Why Is This So Common Among NFL Players Now?

[SmootSmack]

This should just be about Tatupu, not a larger indictment of NFL players. That's unfair to all the players that have never run amok of the law.

[hesscl34]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

This should just be about Tatupu, not a larger indictment of NFL players. That's unfair to all the players that have never run amok of the law.

Agreed.. but maybe we need to think about charcter more, as well as talent when we draft!

[djnemo65]

When I think about how many people I know who have driven home when they shouldn't have at least a few times I would say it's close to 100 percent of my friends. Especially when we were all in our early twenties.

That's not saying it's OK, but I'm not going to sit here and act all high and mighty when I have committed that same crime in my younger days, when I too thought myself to be invincible.

Tatupu is displaying the appropriate level of contrition and I'm sure he will learn from this and bounce back.

[hesscl34]

Originally Posted by djnemo65

When I think about how many people I know who have driven home when they shouldn't have at least a few times I would say it's close to 100 percent of my friends. Especially when we were all in our early twenties.

That's not saying it's OK, but I'm not going to sit here and act all high and mighty when I have committed that same crime in my younger days, when I too thought myself to be invincible.

Tatupu is displaying the appropriate level of contrition and I'm sure he will learn from this and bounce back.

Excellent point. I'm going to go drink some wine and not drive now..

[onlydarksets]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

This should just be about Tatupu, not a larger indictment of NFL players. That's unfair to all the players that have never run amok of the law.

Well, the question was about the league as a whole.

That said, I don't think it's more prevalent than in the rest of society. I think DUIs fill up a good part of the docket in most courts.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by hesscl34

Agreed.. but maybe we need to think about charcter more, as well as talent when we draft!

NFL teams are definitely giving "character" a lot more weight in their player evaluations. This seems to be an isolated incident for Tatupu though

[onlydarksets]

As for Tatupu specifically, check out this calculator:
Intoximeters Drink Wheel / Drink Calculator for Breath Alcohol Testing / Breathalyser / Breathalysers / Screener / DUI / DWI / Ask DOTti

According to that, at 242 lbs, he would have to drink 12 beers in 2 hours to blow .15. However, this was at least 1.5 hours after he stopped drinking, so it was probably more than that. Any non-idiot should know that you can't drink half a case and then hop in the car.

[hesscl34]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

NFL teams are definitely giving "character" a lot more weight in their player evaluations. This seems to be an isolated incident for Tatupu though

Except for Dallas...

[Stuck in TX]

I love the NFL. IMO, there is no better sport. I would love to be able to say its the best organization harboring the best sport on the planet... but this just keeps happening. Baseball's got its steroids, Basketball's got its high school dropouts and crybabies, and hockey, well, no one watches hockey. The NFL is getting the image that its full of thugs, and drunk drivers. Tatupu may have been an isolated incident, but so was Benson, Tank Johnson, D. Rhodes, Chris Henry......... you all get the picture! Come on guys, you are making the whole organization a laughing stock!

[SmootSmack]

Also, the word "now" seems out of place in the title. I mean I don't believe it's common, but players getting arrested for drunk driving or worse has been going on for decades

[Schneed10]

zzzzzz...

Matty had it right. Show me some evidence that the NFL players are any different than the general population in terms of incidence rates for things like drunk driving.

Doesn't excuse it, and it's crappy behavior for sure. But to say the NFL has an image problem is to say that our society as a whole has an image problem. They're no different than the rest of us.

[skinsfan69]

What a dumb ass!

[onlydarksets]

According to the states, DUI rates are around 15% nationwide. That would put it at 300 for the NFL to meet the average.
DWI/DUI: Driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, SAMHSA's Office of Applied Studies website

[That Guy]

at my workplace (which is very strict on dui's) its close to a 0.5% dui rate...

[dmek25]

Originally Posted by ArtMonkDrillz

Once again, I have my doubts that his is a new trend, but we hear about it more now because of the internet. Similarly, the police probably don't let players get away with this sort of thing as much as they used to.

i agree. now, if they do, and are caught, they usually face some kind of punishment. even lose their jobs. i cant understand why, most of these athletes have some sort of " posse", they do not use a designated driver. pure stupidity