Lawson's dumb move might be blessing in disguise for Tar Heels
So it's not just North Carolina fans who have turned on Ty Lawson.
It's North Carolina cops, too!
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| Did Ty Lawson hurt his draft chances? (AP) |
I mean, I knew North Carolina fans were powerful.
But I didn't think they could get you thrown in jail.
And I really could go on like this forever, moving back and forth and detailing the contrast between being brilliant at the NBA Pre-Draft Camp one week and getting your mug shot taken the next. But in all seriousness, there is no way to rationalize this incredibly stupid move by Lawson, who just might've convinced a general manager willing to take him in the 20s that he is no longer worth the risk.
That's the word, you know: That the Denver Nuggets liked Lawson so much that they had promised to take him 20th. Perhaps that's true, and perhaps it'll still happen. But you gotta think Denver might be at least a little hesitant to draft a player coming off a drinking and driving arrest given Carmelo Anthony's April DUI, and do you realize that if you replaced Denver point guard Anthony Carter with Lawson and kept the other four starters from this past season's team the same, the Nuggets would have a lineup featuring five guys with arrests to their credit?
PG: Ty Lawson (arrested for driving after consuming alcohol)
SG: Allen Iverson (arrested on gun charges, drug possession, etc.)
SF: Carmelo Anthony (arrested for drug possession, DUI)
PF: Kenyon Martin (arrested twice for driving more than 100 mph)
C: Marcus Camby (arrested for drug possession)
(Eat your heart out 2003 Jail Blazers!)
Anyway, back to Lawson and his situation.
In all seriousness, having a drink and then driving doesn't necessarily make somebody a bad person. It's stupid and irresponsible and unforgivable in some cases, but I'd be a hypocrite to sit here and destroy Lawson for driving after drinking given how I believe -- sad as this is to type -- most Americans who have spent time in a bar have probably done the same thing at least once to some degree.
I'm not saying it's OK.
I'm just saying it happens.
