There He Is

Everyone self respecting Falcons fan knows the name Jamal Anderson. Maybe not as the 7th round pick out of Utah in 1994, but certainly as #32, the big halfback who led the Falcons to their lone Super Bowl appearance in 1999. A career Falcon, Anderson epitomized the spirit of that '98 Atlanta team. A team of mediocre NFL starters played far over their heads in meeting John Elway and the Denver Broncos. They lost of course, but simply reaching the Super Bowl had been a shock, with the Falcons being 8 and a half point underdogs to the heavily favored Broncos. Can anyone name the starting quarterback on that Falcons team? Yes, it was Chris Chandler, who also happened to play for 5 NFL teams before joining the Falcons. With career seasons coming from just about everyone, including Jamal Anderson, these Falcons became Atlanta sports legends even in defeat.

1998 Pro Bowler. Inventor of the Dirty Bird. None of that meant much when former Falcons RB Jamal Anderson walked into the Peachtree Tavern in downtown Buckhead and walked out in handcuffs, arrested on charges of felony cocaine possession and misdemeanor marijuana charges. Of course no one is suprised. What with Plaxico Burress shooting himself in the leg while at a New York night club, steroid allegations in MLB, and a plethora of other athletes yet again proving time and time again; money doesn't buy brains. Anderson has been a mostly quiet citizen after his retirement in 2001, which will obviously help him in the case of Georgia v. Anderson. Most likely the Atlanta sports hero will recieve nothing more than a slap on the wrist and a reprimand. Maybe even a few years of probation and a mandate to take a few drug classes.

The favoritism and unfair leniency shown toward star athletes has become an absolute disgrace to the entire judicial system of this country. Everyone and their grandmama knew O.J. Simpson was guilty, but they all also knew there was no way that the Hall of Fame Bills RB was going to be convicted of first degree murder. Nobody remembers Ray Lewis was charged with double homicide during the 1999 Super Bowl, mostly because he got off on a plea bargain while two of his friends took the rap. The list goes on and on and on, and the hypocrisy of the blind justice supposedly served in our great nation becomes more and more overpowering.

Jamal Anderson is still considered innocent until proven guilty. As an American he has the right of the assumption of innocence, and we can all rest assured that the former NFL RB has top notch legal counsel at his disposal. Felony possession of cocaine in the state of Georgia carries a minimum sentence of 2 years and a maximum sentence of 15 years, however one has to have a hard time seeing Anderson serve any jail time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQViVszchAA
All I gotta say is....DAMN.