Quote:This isn't directed towards any specific poster here, I just think It's pretty ridiculous how some of you are treating this situation. Our countries treatment of people with mental issues, including addiction problems, is downright saddening.

Here's my take on it.

 

First off, anyone who thinks that it's easy to beat an addiction has not been around somebody fighting one. If people think less of Blackmon because he has an addiction or two, then that's on them. Addictions are tough to overcome, and they are very similar to diseases in how they progress.

 

My issue with Blackmon is that he, as an NFL player, has access to all kinds of support services offered by the NFL and NFLPA. He also has far more than enough money to investigate treatment options on his own. If you or I were to pick up a debilitating addiction, we'd probably be fired from our jobs, and we'd struggle to afford any kind of meaningful, helpful treatment.

 

It says something about the character of someone who's drafted fifth overall then picked off for DUI before signing. It says even more when he's suspended for four games and then, within weeks of coming back, gets suspended for the rest of the year for the same thing. Based upon appeal timelines, it's entirely possible that this suspension comes from a failed test during his four-game suspension. The franchise and Jacksonville have put a lot of faith in Justin Blackmon, and given him the benefit of the doubt on a few occasions now. He's rewarded the team that spent millions on him and the city that put its trust in him by refusing to address his demons, and instead issuing statements that he knows are lies about how he's working to improve and won't let it happen again.

 

I hope the Jaguars take back every red cent they can from him. I hope they don't rework his contract giving him the chance to earn it back as incentives. I can't think of any stronger wake-up call than taking a few zeroes back from his bank account, and wishing him luck getting that money back when the team drops a wideout who's one infraction away from a potential lifetime ban into free agency in early 2014.

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