Don't You Feel Sorry For Maurice Clarett?

So, do you feel sorry for Maurice Clarett? Everybody by now knows that Maurice Clarett was arrested early Wednesday morning for fleeing from the police and then having 4 loaded guns in his vehicle. While you no doubt have heard the news, you may not know the background leading up to the wild night. ESPN has an interesting article here that gives some interesting details regarding the life and times of Maurice Clarett. The article is written by Tom Friend, who fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you look at, became a friend to Clarett. Clarett called and talked to Friend just hours before he was chased, tazed, sprayed, and ultimately arrested by the police. Friend’s relationship with Clarett and his coverage of Clarett the past couple of years lead to some pretty interesting stories about Clarett and his life. Some of the stories include that Clarett didn’t want anyone to see him work out and also that Clarett had an inclination to “get his Goose on.” Friend also points out that Mo Clo was possibly in trouble with the some shady characters. And in light of recent reports that Clarett was in the neighborhood of a witness who would be testifying against him soon, Friend presents a case that Clarett may have been taking measures to protect his newborn baby girl. No one but Clarett can really know what Clarett’s intentions were for that night or what was going through his mind. We can all agree that Clarett was going to do something unlawful that was going to land him into at the least, legal troubles and at most could have ended up with Clarett severly injured or killed. How do I conclude this? Well, you don’t drive around with a bullet proof vest on unless you expect to get shot and you don’t carry 4 loaded guns including an assault rifle unless you plan on doing some shooting. As for the reports Clarett had a hatchet, I can only surmise that he just wanted some good reading.
Now I must admit even for someone like Clarett who had some previous incidents with breaking rules and laws, this incident was over the top. But I will say that even with the unruliness of this recent incident what was more shocking to me was the reaction that I am hearing from Clarett’s situation. I watched on Cold Pizza as Woody and Skip more or less agreed that it was so terribly unfortunate that this happened to Clarett. Woody even went as fas as to say that he didn’t know if prison time was the answer for Clarett and that someone needed to adopt Clarett and proverbially “take him under their wing.” Okay Woody, step up to the plate. Let a man who drives around with a machine gun, let him live with your wife and kids. I also recently heard former Dallas Cowboy Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson, who himself stuggled with his own demons, say on a ESPN radio that Clarett’s problems stemmed from his father being absent when Maurice was growing up. While I would agree that it is sad when anybody in society hits that low point in their life where they are reduced to criminal activity and general thuggery, I cannot agree with Wood-ee and Henderson that we owe it to Clarett to feel sorry for him because his father was absent, or he struggled with alcohol dependency, or he fell in with the wrong crowd, or whatever other excuse people want to come up with. Actually I would argue that babying athletes is precisely the reason they fall into the problems they are in. What I mean is that I would bet that during high school Clarett was given free passes and privileges because he was a high profile, stand-out athlete. Then Clarett proceeds to Ohio State University where the special perks continue. Incidently this was the start of Clarett’s problems when he admitted Ohio State gave him cash and cars because of who he was. What Clarett needed was to be told no by someone or to have his hand-outs slapped out of his hands. Instead Clarett and other privileged athletes begin to think that things are owed to them. This is can be seen in the countless examples of sexual harassment and spousal abuse that occurs when females refuse to give in to an athletes advances. This disease can also be seen when athletes bully people they encounter simply because they don’t agree with them.
In conclusion, I have decided not to feel sorry for Maurice Clarett. In fact, I firmly believe that prison time would be the best thing for Mr. Clarett right now. As low a point as this is in his life, it is not the end of the world for him. Clarett should be thankful that law enforcement intercepted him before a far worse incident occurred. Also Clarett has a beautiful daughter that he can allow to inspire him to turn his life around. Clarett should not be given another pass simply because of his status. Clarett himself should insist on it. He should buck the trend in our society of using excuses for our sinful behavior and instead Clarett should admit that he alone is the one to blame for his problems. I then hope Clarett gets a fair trial where justice will be served and Clarett will be punished for his poor decisions. Then I hope Clarett has time to reflect on his life while he serves his time that he deserves. Finally, I know that prison is the last place where past social status and celebrity will be acknowledge by guards and far less by other inmates. And I know that Clarett better soak up this recent wave of media that feels sorry for him, because in prison no one will. In prison Maurice Clarett will be treated just like any other human being. And that is just what Clarett needs right about now.