Keeping Up with the Williamses

By Brandon Merrill

The NFL has taken a strong stance on performance enhancing drugs, the use of illegal drugs, anti-doping policies, player conduct, and a whole other laundry list situations regarding player conduct. From OJ Simpson, to Ben Roethlisberger, The NFL seems to be having headache after media headache with its own players. Which of those stories merit the most intense media coverage? I do not know, but what seems to make the headlines 10 out of 10 times is sex, scandal, and violence. What about the other cases?

It has been coming up on two years since the Williams duo Kevin and Pat Williams (not Related) tested positive in the fall of 2008 for Bumetanide, the steroid masking diuretic and unlisted ingredient found in the weight loss supplement StarCaps if you have not already heard or if you have forgotten. It is now April of 2010, and the players are just now finally taking the stand and speaking on their own behalf. The court case and charges have not been over ruled in the appeal, and I do not see any end in the near future.

I see a few conflicts with this. Aside from showing how slow the court systems are nowadays depending on the case, how is it that other players found of more sadistic crimes back on the field and in shorter time? I know that the Williams brothers have not been suspended yet, but it seemed that other cases were resolved without restraint. A good example would be the whole Donte’ Stallworth episode, which was resolved in a much more timely fashion. Not to go too in depth, but he struck and killed a pedestrian while driving under the influence back in March of 2009. A mere year ago, the man killed another person. I repeat, KILLED a man, reached a settlement, did 30 days in jail, and is now back on an NFL roster within a year.

I am not saying that Stallworth was not remorseful for what he did; I am simply stating that the judicial system is extremely flawed especially when it comes to professional football players or athletes in general. The low profile cases are unnecessarily drawn out, and the more scandalous are expedited so the players can get back to playing ball. This also shows what a waste of resources the judicial system has become. The Williamses, and the other players who tested positive for this diuretic are made to go through the slow process that is the US court system.

In all reality, they took a pill that did not list all its ingredients. It is open and shut. Had Bumetanide been on the label, then yes, those boys are guilty as charged. It was not though, so let’s stop wasting time and money, and let them get back to work without all of the distractions. These boys work their backsides off to be as dominating as they are. They took a diet pill, yes a diet pill, something that has become the most common form of weight loss strategy nowadays, to cut weight, and be more competitive without breaking the NFL list of rules.

Forgetting for a moment that idea of the punishment fitting the crime, these boys should not be punished. They did not break the law, they will not be facing any jail time, and the NFL in all its wisdom has not admitted that this “offense” is a no case. Nobody is going to win, so drop the case, and worry about more important issues, such as finding out what ever happened to Ocho Cinco’s gold fronts.