Why are we shocked?
Since Sunday, I’ve spent many hours reading literally thousands of posts from fans about the shooting of Steve Foley by an off-duty police officer. It is a tragedy in every sense of the word for everyone involved.
An overwhelming number of posts are supportive – no one likes to see someone suffering – but there are also a few people that feel Foley is just a bad guy that had it coming.
Any way you look at it, it’s our fault. Sort of.
We, the fans, can’t have it both ways. Why did we love Foley as a player? Because on the field he was mean, tough and never let up. That is what you want out of your defensive leader, isn’t it? Isn’t that why they get paid the big bucks? That's what we pay to see on Sunday, folks. Fans, coaches and owners accept no less.
Players like Foley, Shawne Merriman, Brian Urlacher, and Michael Strahan are respected, revered and yes, feared – because they’re bad-asses. We love ‘em that way! The harder they hit, the louder the pop, the more we like it. Can we really expect these players to flip a switch when the game is over and become Mr. Rogers?
Not many guys I know between the ages of 23-32 years old are capable of that level of maturity. Successful defensive players do not know moderation. That is why they’re successful…and also why so many of them succumb to off-field temptations and lapses of judgment. Drug and alcohol abuse, spousal abuse and assault frequently end the careers of NFL players. Many continue to struggle with these demons once they leave the NFL. For some, that's when the real trouble starts.
There is the mantra – always give 110 percent. Take it to the limit. One more rep. Sacrifice your body to make that tackle. Suck it up and play.
We don’t know Steve’s side of the story, and I’m certainly not condoning driving while intoxicated, if he was, or resisting a police officer.
What I am saying, however, is that as a society we expect our gladiators to believe they are indestructible.
And they do.
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Comments
Let's be real, if a Charger player needs a ride, there are plenty of fans that are sober fans that will gladly give them a ride to their destiation.
Not all fans drink, but still enjoy a good time. Let's not allow to let anyone get hurt or KILLED by a drunk driver. Let's Kick Ass Bolts. PEACE OUT.
pedro-El Aficionado Numero Uno de Los Cargadores! (September 5, 2006 8:47 PM)
How many Charger fans, driving home in their classic car, would pull over for a guy in Mazda. . .who insists he's an officer .. . at three in the morning. Car thiefs wouldn't think of that, would they?
Then, instead of waiting for the police to arrive. .. the guy in the Mazda doesn't show his badge. . .but pulls out a gun. . .after following Foley for 10 miles.
Why didn't he get back in his car.. .and wait for uniformed officers? How many times have you heard of officers firing a warning shot? Never.
Sounds like Foley wasn't the only guy who made a poor choice, which is probably why the officer in question already has an attorney. Hmmm.
Jim Wickstrom (September 5, 2006 9:09 PM)
Unfortunate incident with a lot of unanswered questions.
I'd like to hear Foley's side of the story.
MT (September 5, 2006 10:01 PM)
You have to be a little bit crazy to be a successful LB in the NFL, and Steve Foley is definantly both of those. This case is suspicious on the part of the cop.
matt (September 5, 2006 11:40 PM)
I would hope that the Chargers would provide some type of compensation to Foley if the shooting was ruled unjustified. It would be cruel if Steve F. is shafted twice. I undetstand that it may be a business decision but the time span of a NFL player is short and at 31 even shorter. The shooting seems VERY suspicious.
WT (September 7, 2006 11:54 PM)
Although I usually defend every cop's actions based upon personal experience, there were apparent mistakes made by both #53 and the "off-duty" Coronado policeman. (keep in mind true cops are never off-duty) Police are given "officer discretion" to decide what to do in most circumstances but the rules are very clear about what happens when they decide to use their guns, called "The Use of Deadly Force". They are told from day one that if they shoot someone and don't follow the rules, they will go to jail just like anyone else. The use of deadly force can only occur when everything else has failed and is the last resort. You pretty much have to screw up pretty badly and make the officer believe that either they or someone else is about to get seriously hurt for them to shoot. They can point their gun at you for a little "attitude adjustment" as they deem appropriate but they also carry a variety of non-lethal goodies to discourage and stop most bad behavior. You would be impressed by what most officers have in their squad car trunks. They will show you depending on how you come across. Police are never allowed to shoot warning shots, bullets carom everywhere and they can kill you coming down from the sky -- it happens all the time to idiots and alot of Raider fans who also belong to the Darwin Award category. The officer could lose his job over just that action alone. If they decide to get in their personal car in Coronado (almost all white males) and chase a big black man driving an expensive car across the Coronado bridge all the way to home, he had plenty of time to call others for help. Only on tv and movies will you see one non-uniformed white guy try to be a crimefighter by himself/herself (believe me, local female cops can kick your butts) and usually they are wearing a batman costume or a spiderman outfit. He should have been in constant contact with SDPD during the drive to have an "FI" (field investigation) to determine if Mr. Foley was driving drunk. If he saw multiple crazy near-misses at high rates of speed as the story states, CHP would have been all over him within minutes if he would have called right away and identified himself properly. His role should have only been to keep an "eyeball" on the subject by following at a safe distance and providing location information as requested by the dispatcher. Otherwise police arriving at the scene of such an incident in the dark would have to assume the man with the gun is a threat. (There are alot of phony badges around). On top of this, a white cop vs black suspect racial issue may arise so peace officers need their peers to back up their story and videotape events in case it becomes violent. I know many Coronado police personally and they are 100% smart professionals and well-trained. They keep their community very safe and are very vigilant. Don't go much over 30MPH or play your radio too loud when you get to the other side of the bridge because they will enforce the laws. Too bad they only get publicity for this one event but the media stories are often spun to create interest or reflect a writer's bias. Also remember that Steve Foley has been in alot of trouble before this with the law and has always been cut the "celebrity slack" until now. As a lifetime Charger fan, I was looking forward to his pass rushing and run stopping. He makes a living running towards and punishing opponents looking as mean and scary as possible for intimidation, probably having the same effect on the officer that he does trying to get a sack on Sundays. The officer will have to prove he had no other option but to shoot without first calling back-up. No one wins here but divisional opponents and the back-up linebacker Phillips who should stick to being a defensive end pass rusher.
Former cop questions officer's actions (September 8, 2006 1:13 PM)
Thanks former cop. I blog on ducksnorts for the Padres, but have been following this loosely. I am deeply annoyed by the cop's actions. He has a gun, following someone who is probably drunk (i.e. bad judgment) in an unmarked car at 3am, gets out of the car and attempts to make the arrest without waiting for back up? And then shoots the guy, thankfully not killing them? It defies logic. I know police put their lives on the line everyday, but this seems to defy all the training that someone should be subjected to.
jay (September 25, 2006 11:23 PM)