Cbz40
The Grand Poobah
- Messages
- 31,387
- Reaction score
- 39
[SIZE=+2]Sports: Pro athletes aren't afraid of protecting themselves
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]Web Posted: 06/28/2008 11:25 PM CDT
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]Tom Orsborn
torsborn@express-news.net[/SIZE] Rookie Martellus Bennett didn't need to attend the NFL security meeting held the first day of the Dallas Cowboys' minicamp two weeks ago to understand how dangerous it can be for professional athletes to flaunt their wealth in public.
News reports of what happened to Javon Walker the night before was all the warning Bennett needed.
Walker, a receiver with the Oakland Raiders, was found unconscious on a street near the Las Vegas strip after a night of partying during which he was photographed spraying a crowd in a nightclub with champagne.
According to police, Walker was later robbed of jewelry and a large amount of cash.
The news stunned Bennett, a tight end from Texas A&M who said he had recently worked out with Walker.
“I guess you always have to worry about something like that happening,” Bennett said, his voice tinged with resignation. “I guess you always have to watch your back. There are always people who want what you have and are willing to go the quick route to get it.”
That's why Bennett, 21, says he owns a registered firearm, something that isn't unique among the Cowboys.
“If someone comes in my house to rob me, you've got World War III going on,” said receiver Sam Hurd, a 2002 Brackenridge graduate who says he owns several registered weapons, including an M-16 assault rifle, and made it clear he wouldn't hesitate to use one to protect himself, his wife and their home in an Irving gated community.
“I've got to be deadly with them,” said Hurd, 23. “You can't get to my wife. If you get to my wife, I've got to kill you.”
In the wake of an alarming number of incidents this decade in which athletes have been robbed, beaten and even killed, more and more of them are taking extreme measures to ensure their safety.
“I'm not saying that that's the best solution,” Cowboys nose tackle Tank Johnson said. “But to protect yourself is vital. I mean, these people have no regard for you or your safety, so you are in a tough position.”
The league suspended Johnson after the 2006 season partly because he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor weapons charge. In December 2006, police raided Johnson's home in suburban Chicago and discovered six unregistered firearms — a violation of his probation on an earlier gun charge.
“They want to come try it (rob him at home), I'm ready,” Johnson, 26, said during minicamp.
Asked if that means he still owns firearms, Johnson said only, “That means I'm ready.”
Home security became a paramount issue in the NFL after the murder of safety Sean Taylor in November. The Washington Commanders star was the most recent of at least eight athletes from either the professional or college ranks who have died in violent crimes since 2003.
Four men — none older than 20 — broke into Taylor's South Florida home intending to burglarize it. Taylor, who was at home with his wife and child, was shot in the leg and died of blood loss the next day. A fifth person also has been charged in connection with his death.
Taylor's death cast a pall over the league. Coming nearly a year after Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was killed in a drive-by shooting following an argument at a Denver nightclub, it prompted many players to fortify their homes with security systems, attack dogs and firearms.
“I just got a German shepherd, and he is a mean one,” Hurd said. “I've got enough to protect myself.”
Guns not for everyone
But not all athletes are resorting to firearms for protection. Even though the NBA's Lamar Odom was robbed at gunpoint in his hometown of New York in 2006, he refuses to take such a drastic measure.
The robber, who fired a warning shot as he took off with a watch and cash, was someone Odom recognized from his Queens neighborhood.
“I believe in karma, so the last thing I want to do is carry a weapon and things like that,” said Odom, 28.
Still, Odom said he isn't opposed to hiring a bodyguard to protect him in public.
“Sometimes you take security with you when you go to a club — look at what happened in Denver (to Williams),” Odom said. “There are things you can do like that when you go out at night. You watch your back. And you pray.”
Odom blames the country's economic woes for the spate of attacks against professional athletes.
“It's a tough situation because we love to be normal, but right now, with the recession, we are targets,” Odom said. “People think we carry a little bit more on us than just a credit card.”
To keep thugs and thieves at bay, many players do as Odom suggested and hire a bodyguard to accompany them to nightclubs.
“I know it's not the coolest thing to do, but there are a lot of criminals in the world with get-rich-quick schemes,” Bennett said.
In addition to protecting himself with a weapon, Bennett said he tries to heed the advice of the NFL and keep a low profile when out in public.
He said the league warns players that news reports about their salaries can also lead to attacks. Walker was robbed just four months after he signed a six-year, $55 million deal with the Raiders.
“When you get paid or get your contract, it is in the newspaper, so everyone knows about it,” Bennett said. “People can Google you and find out where you live.
“There are so many ways they can get at you.”
The day after Walker — who also had been riding in the vehicle when his former teammate Williams was killed — was robbed, beaten and hospitalized with a concussion and facial injuries, Bennett and his teammates received reminders from the team and league about how to stay safe.
“We talked about personal safety and the way the league wants players to act,” Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said. “The league has a good film about players talking to players about (security issues). The meeting came at a good time to reinforce those things.”
One of the precautions stressed by the league is that players be aware that what they wear and how they behave in public can lead to attacks.
“As a rookie, you have to be conscious of that,” Bennett said. “A lot of rookies want to be flashy right away, but you have to realize what is out there and the type of people that are around.”
Avoiding bad situations
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo said he never worried about security during his days as a backup. But that changed after he became a starter and began mixing with other celebrities, including current girlfriend Jessica Simpson.
“Being a professional athlete, people are looking at you, and they might be looking at you even when you don't know they are looking at you,” said Romo, 28. “Sometimes you don't really know what people's motives are.
“When I do leave to maybe attend stuff where people know I might be coming to, yeah, normally I would call ahead and have something going on (security-wise). I have a couple of strong buddies, too. They help out.”
Hurd said he doesn't need a bodyguard because he rarely goes out.
“I try to stay out of the clubs, stay out of the party scene and try to stay around people I know that are doing right and have positive things in their lives,” Hurd said. “If you hang around the wrong people, you are going to draw the wrong crowd and that will bring more attention to you. Basically, I try to stay home with my wife.”
Like Hurd, Spurs forward Ime Udoka tries to keep his circle of friends small and his profile low.
“You just try to put yourself in a good situation when it comes to who you are around and also with friends of friends,” said Udoka, 30.
Udoka said it also helps that he plays for a team in a city that isn't as dangerous as some of the league's larger markets.
“A lot of it has to do with the city you live in,” Udoka said. “A few things happened in Chicago to players last year. It seemed like they were being targeted, so the NBA sent out a memo about that.”
But players shouldn't rely on the league to keep them safe, Udoka said.
“Knowing where you are at, the area, certain cities, obviously certain neighborhoods, is important,” Udoka said. “Certain situations you don't want to be in. You have to know your boundaries and where you can and cannot go. Really, it's all about knowing that you are a target and knowing your surroundings.”
Said Bennett: “That's the bottom line: We're targets.”
DEADLY ATTACKS
•Sean Taylor: Commanders safety dies after being shot by burglars inside his Miami-area home on Nov. 27, 2007.
•Darrent Williams: Broncos cornerback killed in a drive-by shooting in Denver after leaving a nightclub in the early hours of Jan. 1, 2007.
•Robert Quiroga: San Antonio's former IBF superflyweight champ is found stabbed to death along Interstate 10 on August 16, 2004.
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]Web Posted: 06/28/2008 11:25 PM CDT
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]Tom Orsborn
torsborn@express-news.net[/SIZE] Rookie Martellus Bennett didn't need to attend the NFL security meeting held the first day of the Dallas Cowboys' minicamp two weeks ago to understand how dangerous it can be for professional athletes to flaunt their wealth in public.
News reports of what happened to Javon Walker the night before was all the warning Bennett needed.
Walker, a receiver with the Oakland Raiders, was found unconscious on a street near the Las Vegas strip after a night of partying during which he was photographed spraying a crowd in a nightclub with champagne.
According to police, Walker was later robbed of jewelry and a large amount of cash.
The news stunned Bennett, a tight end from Texas A&M who said he had recently worked out with Walker.
“I guess you always have to worry about something like that happening,” Bennett said, his voice tinged with resignation. “I guess you always have to watch your back. There are always people who want what you have and are willing to go the quick route to get it.”
That's why Bennett, 21, says he owns a registered firearm, something that isn't unique among the Cowboys.
“If someone comes in my house to rob me, you've got World War III going on,” said receiver Sam Hurd, a 2002 Brackenridge graduate who says he owns several registered weapons, including an M-16 assault rifle, and made it clear he wouldn't hesitate to use one to protect himself, his wife and their home in an Irving gated community.
“I've got to be deadly with them,” said Hurd, 23. “You can't get to my wife. If you get to my wife, I've got to kill you.”
In the wake of an alarming number of incidents this decade in which athletes have been robbed, beaten and even killed, more and more of them are taking extreme measures to ensure their safety.
“I'm not saying that that's the best solution,” Cowboys nose tackle Tank Johnson said. “But to protect yourself is vital. I mean, these people have no regard for you or your safety, so you are in a tough position.”
The league suspended Johnson after the 2006 season partly because he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor weapons charge. In December 2006, police raided Johnson's home in suburban Chicago and discovered six unregistered firearms — a violation of his probation on an earlier gun charge.
“They want to come try it (rob him at home), I'm ready,” Johnson, 26, said during minicamp.
Asked if that means he still owns firearms, Johnson said only, “That means I'm ready.”
Home security became a paramount issue in the NFL after the murder of safety Sean Taylor in November. The Washington Commanders star was the most recent of at least eight athletes from either the professional or college ranks who have died in violent crimes since 2003.
Four men — none older than 20 — broke into Taylor's South Florida home intending to burglarize it. Taylor, who was at home with his wife and child, was shot in the leg and died of blood loss the next day. A fifth person also has been charged in connection with his death.
Taylor's death cast a pall over the league. Coming nearly a year after Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was killed in a drive-by shooting following an argument at a Denver nightclub, it prompted many players to fortify their homes with security systems, attack dogs and firearms.
“I just got a German shepherd, and he is a mean one,” Hurd said. “I've got enough to protect myself.”
Guns not for everyone
But not all athletes are resorting to firearms for protection. Even though the NBA's Lamar Odom was robbed at gunpoint in his hometown of New York in 2006, he refuses to take such a drastic measure.
The robber, who fired a warning shot as he took off with a watch and cash, was someone Odom recognized from his Queens neighborhood.
“I believe in karma, so the last thing I want to do is carry a weapon and things like that,” said Odom, 28.
Still, Odom said he isn't opposed to hiring a bodyguard to protect him in public.
“Sometimes you take security with you when you go to a club — look at what happened in Denver (to Williams),” Odom said. “There are things you can do like that when you go out at night. You watch your back. And you pray.”
Odom blames the country's economic woes for the spate of attacks against professional athletes.
“It's a tough situation because we love to be normal, but right now, with the recession, we are targets,” Odom said. “People think we carry a little bit more on us than just a credit card.”
To keep thugs and thieves at bay, many players do as Odom suggested and hire a bodyguard to accompany them to nightclubs.
“I know it's not the coolest thing to do, but there are a lot of criminals in the world with get-rich-quick schemes,” Bennett said.
In addition to protecting himself with a weapon, Bennett said he tries to heed the advice of the NFL and keep a low profile when out in public.
He said the league warns players that news reports about their salaries can also lead to attacks. Walker was robbed just four months after he signed a six-year, $55 million deal with the Raiders.
“When you get paid or get your contract, it is in the newspaper, so everyone knows about it,” Bennett said. “People can Google you and find out where you live.
“There are so many ways they can get at you.”
The day after Walker — who also had been riding in the vehicle when his former teammate Williams was killed — was robbed, beaten and hospitalized with a concussion and facial injuries, Bennett and his teammates received reminders from the team and league about how to stay safe.
“We talked about personal safety and the way the league wants players to act,” Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said. “The league has a good film about players talking to players about (security issues). The meeting came at a good time to reinforce those things.”
One of the precautions stressed by the league is that players be aware that what they wear and how they behave in public can lead to attacks.
“As a rookie, you have to be conscious of that,” Bennett said. “A lot of rookies want to be flashy right away, but you have to realize what is out there and the type of people that are around.”
Avoiding bad situations
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo said he never worried about security during his days as a backup. But that changed after he became a starter and began mixing with other celebrities, including current girlfriend Jessica Simpson.
“Being a professional athlete, people are looking at you, and they might be looking at you even when you don't know they are looking at you,” said Romo, 28. “Sometimes you don't really know what people's motives are.
“When I do leave to maybe attend stuff where people know I might be coming to, yeah, normally I would call ahead and have something going on (security-wise). I have a couple of strong buddies, too. They help out.”
Hurd said he doesn't need a bodyguard because he rarely goes out.
“I try to stay out of the clubs, stay out of the party scene and try to stay around people I know that are doing right and have positive things in their lives,” Hurd said. “If you hang around the wrong people, you are going to draw the wrong crowd and that will bring more attention to you. Basically, I try to stay home with my wife.”
Like Hurd, Spurs forward Ime Udoka tries to keep his circle of friends small and his profile low.
“You just try to put yourself in a good situation when it comes to who you are around and also with friends of friends,” said Udoka, 30.
Udoka said it also helps that he plays for a team in a city that isn't as dangerous as some of the league's larger markets.
“A lot of it has to do with the city you live in,” Udoka said. “A few things happened in Chicago to players last year. It seemed like they were being targeted, so the NBA sent out a memo about that.”
But players shouldn't rely on the league to keep them safe, Udoka said.
“Knowing where you are at, the area, certain cities, obviously certain neighborhoods, is important,” Udoka said. “Certain situations you don't want to be in. You have to know your boundaries and where you can and cannot go. Really, it's all about knowing that you are a target and knowing your surroundings.”
Said Bennett: “That's the bottom line: We're targets.”
DEADLY ATTACKS
•Sean Taylor: Commanders safety dies after being shot by burglars inside his Miami-area home on Nov. 27, 2007.
•Darrent Williams: Broncos cornerback killed in a drive-by shooting in Denver after leaving a nightclub in the early hours of Jan. 1, 2007.
•Robert Quiroga: San Antonio's former IBF superflyweight champ is found stabbed to death along Interstate 10 on August 16, 2004.
