NBA – LeBron James mother arrested in Miami

This isn’t the first nor it will be the last time that Gloria James, the mother of the Miami Heat’s all-star player LeBron James makes the cover of the sporting world news. Nor is it the first time Just like it had happened back in 2006 in Akron Ohio, when she was arrested on charges of drunken driving, this time it was the Miami Beach police who took here into custody.

According to the police report, Gloria James assaulted Sorel Rockfeller, a valet worker at the Fountainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. It seems as if Mrs. James first lost her patience and then her temper when she assaulted Mr. Rockfeller because he was taking too long to have her car delivered.

Once police arrived to the scene, they filled in the report and said that Mrs. James smelled like alcohol and that her eyes were bloodshot. Various witnesses supported the valet-worker’s story and consequently Mrs. James was taken to the police station.

Back in 2006, Gloria James’ case was taken to court and she pleaded no contest to reckless operation, speeding, disorderly conduct and physical control of a motor vehicle under the influence.  She was given a suspended sentence, fined and ordered to complete a drug and alcohol class after.

LeBron James took a couple of questions about this specific story, but didn’t go into much detail. He simply stated that he was a bit worried but that Mrs. James was fine and that this episode was a personal matter, something that shouldn’t distract him from his job-at-hand.

Perhaps a bigger issue for LeBron James and the Miami Heat is whether Dwayne Wade is going to be able to play today against the Charlotte Bobcats. Wade has been suffering lately with a deep-tissue bruise that has kept him off the courts. He is undergoing extensive physical therapy hoping that he’ll be ready to play tonight, if not, on Sunday when they play the Boston Celtics. Let’s not forget that the Heat is 0-3 against the Celtics this season.

Indian cricket punters arrested

Small fry punters and bookmakers caught up in this one by the looks of it.

6 held for betting during India-SA ODI

Six persons were arrested in New Delhi for allegedly indulging in betting during the One Day International between India and South Africa on Friday. The gang was using website www.betfair.com for obtaining the latest fluctuating rates for the stake and betting on the cricket match, Chhaya Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer), said.

Stake money worth Rs 72,000 was recovered from the house in Rohini Sector 16 in Outer Delhi.


Gotta love how Indian journalism traditions forces them to list the entire website address rather than just referring to them as Betfair. Surely not publishing the URL would be a better idea if it was banned there?

Meanwhile, huge amounts were being traded on South Africa at 1.01 today before Yusuf Pathan scared the willies out of the money-buyers with 105 runs off 74 balls.

NFL – Braylon Edwards from the New York Jets arrested for DUI

by Stephen Lars on Sep.26, 2010, under Football, Sports News

Both the NFL and the New York Jets have made a significant effort to avoid these kinds of situations for their famous (and even the not so famous) professional football players. As a matter of fact, most teams, including the Jets, offer their players a discreet and professional safe rides program to keep this sort of issues from happening.

The Jets receiver could have avoided all this bad-press and the charges had he made a simple phone call. More then two thirds of the 32 NFL teams have their own safety program to avoid players or team members from driving under the influence. The NFL Players Association has its own program, so that each player is covered by the union, regardless of whether the team the play for has its own safe driving program or not. Matter of fact, even the NFL took a page from that book and implemented a similar program for its non playing employees.

Now, both programs were simply ignored by Edwards. When police detained him in the outskirts of Manhattan’s West Side, and gave him a breath test, he recorded double the legal limit. Way to raise the bar!

So what is the point of making all this institutional efforts to keep players from driving drunk, if at the end, the guys are going to take on their nice cars and drive anyway. At least get a taxi. You can afford it.

The Jests have hired a program called Player Protect. It is a service provided exclusively for professional athletes. Player Protect agents are either retired or current law-enforcement agents that are authorized to carry their weapons in all 50 states.

So not only do it is a driving issue, it also comes as a driver-bodyguard combo. Here is the thing; most of us don’t get these kinds of privileges when we go out partying. Yet the irony is that, those who actually get them, don’t necessarily use them.  It is not only their drunk ass behind the wheel that is in danger when driving under the influence; the security of others is the reason why these safe driving efforts have been made. It is still uncertain what charges Edwards might face. If that judge want’s to make an example out of him, he might be in some serious trouble.