Commentary: Some dignity lost

Columnist John Romano wrote: "In case you weren't paying attention as the weekend was dawning late Friday afternoon — and I suspect the Bucs specifically chose that moment to sneak in under the radar — Tampa Bay announced it had re-signed troubled tight end Jerramy Stevens."

Read his column here.

Comments

[Jim]

F--k Romano. What, since the Bucs signed him, has Jerramy done wrong? He played solid last year and stayed out of trouble,...Pacman's getting reinstated and Stevens can't get another chance? I hate the fact that Romano's columns never have a spot on the bottom for comments,... he must know everyone hates him and doesn't need the confirmation,...I swear I wish he would never write anything for the Times again,...what a blatant example of a writer with too much time and no originality at all.

[mm]

That simply doesn't excuse what he has done. What if that girl was a family member of yours? The point is that he is a dirt bag and doesn't deserve another chance. How many chances does he get?

[Ron]

Leonard Little drives drunk & kills a woman. He is still employed in the NFL.

Ray Lewis is an accomplice to a murder and refuses to cooperate. He is still employed in the NFL.

Jerramy Stevens is never even charged in an alleged assault (For some reason, the spam filter doesn't like the word r@pe), but he should be banned from the NFL?

[Tom]

If Stevens actions have been so terrible, why hasn't the league banned him? If not, why should the Bucs?

None of us knows all of the merits of the case. Only Stevens and the young lady knows the real truth. The case never went to court. She did settle out of court for $300,000. I always question victims when they can be appeased by money. If that was my daughter, no money in the world could stop me from wanting him castrated

[DR]

It's one thing when your fighting an individual and a lawyer, it's another thing when your fighting a biased DA, prosecutor, school officials and a whole system of corruption. In most states, once evidence has been gathered, the victim has no control over who gets prosecuted or not. If Stevens was innocent of this and felt he was being wrongly accused, there would have been no pay out. There is no payment if nothing was done. Obviously, $300,00 sounded fair to hide something.

[Tom]

For Romano to say that the Bucs "don't give a darn about the community" is absurd. Their foundations have given a lot back to Tampa Bay. What have you done, Romano? Do you give money or volunteer?

Romano obviously listens to too much of that Ron and Ian crap on the radio. Like I said, no one knows all of the facts of the case. If a truly horrific crime happened, would anyone settle for $300,000? If it was my family member, I wouldn't stop until he was ruined.

[DR]

Apples and oranges. Little served 90 days in jail, four years of probation, and 1000 hours of community service. Ray Lewis testified against his boys after pleading for a misdemeanor and served 1 year of probation. His boys were found not guilty in the court of law.
I don't necessarily agree with the punishments for either of those guys but neither of these guys paid off their victim. Both these guys were at least prosecuted. If the Stevens articles are so wrong, then Stevens should sue for defamation of character and slander.
The alleged r@pe occured before his NFL career. I do believe he deserved a harsh sentence for his DUI conviction. Pacman Jones won't even spend one day in jail and Stevens has and yet, Pacman Jones is suspended for a year, for allegations. Is that fair!?
This guy has been given way more than second chances. The Bucs are the same team with or without the average and well overrated Stevens. I'd rather see the Bucs sign Chris Henry and Travis Henry before resigning a bum r@pist like Stevens.

[DR]

Apples and oranges. Little served 90 days in jail, four years of probation, and 1000 hours of community service. Ray Lewis testified against his boys after pleading for a misdemeanor and served 1 year of probation. His boys were found not guilty in the court of law.
I don't necessarily agree with the punishments for either of those guys but neither of these guys paid off their victim. Both these guys were at least prosecuted. If the Stevens articles are so wrong, then Stevens should sue for defamation of character and slander.
The alleged r@pe occured before his NFL career. I do believe he deserved a harsh sentence for his DUI conviction. Pacman Jones won't even spend one day in jail and Stevens has and yet, Pacman Jones is suspended for a year, for allegations. Is that fair!?
This guy has been given way more than second chances. The Bucs are the same team with or without the average and well overrated Stevens. I'd rather see the Bucs sign Chris Henry and Travis Henry before resigning a bum r@pist like Stevens.

[Tom]

DR, I don't doubt that Stevens is not a good person. However, there are always two sides to a story. What were the circumstances that led to the incident? Look at the Kobe Bryant case.

I think it is wrong to blast this kid to no end and wish him the worst ill will (ie: Ron and Ian Show) if we do not fully know the complete story. Just because you read some article in the Seattle Times doesn't mean you know all of the facts. The St. Pete Times is a good example of poor and biased journalism.

[Tom]

Well, DR, I'll have to agree that Stevens is a mediocre football player with tremendous talent. Hey, he may not make the team anyways. With Alex Smith, Gilmore and Troupe, he may not make the team.

[DR]

Tom, I know what you're saying and i'm not just judging him on articles written. Have you seen him get interviewed? His demeanor is pathetic and he sounds as dumb as a box of rocks. It's quite obvious he was given a free ride and even more obvious that he abused his situation.
I just don't see why the Bucs would waste their money on an average TE at best with as many off the field problems he has had.

[Tom]

DR, I can't believe I'm saying this, but, you have come up with the best argument why we shouldn't sign Stevens. He IS an average TE and given his history, may not be worth the risk. I would make that risk for Gate, Witten or Winslow. But I think the overzealous criticism of Stevens is a little over the top. I agree, he is a knucklehead.

[Quentin]

Look, I'm all for our annual reclamation projects. I rooted for David Boston and I'll do the same for Antonio Bryant. I was onboard with Stevens last year, when I thought he just liked to hit the bottle too much. But I won't root for a r@pist. I don't care that he's stayed out of trouble since he got here. I don't even care if he has changed his ways and is truly sorry for what happened. I don't want him on this team. Because he was never officially charged, let alone convicted, then I don't think Goodell should ban him. But that doesn't mean we can't boycott his services.

Click my name to watch Jerramy Stevens receive what, in hindsight, is a well-deserved knee to the groin.

[Jim]

You guys obviously are un-american, because here in the ol'USA we have to be prosecuted and convicted before we can be punished,..Not a freaking one of you were there when this all happened, so shut the f up and stop letting the media lead you all around like children,...admit the fact that none of you have a clue what happened,.. and stop acting like you are all a bunch of psychics,.. there are plenty of payoffs that you don't hear about,.. that's the whole point behind it. The smartest NFL player pays off even if they are innocent, because there are always people who think you did it regardless..besides,..he actually CAUGHT balls last year, last I checked we need people that can catch balls and score...

[Ron]

It's hardly apples & oranges. In fact, your post makes my point. Little & Lewis were charged, tried & convicted, yet they are playing in the NFL.
Stevens was never even charged with the r@pe, yet Romano suggests that he should not be in the NFL.
There is no way that a DA would not have charged him with r@pe if there was any evidence to justify the charge.

[Justin M]

Where was this story last year when Stevens was on the team? Did Romano just learn about Stevens' past problems? This article is an over the top attempt to bash Gruden and management.

[Tom]

Romano's article is the worst case of hype driven journalism I have ever read. He got fired up when Ron and Ian started going crazy the past few mornings so he felt like he should ride that train also. I'm tired of Ron and Ian's crap also. I've seen Ian's drunk self on the streets of South Tampa plenty of times.

There is absolutely no basis for his argument. I actually like DR's argument. Just the simple fact that Stevens is just not that good. But don't profess you know everything that happened Romano. YOU weren't there.

[Quentin]

Oh please. I wasn't there to see O.J. kill his wife, nor was he convicted. I still think he did it. You probably do, too, even though we're all basing that on media reports. Like I said in my post, I don't think the NFL should issue an official punishment, especially considering that this happened before he was actually in the league. But signing him is distasteful, and TE doesn't even seem to be a need position.

[Tom]

Another thing about Romano and those two jokers, Ron and Ian. You've based your entire opinion on the Seattle Times article. Have you done your due deligence? Did you research the information? What kind of journalism is that? To direct your readers to another paper's article? That's journalism?

[Jay]

DR, one thing you forgot about Leonard Little, is that his first DWI resulted in a crash and a fatality to a woman. Worse than that, he was arrested and failed THREE DIFFERENT sobriety tests. He was charged as a persistent offender, but was acquitted of the DWI and charged with speeding. The fact is, he took a life with his reckless behavior, and rather than learn from his fatal mistakes, he repeated the same poor judgment, and was able to skirt justice by outlaywering the prosecution.

Was he convicted the second time? No. But does that make him someone who I think is the epitome of all that is wrong in the NFL? Absolutely. But the Rams not only held on to him, they gave him a $19.5 million dollar contract in 2006 despite all of that.

Seriously. Leonard Little does not deserve to be walking free, let alone playing professional sports and making millions of dollars.

[DR]

Jay, i agree with you, but the second arrest was after his probation expired. He at least served time, though, he deserved way more than that.
There is no way a DA would charge him if there was evidence? Have you not watched TV or read the news in your entire life. i thought there was no way a prosecutor would hold on to evidence that proved the innocence of the accused and looked what happened to 3 Duke lacrosse players!!! Most cases of men who have been wrongfully convicted can be attributed to overzealous prosecutors wanting to look good. Sadly, in our society, the crooked prosecutors are allowed to contine to prosecute. Look at Oklahoma City's DA, he has a horrible track record and the city even apologized for his mistakes. A DA could EASILY NOT prosecute just because. Remember, we're talking about lawyers, the biggest pieces of sh!t on the planet.

[rld]

I think the same about your choice of articles you write. Your anti buc articles are all trash.

[John Mc]

A new website to protest Stevens' signing:

http://nojerramystevens.blogspot.com/

You can vote in a poll, sign a petition, and generally make your thoughts known on the topic.

[Jay]

DR, we're talking about Little, right? The second incident occurred 6 years after the first (he received 90 days in jail, 4 years probation, and 1000 hours community service). Any other person in the US would have done serious time for vehicular manslaughter, but he got a slap on the wrist. As for the 2nd time around, the DA pushed for the harsher sentence, charged him for the felony manslaughter, but he was acquitted and walked with a speeding ticket. I'm saying that the court system in Missouri bent over backwards and let someone who essentially murdered a woman with his vehicle walk on a light sentence, and then repeat the same crime (minus the death) and receive no punishment.

My point is that if you or I were ever charged with either of these crimes we'd be sitting in jail hoping to get a Public Defender who didn't plea us out within the first 10 seconds of walking into the room.

As for the Duke prosecutor, we both know that he is the exception to the rule. Professional athletes have received preferential treatment from the court systems for decades. But no matter how many sacks Leonard Little gets, he's a much bigger piece of sh*t than any lawyer on the planet (or elsewhere).

[DR]

Jay, I agree with 100% that Little got off for his crime, but you're hating the player when you should be hating the game. Little didn't get himself off, a lawyer did. Probably multiple lawyers. Lawyers that sell their soul to make a pretty penny. OJ's lawyers are pure scum and Johnnie Cochran is enjoying his time in hell right now.

[Tom]

I wonder what great article is going to be written next by the amazing investigative reporter, John Romano. Maybe he can enlighten his readers with some great story written by another paper. Great work, John! Your journalism degree from the back of that cereal box is really paying off.

[DR]

Tom, what is he supposed to write? He's supposed to write about a great resigning this was for a player with great character? How Stevens is misunderstood, that he blew over a .20 because he was pulled over because he was black? that would should feel sorry for all the accusations against Stevens? I would like to know when Stevens contract was signed because i could guarantee you that it wasn't signed at the very last minute and that the Bucs DID wait to hopefully go under the radar because they are embarrassed that they are selling out to a pure piece of crap.
Anybody who says Stevens did nothing wrong are the same people who would allow their kids to spend the night at Michael Jackson's house, idiots.

[Skylar]

I still think its funny that we make such a big deal out of football players' transgressions, yet we elect convicted individuals to the highest office in the land. Am I missing something here? This is football. Dumb athletes are what make up football; not scientists. The guy never was even charged and DR has all but convicted the DA as though they wanted him to walk. You got any evidence whatsoever that they had a conspiracy going on or might you just be making that up so your argument, well has teeth? Maybe you will be getting a letter yourself concerning defamation Doofus Ray. The woman took a payoff - so her story automatically becomes dismissive. This is just a stupid argument. We want people to change when they are bad, yet when they show signs of improvement, we want to throw them under the bus. Can we stop talking from both sides of the mouth already?

[Rerun]

Romano is one bad writer...

[Kurt]

All teams have a thug or two and its the NFL's fault, not the teams'. If the NFL would have a backbone when it came to criminals (i.e. Pacman Jones,) the teams wouldn't have the opportunity to sign them. Also, I'm not sure where you get your stats DR, but Stevens has had a decent career thus far. He has the Seahawks single-season team record for yards and TD's for a tight end. Although he did have a terrible SB a few years back (and so did the officials,) he's been a solid pickup for us and appears to be more of an asset for the team; that's just a fact. I have to disagree with the negative chat concerning this issue. Does anybody have any positive solutions or should we just lock people away who have been fingered out for a crime? Skylar is right; the woman took a payoff which gives her zero credibility and OJ has nothing to do with this. That was a highly publicized event that we all had a chance to see unfold and formulate an intelligent opinion; this is just heresay at best. Get over it.

[Tom]

DR, I don't disagree that Stevens is a bad apple. And that the Bucs are taking a chance on a mediocre TE. However, it's just bad journalism to write an "editorial" about a guy based on one article, in one newspaper and written by one reporter. Is that reporting? To base everything on another paper's article? I highly doubt that Romano did any investigating on his own. Can we verify that accuracy of that article?

I guarantee you that he is on this bandwagon propagated by the Ron and Ian show.

Romano, if you have an opinion, make it your own. Not from the Seattle Times!!

[rollie]

Get off the guys back. When he came to TB he ask for a second chance. He has done nothing wrong since being here. The Seattle article sounds like a lot of sour grapes to me. Why didn't they write it when he was there for 6 years.

[Tom]

Kurt and Skylar, you're right on!

You have to question someone who takes a $300,000 payout for a hideous crime. That's not a whole lot money to let someone go for something like that.

[DR HORTON]

I would say; some dignity lost to the St. Pete Times for writing such a baseless article. Let's elect drunks as President and VP, but we can't have one on our football team! Hell, I think it should be legal to drink and drive; just convict idiots who kill people! If it wasn't for MADD and all of their BS statistics (which they can never seem to justify with real testimony,) we'd all be enjoying life the way our forefathers meant it to be. Remember: "and the pursuit of happiness" part of the DOI? I'm so sick of the hypochritical rhetoric which flows from the fingertips of many of you bloggers. Do any of you own land or have responsibilities? Do all of you think that Marx was right; that we're all the same and think we should be socialists? That's where we're headed boys and girls and it's because of hypochritical BS like this which takes our attention away from the real problems in our society (like genocide and famine and socialism - Clinton/Obama!) Get a clue BUCS FANS!!! and btw let's leave it as a game and not a higher purpose...GO BUCS!!!

[Matt]

Guys, the point is, the guy has had numerous chances. Even if he was innocent of what happened with the girl (I don't think he is, but just for argument's sake), he still has had numerous documented run-ins with the law and every single time he has gotten off easy.

I believe he is a bad person. Not questionable, but clearly bad. I don't want bad people on my football team.

[DR]

The girl recieved money because she had an argument that was worth it. She's not going to get millions of dollars from an average TE. If I were charged and I knew I didn't commit the crime, I'm not giving a dime up, period.
Being the best TE in Seahawks history means absolutely nothing! If the Seahawks loved him so much and he did great for them, than why did they release him?! He killed them in the Super Bowl on and off the field.

[Tom]

DR, do you think $300,000 would satisfy you if that was your daughter? I would have that guy go to prison rather than take money.

A lot of defendants in a case settle to avoid trial. This is common regardless of whether they feel the case is defensible or not. Doesn't mean he did it and doesn't mean he didn't. The one thing we know for certain. The prosecutors did not have sufficient evidence to put him on trial. And none of you stone throwers know what really happened.

[DR]

Tom, $300,000 would satisfy me. It would be enough to buy a gun and put a bullet in his head, but really, that would be too nice. Or I could use $10,000 of it and hire someone else to do the job so.