Former Green Bay Packers defensive end [intlink id=”205″ type=”category”]Johnny Jolly[/intlink] was arrested last weekend for codeine possession for the third time and [intlink id=”25″ type=”category”]Aaron Rodgers[/intlink] thinks the NFL is partly to blame.
Jolly was suspended indefinitely by the league in July of 2010 and hasn’t been granted reinstatement despite applying in February.
“It’s just disappointing,” Rodgers told Jason Wilde of ESPN Milwaukee, via SportsRadioInterviews.com. “And I’ll be honest, I think the league deserves some of the blame in this case. When you look at some of the other guys that have been reinstated in the league after jail sentences, and justly, rightly so, Johnny didn’t serve any days in prison, sat out for a year and still couldn’t get his case heard, from what I was told. I just think that that’s wrong. . . . I think the Commissioner’s done a great job of cleaning up some of the stuff in the league. That said, if you take a guy away from his support system . . . I don’t think that’s helping.”
We don’t really know the full story with Jolly. The NFL doesn’t announce specifically why players are suspended and there’s been speculation Jolly violated the substance abuse policy multiple times, which could be why his penalty has been so stiff.
Still, you have to wonder if things would’ve been different for Jolly if was with the team. It seemed pretty easy for a convicted dog killer and a presumed rapist to get reinstated.
But drugs are obviously way worse than those things.
If someone from the League, planted codeine (multiple) times in Jollys car. Then its the league’s fault. Lets talk about personal responsibility. Lets talk about getting busted, getting chances, and blowing them, The NFL didnt make Jollys bed, let him lie in it. I support 2nd chances, sometimes 3rd chances. But in Jollys case, he didnt want to help himself.
He didn’t say it was the league’s fault, he said they were partly to blame, as in a part of the cause.
I bet he did want to help himself, he just wanted to party too. I go out and drink my drug of choice at the bar. He goes out and drinks his where ever it is that he does.
Ricky Williams chose to smoke weed for a few years.
The league is becoming a joke, that being said if jolly can’t stop with the purple drank then he deserves no more chances. We need to stop feeling sorry for guys who do not give 2 shits and really only care about the money. HE NEEDS REHAB NOT FOOTBALL
Alcoholism is a terrible disease contracted hereditarily. A true alcoholic can not help himself, he has to have people around him to incourage him and lead him down the right path to help. The exact same thing goes for Johnny Jolly. He has a disease, obviously, that he needs help with. I am sure the best possible help he could have had was with the team. How does a sick and ill person suppose to get help without a doctor; How does Jolly get help without guidance… Answer: he doesn’t. You all can say what you want because you have no idea what an addiction is like and until you are there, you have zero idea what its like for Johnny Jolly.
Addiction is a state of mind, nothing more…nothing less. I am addicted to nicotine…should I quit? You bet…do I…well sort of. No excuses…family, heredity, etc. It’s more a product of YOUR environment than some disease. If you choose to live a healthy lifestyle you will…how do I know this is true? Because not everyone with a drunk mother or father becomes a drunk themselves.
Don’t act like nobody extended a helping hand to Jolly. initially the Packers weree supporting him 110%. This man isnt a 15 year old boy. He knew the consequences of his actions after the 1st arrest. He knew that further violations would be risking his livelyhood. He maybe addicted…he had the chance to get help. You make decisions, if you make the wrong ones…oh well…its on you if you dont accept the help provided. I was counting on him coming back. Gets arrested a 2nd time. The Courts grant him a MIRACLE sentence…probation…so what does he do?…gets arrested the 3rd time….Well, now it’s Jail time. You cant fix stupid i guess.