. As far as Javaris is concerned if proven that he had his own gun loaded ready to shoot or whatever, he's done. Can't tell me that a Javaris Critterton will be missed in the NBA.
The talent is what ultimately sells in the league. Sure the "good-guy" characters of LeBron, DWade, Kobe, Dwight Howard etc. are nice but what keeps Ron Artest having a job is his talent. It's what will get Gilbert another even if he's gone a year (the quotes around good guy are for a reason, there are things going on with each of those people that the media will never talk about because it takes away from their "image")