Aldon Smith arrested again

[spacedoodoopistol]

I was just reading something about a soccer player now playing in England, and he said something that struck me as relevant to Aldon today:

"What can I say? I grew up in an area of Paris that isn't all sweet and nice," admits Sakho, who lived in the 18th and 21st arrondissements. "The neighbourhood was quite tough. At that age you have to put yourself about a bit and earn some respect. When I was 14, 15, I tried to impose myself a bit too much on the other players around me. It was a bit physical, a bit verbal. I was just a teenager.

"It was made clear that if I didn't step back in line, I would be in trouble. I soon learned that I had to knuckle down and focus. It was for my own good. I was over the rebellious phase before my father died but that was when I took a step back and decided to concentrate on becoming a professional footballer. Life was pretty hard at that time but I took it on as an obligation to myself to become a pro and provide for my family."

This kid ran into trouble earlier and learned from it. Someone like Aldon was probably babied and enabled and allowed to run rampant instead, and now he's paying for it on the biggest stage. Hopefully he gets a strong enough message this time to clean it up.

 

[Cut My Red I Bleed Gold]

GAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!

 

[h0ckeysk83r]

Aldon Smith - LB - 49ers

The 49ers are not saying whether OLB Aldon Smith will play in Week 3 following his Friday morning arrest for DUI.

We suspect Smith will -- the 49ers want to win above all else -- but he's likely to be suspended later this year or in 2014. "The 49ers organization is aware of the matter involving Aldon Smith," the team said in a release. "As we continue to gather information regarding this situation, we will have no further comment." This is Smith's second DUI arrest in his three-year NFL career.
Source: Profootballtalk on NBC Sports

Sep 20 - 2:20 PM




Aldon Smith - LB - 49ers

In addition to suspicion of DUI, 49ers OLB Aldon Smith was booked on charges of marijuana possession by San Jose Police on Friday morning.

Smith blew a .15 on his breathalyzer test, though it's unclear how much weed was discovered. Smith is undoubtedly, eventually facing a league-imposed suspension, and at this point we wouldn't be totally shocked if he were held out of Sunday's game against the Colts. That'd be a nice development for Andrew Luck's fantasy matchup. We expect to know more by Sunday morning.
Source: CBS Sports

Sep 20 - 2:40 PM

I always want aldon out there..... But the team has to sit him out this week. Teach him a lesson.

 

[TobyTyler]

Classless? Come on. A .08 BAC is like four or five beers for him, and probably didn't even feel tipsy. DUI laws are absolutely garbage.

He blew twice that as I understand it and got caught with some dope as well.

 

[Smalls]

Aldon is practicing with the team as we speak. Some are speculating that it means he'll play Sunday unless the league steps in. Man, I hope not. Sit his ass down.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Exactly right. It's all about the cheddar, and less about actual public safety. Thing is, cops can actually arrest you even if you're UNDER .08. .08 is just the cut-off line when they HAVE to arrest you. It's all garbage. I fucking hate the lawmakers in this country.

You've got to be kidding. DUI laws are about making money? Do you realize how much money is spent every year enforcing and prosecuting DUIs? They constitute something like half of misdemeanors filed. Hell, the CHP basically does nothing but enforce DUI laws. The state may make a small amount of money on a driver who pleads immediately, but I'm skeptical. And for every driver who goes to trial, you've got to pay the judge, court staff, the prosecutor, likely a public defender, and the witnesses (officer, criminalist, possibly whoever drew blood). It costs thousands of dollars, far more than the $1500-1800 fines will cover.

The reasons why we have these laws are pretty clear. The costs of driving under the influence are exorbitant. $50 billion a year. 10,000 deaths a year, nearly 800 in CA on average. Driving under the influence is one of the most dangerous activities in this country, and our laws are far more permissive than most of the developed world.

As far as being ok to drive, we're not talking about being hammered. Aldon was apparently drunk enough to lose control and crash, but you're a danger to the public far before that point. Your reactions start to slow noticeably around 0.05%. That's not a good thing when you're traveling 60+ MPH. Or when you're driving through a residential neighborhood. You're more inclined to take chances, or to lose focus. You can feel just a little buzzed, but present a tremendous danger to yourself and others because of these things. As evidenced by the extremely high fatality rate.

 

[CalamityX11]

remember this isn't a result of the cops pulling him over for speeding... he hit a fucking tree...

he was fucking stupid and incapable of driving at that time.

 

[spacedoodoopistol]

Personally I think DUI laws are about an issue where there are serious lobbying organizations on one side - MADD and the like - and no one on the other (just like our guns laws). You are talking about people who have been traumatized by tragedy and make it a mission to fight drunk driving, but become a bit fanatical and irrational about it.

Look at what they say - they want BAC limits lower and lower, nothing to do with the actual level of impairment just a war against anything that can be called "drunk driving". They want ignition locks for anyone with even one DUI offense. Its become disconnected from the idea of outlawing or discouraging impaired driving, into a kind of moral crusade. Drunk driving is wrong, and some people have a real hard problem with it (like Aldon, apparently), but things have gone a bit too far.

Harsh penalties are fine, as long as they're based on actual impaired driving rather than some arbitrary limit set by people who are aggrieved and blaming drunks for the loss of their loved ones.

 

[kev_fan_ATX_80]

I always want aldon out there..... But the team has to sit him out this week. Teach him a lesson.

a week ... DUI and dope... yeah

 

[spacedoodoopistol]

but you're a danger to the public far before that point. Your reactions start to slow noticeably around 0.05%. That's not a good thing when you're traveling 60+ MPH. Or when you're driving through a residential neighborhood. You're more inclined to take chances, or to lose focus

But we could say the same thing about numerous activities - driving while eating (DWE?), driving while changing music, driving while having a conversation......hell, driving while tired is often a lot more dangerous than driving with a .08 in my book. And the roads are full of these people, and huge number of accidents happen because of them. But there's only one type that draws such fury and ever-increasing penalties with ever-lower measures of impairment. That's why I can't take it seriously - if there were even 1/10 as much recognition of these other types of dangerous driving I'd be able to accept it. Only driving-while-texting is a similar crime, and the penalties for that are dwarfed by DUI laws even though those people are literally not watching the road while they text.

 

[packerzrule]

So, does everyone think hel get suspended? I believe this is his 3rd incident. And how does this affect Sundays game.?

I don't see how he couldn't. What a dumb fuck

 

[MHSL82]

Personally I think DUI laws are about an issue where there are serious lobbying organizations on one side - MADD and the like - and no one on the other (just like our guns laws). You are talking about people who have been traumatized by tragedy and make it a mission to fight drunk driving, but become a bit fanatical and irrational about it.

Look at what they say - they want BAC limits lower and lower, nothing to do with the actual level of impairment just a war against anything that can be called "drunk driving". They want ignition locks for anyone with even one DUI offense. Its become disconnected from the idea of outlawing or discouraging impaired driving, into a kind of moral crusade. Drunk driving is wrong, and some people have a real hard problem with it (like Aldon, apparently), but things have gone a bit too far.

Harsh penalties are fine, as long as they're based on actual impaired driving rather than some arbitrary limit set by people who are aggrieved and blaming drunks for the loss of their loved ones.

Great post. I thought you were going to take it too far the opposite way but you were well balanced and reasonable, IMO. I have a friend of the family who died because of a drunk driver and a my brother's friend's sister died, too. But you're right, these laws should be built to help prevent or adequately punish actual impairment, not lower the standards so that seemingly any level is treated the same. I do agree with some harsh penalties but sometimes they are considered harsh not because of what is being restricted but rather who and whether the crime fit the punishment.

I used to work for the prosecutor's office and there was a case where a person was in their car, keys in the ignition, reportedly there for enough time for the officers to arrive, didn't drive, but was hammered as hell. I left before the conclusion of the trial, so I don't know the results but I knew the arguments made. I have also heard stories of drunken tractor driving in the middle of Nowhere, USA and a bicycle rider riding drunk. Ruined something, not someone, and paying for the damages should have been sufficient. I forgot what they got him for but it wasn't DUI. It was like disorderly conduct but not.

 

[yossarian]

Classless? Come on. A .08 BAC is like four or five beers for him, and probably didn't even feel tipsy. DUI laws are absolutely garbage.

That's not true at all. I've defended dui's and went to a conference where they had a BAC machine set up where you could test it after drinking, he's an idiot and needs to be suspended before he kills someone.

 

[erckm510]

Look DUI's aren't good but so much overreaction. Yes he should be suspended since this is his 2nd DUI and it's during the season. But he's not going out and fighting people or going to strip clubs and making it rain or yelling at women or raping them.

Honestly look at the shit Lawrence Taylor did during his playing days. Not to excuse Smith and yes he does need to get his shit together. But he's a football player not a saint. Many athletes have some type of substance abuse issues.

 

[bvanthielriceyoung]

 

[tallglassofwater007]

Sit his ass down. It is getting ridiculous.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Personally I think DUI laws are about an issue where there are serious lobbying organizations on one side - MADD and the like - and no one on the other (just like our guns laws). You are talking about people who have been traumatized by tragedy and make it a mission to fight drunk driving, but become a bit fanatical and irrational about it.

Look at what they say - they want BAC limits lower and lower, nothing to do with the actual level of impairment just a war against anything that can be called "drunk driving". They want ignition locks for anyone with even one DUI offense. Its become disconnected from the idea of outlawing or discouraging impaired driving, into a kind of moral crusade. Drunk driving is wrong, and some people have a real hard problem with it (like Aldon, apparently), but things have gone a bit too far.

Harsh penalties are fine, as long as they're based on actual impaired driving rather than some arbitrary limit set by people who are aggrieved and blaming drunks for the loss of their loved ones.

Just like gun laws? Which side isn't represented in the gun debate?

As for 0.08%, it's hardly arbitrary. There has been considerably research into BAC levels. Most people I've spoken to who have looked into the hard science on the issue feel that anyone would be impaired at 0.05%.

I'm hardly a zealot. I've probably driven above 0.08% myself a couple times. And I'm generally of the mind that someone who is caught once and wasn't all that high (say Aldon's .15% or above) or wasn't driving terribly (Aldon again) shouldn't be punished too harshly. But I have no problem with doing an interlock device after a second DUI. Particularly when it occurs shortly after a first DUI.

 

[bvanthielriceyoung]

Aldon is practicing with the team as we speak. Some are speculating that it means he'll play Sunday unless the league steps in. Man, I hope not. Sit his ass down.

Exactly. We need to send a message to the team and Smith. No way do I want to see him out there.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

But we could say the same thing about numerous activities - driving while eating (DWE?), driving while changing music, driving while having a conversation......hell, driving while tired is often a lot more dangerous than driving with a .08 in my book. And the roads are full of these people, and huge number of accidents happen because of them. But there's only one type that draws such fury and ever-increasing penalties with ever-lower measures of impairment. That's why I can't take it seriously - if there were even 1/10 as much recognition of these other types of dangerous driving I'd be able to accept it. Only driving-while-texting is a similar crime, and the penalties for that are dwarfed by DUI laws even though those people are literally not watching the road while they text.

Yes, but none of those other activities are involved in upwards of 1/3 of vehicular deaths. We may see something similar with texting as it is responsible for more deaths. Wouldn't surprise me, though it's somewhat harder to prove.

 

[spacedoodoopistol]

Thanks, MHSL, I do try to keep my rants limited to the politics board, but sometimes I can't help it.

Crimson....

Just like gun laws? Which side isn't represented in the gun debate?

Not that they're not represented, but its a powerful and organized lobby on one side vs. a collection of opinions on the other.

And I'm not saying .08 is arbitrary - its a fine limit, certainly means impairment. But the anti groups are pushing for ever-lower levels, and that's where I call BS. And if you get a 2nd DUI I'm fine with anything they throw at someone, there's just no excuse after all the education and warnings following the 1st.