Either the football gods have placed the dreaded curse of the Jaguar and their first-round draft pick at wide receiver, or assignment of this franchise from rising above mediocrity just to get much harder.
Because what Justin Blackmon did Sunday - getting arrested at 3 am on charges of aggravated DUI in Stillwater, Okla. - beyond putting a serious flaw in his NFL career before it could begin. He also embarrassed the organization Jaguars' with a very stupid lapse in judgment.
Anyone scheduled to sign the contract fully guaranteed in the near future worth about $ 20 million - and who is full of remorse in October 2010 after being arrested on suspicion of DUI before - do not do something this stupid again unless he had a drinking problem.
Because what Justin Blackmon did Sunday - getting arrested at 3 am on charges of aggravated DUI in Stillwater, Okla. - beyond putting a serious flaw in his NFL career before it could begin. He also embarrassed the organization Jaguars' with a very stupid lapse in judgment.
Anyone scheduled to sign the contract fully guaranteed in the near future worth about $ 20 million - and who is full of remorse in October 2010 after being arrested on suspicion of DUI before - do not do something this stupid again unless he had a drinking problem.
Under Oklahoma law, Blackmon should have a blood-alcohol content of .15 or higher to ensure the aggravated DUI charges. According to a Stillwater police report, he noted the .24, which is triple the regular amount for a DUI in Florida.
A .24! That means, according to police, which is highly loaded Blackmon and sat behind the wheel of the vehicle as well. He was caught driving 60 mph in a 35-mph zone, potentially putting the lives of everyone else on the street near her in danger too.
In the entire history of the Jaguar ', which includes alcohol / drug demons receiver Jimmy Smith and RJ Soward, this incident is very disturbing because Blackmon team just made the third highest draft pick (No. 5 overall) before.
If Blackmon willing to put at risk the greatest soccer lotto ticket he had probably cash, and do so for the high alcohol, then it raises questions about his character far greater than what existed before the April draft. That means the Jaguars general manager Gene Smith, who has a reputation as one of the greatest sticklers character in the NFL, taking responsibility to address the extent to which he knows off-field problems Blackmon out that DUI arrest 20 months ago.
Whether Smith or scouts know Blackmon becomes a greater risk and take it anyway because it takes them to the receiver? Are they really surprised by the arrest of a second, thinking it was just the first incident of deviation? Is the owner of Shad Khan exert any pressure, subtle or otherwise, to choose Blackmon?
All of these questions in play now, and the worst-hit challenged Jaguars tickets you can do is to be evasive about them. That goes double for Blackmon, who told us on the day of his first draft alcohol arrest that "I've grown from it and it's in the past."
That's what makes this scenario so confusing. Blackmon idea of betraying his employer and his teammates in a way that is embarrassing riveting story that will not disappear any time soon. It makes a whole mess of a standard letter to the city last week seemed like a blip on the news radar.
Being a top-five draft pick - the position where the Jaguar depending on Blackmon to be the starter, immediately productive - making arrest for crimes against a much larger deal.
It raises all sorts of issues, from whether Jaguar chaotic in their evaluation, for Blackmon ability to handle the pressure of a step in the NFL, what kind of team discounts may be requested in the ongoing contract negotiations with Blackmon's agent, Todd France. Attached to No. 14 for the near future, probably for much longer.
There is never a good time for a public relations disaster, but this is very bad as the Jaguars struggled to fill the seat EverBank Field. The team is in the middle of the caravan players to remote towns in South Georgia and Northeast Florida to turn the season-ticket sales. Blackmon is scheduled to appear Friday in Waycross, Ga, but the appearance could be in danger.
Not that NFL players can not cope with off-field issues. However, no one appeared on the police blotter for a second time for a serious offense is rarely a-kind Pro Bowl player. Blackmon, who comes from a family, two parents and a solid draw rave reviews at college to make friends with 11-years old leukemia victim Olivia Hamilton, will actually be under the microscope now.
Over the past decade, Soward could not conquer the devil and was out of the league in two years. Future first-round picks at receiver, Reggie Williams and Matt Jones, also failed to address the issue of character and was arrested for committing various offenses.
Blackmon should be the exception to the questionable resume Jaguar 'first-round receiver. The hope is that he'll Smith without the baggage.
Instead, Blackmon faces some serious challenges ahead. This should start with alcohol counseling.
It turns out that the recent speech by former Jaguar Richard Collier shooting victim, and the message about avoiding a negative public spotlight, does not fully register Blackmon.
Perhaps what he hears in the NFL rookie symposium in a few weeks will resonate better.
No matter how this offseason plays out, Blackmon made only in 2012 Jaguar 'a little dimmer with the prospect of terrible deeds are not responsible.
