Celevision

A CHRONIC PROBLEM? I usually like to have a lot of fun on CELEVISION but I have to say that the situation with Micheal Beasley is not a joke. You never want to see a guy so talented, with so much of his career in front of him check into a rehab facility. I really enjoyed watching this guy play in college and I thought he would be a great offensive threat in the NBA. But I have to admit a few of my basketball buddies told me the writing was on the wall. It's been known around the NBA that Beasley's character was questionable. It's known that he has a fondness for the "CHEEBA" The dude was a loose cannon and could go off quicker than a Plaxico Burress gun (that wasn’t right). Ok so you say it’s only marijuana, not a big deal. "Beas" will check in and check out and get back to work right? Let’s hope so, but it’s usually not that simple. And we also have to find out if he really checked in because he thought he had a problem or if he was coerced to check in by the Heat so he wouldn’t get caught later resulting in suspension. Now THAT, is the million dollar question. But it already seems like this may be a "CHRONIC" problem. I don't want to see another Isaiah Rider! Please no.

SWEAT PANTS Ok, I have to admit, I was very upset with Plaxico Burress during this whole process. I really attributed it to the now possibly “false” reports that he wore sweat pants to the club. I had really blamed this whole thing on his choice of dress. I remember being in the NBA and going to clubs seeing other players in sweatpants. Why? I would always ask. Then I realized what it was. It was an act of defiance. It was to say, “Hey, I am a star and I don’t have to follow the rules.” So while everyone else dresses up, you the superstar do what you want. You can stand out and look like a pure rebel. So I really felt that Plaxico brought it on himself. Because of the sweatpants the gun slipped, firing the gun and wounding himself. I really felt like it all started from arrogance.

But last night, Burress said he didn’t have on sweatpants. He had on black jeans and for the first time I felt somewhat sorry for him. I realized that I really shouldn’t judge him so harshly. I wasn’t there, I didn’t know the facts. I didn’t know his life. Frankly, Burress is just another misguided young man from the ghetto who just made a bad decision. In no way shape or form am I defending the young man, but athletes ARE sometimes targets and I can understand the fear. If you don’t understand, just imagine what it was like to be Eddie Curry from the New York Knicks or Antoine Walker a former NBA player, duct taped in your own house. Or how about Stephon Marbury back on his own home turf of Coney Island, Brooklyn being robbed at gunpoint? Wish we could ask Sean Taylor formerly of the Washington Redskins how he felt, but he’s gone, shot in his own home in Miami. I WANT TO SAY that athletes carrying guns doesn’t seem to solve the problem. I WANT TO SAY they usually only compound them as with Stephen Jackson from the Indiana Pacers and now Burress. I REALLY TRULY WANT TO SAY AND MEAN THAT! But I’ve never had a gun waved in my face. I've never been duct taped to a chair. I've never had to fear for my life, while so many others have. I'll never forget the time when I was in New Jersey Nets camp and Chris Childs, the former Knicks point guard, came in and told us he was robbed the night before at gunpoint outside of Justin's in Manhattan, a restaurant owned by Sean "P-Diddy" Combs. He said the robbers just stuck the gun in his face calmly and said, "Come on man, give it up, you know what it is." Unfortunately too many athletes do know what it is. I now ask you the reader. "Do you?"

"I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE SOMEBODY'S WATCHING MEEEE ...." Wasn't that a great song back in the day? Well, it might be Michael Vick’s theme song this year. Better get used to it, Mike. Reports came out today that Vick was caught drinking a Grey Goose Vodka and Pineapple juice at a Philadelphia Airport bar. Damn Mike! You ain’t gonna be able to do diddly squat this year and you better get it straight! It’s the closest thing to still being on house arrest. Come on people, he’s a grown man. Can’t he even have a drink? How sick are we? But Tony Dungy doesn’t agree. Vick’s mentor reportedly said “You can’t do that Mike.” And as much as I want to disagree with Dungy, he’s actually correct. Unfortunately, in this world we live in people are looking for Vick to slip up. They want him to fail. The “I told you so” people are out in full force and Vick has to beware. I mean damn Vick, they even knew so much as to what kind of Vodka you were drinking! The Goose!! The blitz is on this year for Micheal Vick. I hope he can still scramble.