Jim Irsay's plea for sympathy

[hawknation2014]

Much of his discussion of addiction has merit. But when you operate a vehicle, you are not only hurting yourself; you are directly putting other people's lives at risk. Also, any non-millionaire would have also been charged with intent to distribute for carrying such a large quantity of cash and illegal drugs.

"These diseases, both alcoholism and addiction, much like bipolar or depression and different illnesses, are still not seen as real diseases . . . That stigma gets carried forward, and it's unfortunate because people die and families get affected and people don't seek treatment."

Irsay was arrested for allegedly operating a vehicle while intoxicated on March 16. He faces four felony counts of possession of a controlled substance. He had $29,000 in cash and bottles of prescription drugs in his vehicle when he was arrested.

He faces a June 19 initial hearing on two misdemeanor counts of impaired driving. A court suspended Irsay's driver's license, effective May 27, for one year following his arrest for driving while intoxicated. Irsay refused a blood test after his arrest in Carmel, a suburb of Indianapolis. Indiana law requires a one-year license suspension for refusing such a test. Police later obtained a warrant ordering Irsay to submit to a blood draw.

Irsay declined to discuss many of the details from the night of his arrest, but he did tell the Star that it's not unusual for him to carry that much money on him, displaying a briefcase full of $100 bills to emphasize his point.

"I don't know why that was leaked to the press or what it had to do with anything," Irsay told the Star. "You're talking about someone who is extremely generous, and I say that humbly. That's the way I try to live my life, and it has nothing to do with the law. What's been reported out there, there's been a sensationalizing about things that have nothing to do with the law. It shouldn't be an issue."

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11062 ... -addiction

 

[ivotuk]

Tough shit Irsay. You did it, own it. Or else you're not getting it (sober).

 

[RolandDeschain]

Ahhh, addiction. The excuse to avoid accountability for so many.

 

[Scottemojo]

[youtube]8rCWnxx545I[/youtube]

 

[Largent80]

Hey Jim, whatchagonna do with that big ole box 'o scrips?

 

[halfrack]

I got a DWI in 1983. There's nothing like hearing the judge say "365 days in jail...................................................................................364 suspended." I think I pee'd myself. I deserved what I got.

 

[RolandDeschain]

I deserved what I got.

I'd say you deserved more than the one day in jail you got, personally.

 

[253hawk]

No one really cares if he's addicted, just don't try to do something dumb like drive a vehicle. That's why you have $1+billion. Have someone else drive your dumb ass around with daddy's money that you inherited.

 

[BirdsCommaAngry]

Whether it's truly a disease or not, arguing that is just splitting hairs when some forms of addiction develop into functioning much the same way as a disease. It's not like a person's beliefs on that definition really matter anyway. The choice between denigrating against or sympathizing with a person who has a form of addiction seems to not really be motivated by what we think of the whole disease/addiction concept, but by whether or not we like or care about the guy/gal in question. Being born into wealth and continuing on as a billionaire with borderline celebrity status from his current occupation doesn't really inspire sympathy, now does it? Thus, we act like we think we're calling him out on a lie or something like that as he self-destructs.

Regardless, even if that makes us petty for denigrating Irsay, it's still bad form for him to ask sympathy for himself, and it's concerning that public opinion might be important enough to him to warrant such an attempt when he has more immediate demons to absolve and presumably people who actually care about the guy to atone and redeem himself with. He also must know, or have someone in his employ who must know, that enough of the public is far too indifferent and/or ignorant to sympathize with his current plight for such a statement to work. (And yet strangely enough, some of us who are indifferent to him aren't quite indifferent enough to keep ourselves from denigrating. Oh well.)

Good luck to Irsay. He's had plenty of it throughout his life thus far to be sure, but I guess he needs a little more.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

Goodell had better come down HARD on this guy or he'll have a league-wide mutiny on his hands. No matter your feelings on the disease thing, driving makes it a very bad thing.

 

[Subzero717]

Also, any non-millionaire would have also been charged with intent to distribute for carrying such a large quantity of cash and illegal drugs.

and any non millionaire probably wouldve been doing so with that much cash and product in their possesion. In any case any half witted semi competent public defender could beat that if there was no other corroborating evidence such as a contolled buy. I know because I watch tons of Law and Order.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Goodell had better come down HARD on this guy or he'll have a league-wide mutiny on his hands. No matter your feelings on the disease thing, driving makes it a very bad thing.

I thought Rog worked for the owners, that's what his fans are always saying. So I don't see him coming down too hard on one of his bosses using that logic. He'll fine the billionaire a million dollars (see pocket change) and call it good, while claiming he is "tough on crime"!

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

Goodell had better come down HARD on this guy or he'll have a league-wide mutiny on his hands. No matter your feelings on the disease thing, driving makes it a very bad thing.

I thought Rog worked for the owners, that's what his fans are always saying. So I don't see him coming down too hard on one of his bosses using that logic. He'll fine the billionaire a million dollars (see pocket change) and call it good, while claiming he is "tough on crime"!

Sadly, I agree with you 100%.