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| 49ers LB Aldon Smith mugshots for 1st and 2nd DUI Arrests |
San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh has never been quiet in his judgment of the Seattle Seahawks' players who have made questionable decisions, or his opinions of Pete Carroll going back to his time coaching the USC Trojans, while Harbaugh coached the Stanford Cardinals. Now, the 49ers coach is looking straight down the barrel of sanctimonious hypocrisy as trouble has become a geyser created by his own players, and it's not looking too pretty for a coach who continues to stand in judgment of the NFL's most high profile team; coaches, players and he has even taken a few aimed shots at the fans around the NFL.
It was reported today (Friday, September 20) that at 7:00 AM
49ers star outside linebacker, Aldon Smith, was arrested in San Jose
California, by Santa Clara police officers who found Smith slumped, asleep and with
his face and chest draped over the steering wheel and the airbag which had been
deployed after Smith crashed his vehicle into a tree on the side of the road. Police
reported that Smith was "very impaired" as they woke him and put him
through a field sobriety and breathalyzer test. Smith was unable to
complete the sobriety test and was reported to have blown a 0.15 blood alcohol
level, (twice the legal limit in the state of California). In addition to finding Smith drunk behind the wheel of his automobile, the officers found marijuana on the
console of his vehicle.
Smith was also convicted of another DUI in January 8, 2012. He has also violated the NFL's substance abuse policy (SAP) multiple times for illegal Street drugs. Because of
the NFL's confidentiality constraints, they will not disclose the specific street drugs that were used, or how many
violations the 49ers linebacker has had. Multiple positive tests, or improper tampering of the testing protocol, will result in involuntary drug
and alcohol rehabilitation treatment. Player suspensions can also be invoked for such violations, which can be either
handed down by the player's respective teams or the league office. In special circumstances, both the team and the NFL can implement fines and suspensions. Because
this is Aldon Smith's multiple offense of the league's DUI policy, it is almost certain that his punishment will be considerable. Aside from each state's individual legal penalty for driving while intoxicated, the NFL's punishment falls under their "Player Contact Policy" and applies special consequences that will likely include a monetary fine and a player suspension to be determined by the Commissioner and the NFL's legal committee.
Not only is Aldon Smith surrounded by drug and alcohol
violations, but there was a stabbing incident in which Smith was stabbed at his
own home during a conflict at a party that he hosted. In addition, Smith and
a former 49ers player (Delaney Walker) are being implicated in a shooting that occurred at
Smith's house also. Weighing Smith's involvement in a collection of crimes and NFL personal conduct violations, the league will likely take all of this into
account when they determine what his punishment will be. Considering his numerous transgressions, it would be highly unusual to see Smith go
without a large fine and a multiple game suspension, commensurate to the trouble that he has chosen to involve
himself in.
Aldon Smith is a fantastic athlete and one of the major
game changing players in Jim Harbaugh's dominant defensive squad. He collected an
astounding 19.5 sacks last season, and 14 in his rookie season. Already, in
just two games, he has already tallied 3.5 sacks which puts him on a pace to make
a record-breaking 24.5 sacks in a season, but with any substantial time away from the game because of suspension, that number would likely be lower. He is a big time pass rusher in the 49ers' defense and if he is suspended, it could put the 49ers in a
tight spot and in jeopardy of losing their hold on the NFC West. Jim Harbaugh was interviewed shortly after the media became aware
of Smith's arrest and he stated, “Aldon Smith arrived at practice on time after
the accident, he took part in practice drills, and will be playing this
Sunday.
Lawyers for San Francisco 49ers' linebacker Aldon Smith and
former teammate, San Francisco, tightend Delaney Walker, have been forced to
file a response to a civil suit filed against them relating to a shooting at a
party at their home last year. According to the San Jose Mercury news, the
lawyers answer to the complaint filed by plaintiff Ronndale Esporlas claim that
he "knew of the danger and risk to his undertaking" at the party
"but nevertheless, freely and voluntarily exposed himself to all risks of
harm." The report detailed the response, including the statement that any
compensation sought by the plaintiff be updated, reduced or eliminated to the
extent plaintiff's negligence caused or contributed to his own injuries and
damages, if any"
Aldon Smith was stabbed at the house party, which police
said was crashed by gang members in San Jose. Two people were also shot in the
incident according to the initial police report--- none of the injuries
life-threatening. Smith and Walker were not charged in the incident. According
to the San Jose Mercury news report, Aldon Smith may be charged with a crime
stemming from the incident, however. Police found assault rifles in the home
belonging to Smith "that were purchased legally in another state (North
Carolina, but violating California law.” Troubles are just beginning for Aldon
Smith it seems.
Now, I know that each one of us is innocent until proven
guilty, but Aldon Smith was tested for his level of inebriation and a
breathalyzer and blood alcohol level put him at roughly twice the legal limit
of .08, in California. That's pretty drunk and that puts Smith very drunk, or
at least extremely hung over, as he arrived at the 49ers practice facility that
morning. How a coach could allow his player to take part in practice drills in
preparation to play in a game just two days later is mystifying to me at best.
Harbaugh is a man who has stood in his ivory tower of self-righteousness,
casting down judgment on the Seattle Seahawks for their iniquities and
transgressions. Now, he has placed himself in the "Crystal Cathedral"
of glass houses, and it's raining hailstones the size of watermelons.
Ahmad Brooks, another 49ers linebacker, was reported to be
at one of the clubs in California and drinking alcohol to excess. After leaving
the club, he drove drunk to a teammate's house, nose tackle, Lamar Divens.
After drinking a lot more alcohol and smoking marijuana at Divens' residence,
Brooks decided to drive home in his own vehicle. His teammate, Divens, told him
that he would not give him his car keys because he didn't want him to drive
home drunk. Brooks proceeded to argue with Divens and after getting agitated,
he beat his teammate over the head with a beer bottle several you are in times
requiring stitches to close the gashes in Divens' skull. Then, witnesses
corroborated the story that Brooks threatened to get his pistol if Divens
didn't give him his car keys immediately. Brooks drove home drunk after leaving
his teammate in the front lawn bleeding from his head. This story has been
confirmed by several people present at Lamar Divens' home. To make this story
even more disgusting and pathetic, Brooks offered a monetary settlement to
Divens, (reportedly $100,000) and undoubtedly with pressure from the 49ers
organization to settle and make this story go away quickly and quietly, Divens
chose not to press charges of assault, battery and threat with a lethal weapon
on Ahmad Brooks. Brooks recently signed a new contract with the 49ers for $45.5
million.
No surprise----Jim Harbaugh chose not to comment on the
events that happened that night.
Just prior to the 2013 regular season, Harbaugh and the
49ers, made a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for corner Eric Wright. After
spending his afternoon in front of the press slamming the Seahawks organization
for players testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, Harbaugh
proceeded to trade for a player who had already tested positive for a PED. This
really does nothing to dispel the fact that Harbaugh isn't above taking players
who have questionable character, including a multitude of violations of NFL
league's substance and conduct policy as well as state and federal crime
violations.
The purpose of this article is that Jim Harbaugh on the
49ers is making decisions for his football team that are not above those of any
other coach in the NFL willing to take a chance on players with questionable
background history. His highfalutin, holier than thou, we're better than you
tone that he uses in his press conferences has created a gigantic bull's-eye on
Harbaugh's back and the backs of every player wearing a 49ers uniform.
Nothing in the NFL is settled in September and nothing is
settled in November, but the Seahawks will travel to San Francisco at
Candlestick Park, where the 49ers play their home games… and on December 8, the
Seahawks will obtrude upon that stink hole of a stadium and confirm a
"season death sentence" for Jim Harbaugh and the rest of the 49ers
team. For it is there, that the Seahawks will clinch and reclaim the NFC West
Divisional Championship Title, the No.1 Seed in the NFC and home-field
advantage throughout the playoffs.
If the 49ers are unlucky enough to squeak out a wildcard
berth in the playoffs, and if they happen to advance, they know the Super Bowl
goes through CenturyLink Field…Every Forty-Niners; player, coach, assistant
coach, and ball boy, knows that the C'Link in Seattle, Washington is the last
place on the planet earth that they want to be. If they thought a relatively
unimportant second game of the season created a record-breaking 136.6 dB of
thunder… What kind of unearthly, seismic event of biblical proportions would
Seahawks fans create for an NFC title game that could return the Seattle
Seahawks to the Super Bowl?
I say forget the earplugs, it's time to purchase a full-size
bodysuit, complete with crash helmet and groin protection. Go Hawks!
*****
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