Athletes and Guns

The self inflicted gunshot wound of New York Giants Wide Reciever, Plaxico Burress, has brought the issue of guns and professional athletes to the forefront of the media. This is certainly an interesting dynamic in the world of pro sports in 2008, and raises the question "Why do athletes need to carry a gun?" As far as I am concerned, I feel pro athletes in many cases do indeed need to carry a firearm for their protection. The key word is protection. Not as an accessory...protection. Pro athletes are targets, that is a fact, and why shouldn't they protect themselves? For those who don't feel comfortable handling a firearm, they hire bodyguards who will handle the firearm for them. Many pro athletes have guns, and they have them registered. Whoa, there is a noble concept, register your gun. The reason they have gun, is they understand they are a target. There have been several incidents of Pro Athletes being victims of violent crimes over the years, some fatal, some non-fatal, and some walk away and continue their careers.
Boston Celtics Forward, Paul Pierce, was stabbed as many as 11 times around the neck in 2000 during a night club altercation. Pierce miraculously somehow someway, did not suffer life threatening injuries and was able to recover both his health and his career. Pierce's former teammate in Boston, Antoine Walker, twice has been a victim of a robbery at gunpoint. Both happened in Chicago, Walker's hometown. The first happened in July 2000 when Walker and fellow NBA baller Nazr Mohammed were held up at gunpoint while waiting for a restaurant to open. The second may have been a bit more scary for Walker who was held up and bound at gunpoint at his home in Chicago. I think the common thread is the most obvious one, they are pro athletes with absurd payrolls compared to the common man.
Pierce and Walker were lucky to get out of those situations with their life, and careers, not all athletes can say that. Last season, Washington Redskins Safety Sean Taylor was fatally shot in his Miami home where Taylor was the victim of a burglary. The trial in the death of Taylor has been suspended until early next year.
September 2, 2008, Jacksonville Jaguars Offensive Tackle Richard Collier was shot and critically wounded while sitting in a Cadillac Escalade. Luckily Collier survived, but his career didn't. Collier is now paralyzed from the waist down, and had his left leg amputated. Granted this is a retaliation for an altercation which had taken place earlier in a club.
These are situations where firearms are warranted, and who knows how different the outcomes may have been. There have been too many situations where other athletes carry pieces to remain true to their roots, maintain their street cred. Who cares about street cred. These guys are getting paid millions of dollars to play, what are in most American's eyes, a kids game, when these same Americans are concerned about losing their jobs, and these guys are out dropping G-notes at clubs, blinding people with their obnoxious bling, up at the DJ booths spinning the wax, but in case that isn't enough we see a handufl of them waiving their Smith and Wesson from side to side (some actually keep it in their belt just some people can see it)?
I have a simple solution and words of wisdom for the Plaxico Burress' of the world...DON'T PUT YOURSELF IN THESE FRIGGIN SITUATIONS!! Look, as an athlete you are going to always be a mark. Have we learned nothing from Pacman Jones, Sebastian Telfair, and now Plaxico Burress? If you feel you are a mark(which again as a pro athlete you always will be), and you feel you are going to be in danger, the US Constitution allows you the right to bear arms...it doesn't allow you the right to arm yourself and act like an ass. As fans we need to understand these guys are people first, Fathers, Sons, Brothers, Uncles, and Friends, and they should protect themselves, but enough is enough. The rest of these guys who carry a gun for the solidiciation of their testicular fortitude, ENOUGH!