Spanning Browns Town: Donte's Choice, and The End of OTAs

(Photo by Getty Images)

We all do dumb things. I suppose that is probably the most basic fact of life as well as a obviously boring beginning, but it bears truth, and for the past three or four months it has been something that Donte' Stallworth's life.  

This week Stallworth found out that there are very harsh conseqeunces for making the wrong decisions. Especially when that choice results in life altering changes to someone or someone else's family.

This week after striking a deal with the family of a man who Stallworth struck and killed while driving intoxicated, he received a sentence after pleading guilty of DUI manslaughter that will leave him with plenty of personal problems over the next few years.

Now it appears that his professional career could be in jeopardy. Thursday NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Stallworth indefinitely and sent the following statement to Stallworth.

"The conduct reflected in your guilty plea resulted in the tragic loss of life and was inexcusable. While the criminal justice system has determined the legal consequences of this incident, it is my responsibility as NFL Commissioner to determine the appropriate league discipline for your actions, that have caused irreparable harm to the victim and his family, your club, your fellow players and the NFL.

"The conduct that lead to your conviction plainly violates both the Personal Conduct and Substance of Abuse policies. Either provides me with full authority appropriate disciplinary actions against you, including a fine or suspension without pay, and to impose appropriate conditions on your continued participation in the NFL. In this case there is ample evidence to warrant significant discipline under both policies.

"There is no reasonable dispute that your continued eligibility for participation at this time would undermine the integrity of and public confidence in our league. Accordingly I have decided to suspend you indefinitely, effective immediately."

Godel also told Stallworth that he would schedule a meeting with him and his representatives and himself to make a final determination of discipline, and ended his letter to Stallworth by stating

"Everyone associated with the league derives tremendous benefits from participating in our game from the extraordinary support we receive from the public. With these benefits, comes, among other things, the responsibility to conduct ourselves in a lawful and responsible way, with no entitlement to or expectation of favorable treatment."

This leaves both the Browns and Stallworth with the following question. Where do we go from here, and what next?

From the Browns side of things, if you look at the roster it may not be all to hard to replace Stallworth. They where able to give the WR position a much needed face lift with the additions of Brian Robiskie and Mohammad Massouqi plus there is Josh Cribbs in the fold as well as Syndric Steptoe, if you need him.

Can the Browns really afford to wait and see just what happens with Stallworth's situation? Effectively the answer to that question is no.

What seems to be clear is that it could very well be that Roger Goodell will wait two years—the amount of time that Stallworth will spend under house arrest or "community control" as I read it also referred to—before he even decides to review the case.  

Stallworth, who is 28, would only be hitting 30 by the time that two years pass. He still may be able to help a team at that age, but the truth is that the Browns have two years to wait for no one.

This is a team that will have to face harsh consequences if they do not identify their problems and fix them now. No longer can they afford to be dealing with players with off the field issues like they have in the past: Gerard Warren, Mike Sellers, and Reuben Droughns, and Darren Hambrick.

Time is of the essence for this team and unfortunately that is something they just do not have much of right now. They have other options to replace Stallworth with and it is time to give them a look.

From Stallworth's stand point all there is to do is wait hope and pray for another chance. He is going to have to pick up the pieces and get himself back together. He received a big break by only getting a 30-day jail sentence, because if he were an everyday average citizen he would be dealing with a lot more time then that.

Like Goodell said, he had a responsibility to conduct himself in a way that was appropriate and right being a public figure and he chose not to do that.

All of us do things that we know we should not be doing or even that we know are wrong that's just part of human nature. It does not make it anymore right but that is just what the fact is.

The fact also is that when we do those things we all have to face punishment or consequences for those actions when we commit them.

Donte Stallworth made the choice to get behind the wheel of a car while in a state of mind that he had no business being in that position in the first place. Due to him making that decision someone lost his life.

I am sure that no one told him to drive drunk, and I am also sure that if we could go back in time to the night of March 14th we would probably observe someone begging him not drive home. He did it anyway. Now he is reaping the consequences.

I feel for Donte' (as I do the family of the man that he killed) because I hate it when people who have the world at their hands make dumb decisions like this one.

I would not wish that on anyone because I like to see people doing well for themselves and to throw that all away because they cannot make a good choice is heartbreaking to me.

I wish Donte well but I hope that he has learned his lesson. It was Donte Stallworth that made this particular bed, and it is Donte Stallworth he will have to lay in it.

On to happier matters.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?