Mariotti Calls for Harsh Punishment for the Tank

Jay Marriotti has authored a column that ran in today’s Chicago Sun-Times, calling for Tank Johnson to get at least and eight game suspension for his off-the-field transgressions.  Mariotti cites the fact that Johnson didn’t seem particularly reticent for his crimes before spending a little time in the pokie. Mariotti also seems to be of the belief that Johnson’s newly adopted apologetic persona may simply be an act, though he does little more than imply this fact, rather cowardly.
Now maybe it’s just me, but that sounds like a load of crap.  As for whether or not Johnson felt truly sorry for his actions until after he did time - isn’t that the point?  The man put in some time, gave up his freedom.  I can only imagine that the time he did wasn’t particularly “hard” in relative prison terms.  And yet, he seems to have learned quite a bit.  He seems truly sorry and more importantly, rehabilitated.  And isn’t that the point of jail?  In theory, anyway, aren’t jails suppose to serve as rehabilitation centers for men and women pushed to crime by their circumstances, and not just holding cells for big bad black men who will never change?

At the end of the day, Roger Goodell will make the call.  He’ll make it based on a lot of factors, none of which involve the words “Well, Mariotti said…”

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Permalink - Posted in General on May 24, 2007 - Post a comment