ARE THEY REALLY ABOVE THE LAW?

Okay, here we go again. Whether it is a professional athlete or entertainer, we seem to be seeing a rise in incidents of them breaking the law like nothing will happen to them.

The latest offender is Cleveland Browns Wide Receiver, Josh Gordon. For the second time in just a few short months he had a run-in with the law. He was caught speeding earlier this year and there was marijuana found in the car. Now he is busted, allegedly for DWI while caught speeding 15 MPH over a posted speed limit. (NOTE: He is also facing the possibility of a 12 month suspension from the NFL for violations against the substance abuse policy.)

Here in Las Vegas, Rapper Flavor Flav ran “afoul” with the law regarding 100 pounds of illegal fireworks he was set to use on July 4th. For 8 years now, he has done this in his neighborhood against the regulations of his HOA. About an hour before he was about to set off the fireworks, police confiscated the illegal fireworks and issued him 2 citations. I realize this is not on the same personal scale that the Josh Gordon situation is, however, it is the same from the stand point when an individual “should know better” and CHOOSES to break the law.

I could make a list a miles long of all the offenders in recent years like Lindsay Lohan, Justin Beiber, Lawrence Taylor, Ray Rice, Ray Lewis, Chris Benoit, Danny Bonaduce, Mel Gibson, Dennis Rodman, Jim Leyritz, Dwight Gooden, Plaxico Burress and many many more.

The common thread is that they believed that they would not or could not be caught. Why do they think that? Is it their ego reminding them who they think they are? That an autograph or game tickets will get them out of trouble? What kind of role model are they? What kind of precedence are they setting? Do they not realize who and what they actually represent and the companies they work?

It is too bad that these situations seem to raise more questions then they provide answers. I am troubled by what seems to be a never ending increase of stories like these. Maybe they become magnified simply because we don’t hear the stories about the average person on TMZ?

Maybe it will take a tragedy like Heath Ledger or Paul Walker for our athletes and entertainers to realize they are not invincible.

But then again, maybe not.

Until next time…..