Just when it seemed like Gilbert Arenas was finally on his way to avoiding headlines and focusing strictly on his job as a professional basketball player this season, he has managed to somehow put himself in the spotlight again.Arenas, who is widely known for his string of stellar seasons a few years back and his charismatic demeanor off the court, allegedly pulled a gun on his Washington Wizards teammate Javaris Crittenton. The origin of the dispute appears to have begun on the team's flight following their 121-95 loss to Phoenix on Dec. 19. It has been reported that Arenas and Crittenton were involved in a game of cards before a heated argument broke out between the two over a gambling debt that Arenas owed Crittenton. The argument continued into practice on Dec. 21, in which Arenas reportedly placed three firearms on a chair near Crittenton's locker and invited him to select one. Crittenton then reportedly, picked up one of the three guns and tossed it to the floor, telling Arenas that he had a gun of his own.
"With Gilbert, from what I know of him and know about him, he's definitely not a menacing person. However, he at times has been very immature," said TNT basketball analyst and former NBA player, Kenny Smith, in an interview with CBS News. "It's an American problem, as far as guns and gambling. I think a lot of people believe that because you're in the NBA, you're immune to societal problems. Societal problems are not gonna stop at the Washington Wizards arena."
Arenas and Crittenton's actions are currently under investigation by both the DC police department and the D.E.A. NBA commissioner David Stern has decided to put off all disciplinary actions regarding Arenas and Crittenton until the respective investigations by both law enforcement agencies have been completed. However, even if charges are not brought up against Arenas and Crittenton at the local or federal levels, expect Stern to deliver harsh punishments as NBA league rules forbid the possession of firearms on league property.
"I'm a goof ball and that's what I am, so even [during] something like this, I'm going to make fun of it and that's how I am," Arenas said. "Some people say I'm not taking it serious, but why be depressed at home when I can just make myself laugh?"
It is my opinion that the Washington Wizards should file a morality clause and completely rid themselves of Gilbert Arenas and his massive $111 million contract. Arenas is not the player he once was before the three operations to his left knee and his reaction to the situation clearly indicates that he doesn't grasp the severity of his actions. Does the front office of the Wizards honestly want an immature basketball player, who has shown the ability to not only put his own life in danger, but also the lives of his teammates, coaches, and members of the Wizards personnel, as the face of their franchise? There cannot and should not be any sympathy for Arenas. David Stern should suspend him for at least the remainder of the season, the Wizards should send him packing, and his endorsers, most notably, Adidas, should cut ties with him. If companies feel the need to no longer associate themselves with Tiger Woods, for the discovery of his acts of infidelity during his marriage, how could they possibly stand by Gilbert Arenas? Let the self-proclaimed "hibachi" be an "Agent Zero" on some other team or league. Bringing weapons to the workplace and threatening the lives of co-workers should never be tolerated.
As for Crittenton, he should also be suspended for his role in the altercation. I'm sure no one would find it funny for a person, no matter how close of a friend, to insinuate that they would use a gun on you but Crittenton's reaction to the threat could have easily escalated the situation. For that reason, he will most likely receive a harsh punishment from commissioner David Stern as well.
In other news, four members of the University of Tennessee basketball team were charged with gun possession and various other charges after Knoxville police made a routine traffic stop Jan. 1. The players include star senior forward Tyler Smith, junior guard Melvin Goins, junior center Brian Williams, and sophomore guard Cameron Tatum.
Tatum, who was driving, has been charged with possession of a firearm and for having an open bottle of alcohol present, in the vehicle. Smith has been charged with possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number. Goins and Williams were charged with firearm and drug possession. Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl has since suspended the four players indefinitely and Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton had this to say about the suspension.
"Indefinite suspension, what does that mean," Hamilton said. "For me it means we start at dismissal and work our way backward. It doesn't mean we start at one game and work our way forward. We'll see where it goes from there."
This is the second incident in the past few months in which Tennessee student-athletes were arrested and charged with crimes involving firearms (three Tennessee football players were charged with armed robbery). First off, it's ridiculous for any student-athlete to be carrying guns around and/or on campus, no matter the situation. Second, how much sense does it make to have illegal firearms, alcohol, and marijuana on the weekend of New Years, knowing that officers will be conducting routine traffic stops due to the holiday? The situation is extremely unfortunate as all four players have now put themselves in the position to possibly lose their scholarships or worse; however, they did this to themselves. My message to A.D. Mike Hamilton is to get control of your athletes. This is two, too many, cases in which athletes within your athletic department have committed serious crimes.
On that note, I say happy new year to all my followers and be sure to check back for another post shortly! That's all folks!!
Photo courtesy of www.latimes.com
