I'd be shocked in this day and age if Noah got anything other than probation, alchol/drug education program and/or community service. These guys are pretty savy and know if they have less than 2gms and are caught then nothing too bad will happen. They get bad press, and issue a mea culpa apologizing to family and friends, etc. Terry
It's just weed...and alcohol. I've heard it said in the past that the Gainesville cops should have better things to do with their time.
I doubt that he does time as well. Just quoting the article. Gipper, the surprise was not the alcohol. It was the fact that narcotics were found inside the jail. If I am not mistaken, that is an automatic felony charge even with amounts that would be considered misdemeanor if found before entry into the facility.
I think there is a big difference between being taken downtown and while being processed they find misdemeanor amounts of weed in your possession and after being processed and actually in jail that you obtain weed from jailhouse sources.
Now a few people on that link are saying that John Adams will blame Phil Fulmer for Noah's marijuana use. (Jokingly of course) :wink: No comment from me on that one! :shock: 8)
It's Fulmer's fault!!! :roll: :roll: :roll: I don't believe any jail time will come from this. But he may think twice before coming back to Gainesville again! :cry: :cry:
A lot of Texas people sometimes complain, when Austin or Travis County Cops arrest UT athletes or former athletes, that they are out to get UT athletes. Personally I don't buy it, what I think happens a lot is that these athletes have somewhat of a sense of entitlement that they are above the regular rules that most of us have to abide by and invite these arrests. Having an open container of alcohol outside a drinking establishment is against the law everywhere I know of these days...it wasn't in my day, in fact you could drink and drive in Texas during my college years. But everybody knows that it's against the law now, unless they are just stupid.
Mistake in judgement...yes...criminal?.....no.....not in most people's mind. However...the substance abuse policies in the NFL are pretty severe for weed so unless he is aware the NBA is more lax on MJ he is really taking a helluva chance. The reason I quoted the Gainesville statement is it seems to me these local cops are always trying to get a name for themselves by busting the athltetes. That's ridiculous if even remotely accurate.
Seems to be a slight prevailing sentiment here that because he is an athlete he should not have to obey the laws. If you were walking down the street with an open beer and pocket full of weed do you think you would be given that courtesy? Or would you be brazen enough to do it in the first place? The law is the law.
As I said, your sense that "local" cops are out to get Gator athletes is as irrational as the sense that Austin cops are out to get Longhorn athletes, or Columbus cops are out to get Ohio State athletes or State College cops are out to get Penn State athletes or that Knoxville cops are out to get Vol athletes. Terry
Terry, part of that may not be as irrational as you might think. Athletes tend to believe they are above the law. Not all athletes, but a lot of them do. Police officers tend to despise that kind of attitude. Do they go looking for athletes to bust? Emphatically no! Do they make examples out of the individuals that have this kind of attitude whether they are athletes or not? You betcha! Do the athletes bring on trouble once the police notice a problem and cause the situation to escalate? You betcha!
I am not making any judgment against the police at all. But I do think that Noah may think twice before coming there again, at least about being on the street with an open cup. I don't expect he will do any jail time.
I'm pretty sure you can still sport an open container in New Orleans, Doc. At least, I hope you can... Those "most people" should get together and change the laws in their communities then, MCG. Otherwise, they shouldn't be surprised when the law is followed to the letter. Cops are given - and can exercise - a good deal of discretion given the particulars of a situation. Problems arise when people expect more latitude than the cop is willing to grant, and expectations generally run high when people are lit.
Two years ago my son chased a a speeder down on the NJ Turnpike. He clocked the guy doing 83. He ran his plates and was actually going to issue a warning only since the guy's record was clean. But the driver became so beligerant at being stopped that my son ended up giving him the works. The line that closed the deal was when the driver said "does your punk ass know who I am... I'm a WR for the Eagles". It's that sense of entitlement and feeling of being above the law that sinks these overgrown kids faster than anything.
"would you be brazen enough to do it in the first place?" Uh....no I wouldn't. And your son's example is probably all too prevalent amongst pro athletes in particular. That I think is where Noah went wrong...thinking that somehow his star status at Florida absolved him from having to worry about it.
I think we are all in sync on this. Nobody thinks he should face jail time. On the other hand, off the BB court he's just another guy. Don't do stupid stuff and you won't find yourself in this position.
At its beginning, the vendors market beers to go, the next block trumpets large beers to go, then my boy a couple blocks up Bourbon trumps them all with his offerings.... After our most recent championship loss, I surveyed all that the Quarter had to offer and I judged the "huge ass" offering complete with the 3 foot straw as the best in show.... :wink: