Arthur and Chalmers In Trouble

[geiger]

From TrueHoop blog on ESPN:

"Although the league says no decision has been made yet as to whether or not they will be suspended, it's extremely likely that Arthur and Chalmers are regretting their decision.

Before even suiting up for a single regular season NBA game, they are getting a mighty public shaming and possibly a suspension."

[The Guilty Party]

Also from the TrueHoop column...

Every basketball person I talk to says the same thing: That was so dumb. People have reacted to the reports by accusing the players violated everything from common sense (partying at the League's big "you're a professional now" confab?) to basic pot smokers' etiquette (you mean they didn't learn about the towel-under-the-door thing in college?)

I'm glad to see that a number of people have pointed out the old towel-under-the-door trick. Also of interest is that out of 122,000 people polled on espn.com, 51% of them responded that they are not bothered at all by the idea of professional athletes smoking pot. Even though I was one of those voters, I am a little shocked to see the percentage that high. Finally, I love the picture used on the TrueHoop page of Darrell Arthur. As the caption reads, this is probably the last time the NBA takes a picture of him in the clouds.

[Loose Cannon]

I honestly don't know why anyone would be bothered by it.

[The Guilty Party]

I honestly don't know why anyone would be bothered by it.

While I have absolutely no problem with it, I think there is a significant portion of the country who believes all drugs are bad and people who do drugs are criminals. Either way, it'll be interesting to see if Arthur and Chalmers are suspended for this. According to Abbott, they won't be suspended for smoking pot but they could be suspended for missing a mandatory meeting.

[barkley34]

Maybe that is why some teams were scared off Arthur and he fell in the draft? I imagine that teams probably employ private detectives to follow the players around to see if they are out partying every night etc.,, before they commit to paying them millions of dollars.

Anyway, you have to be pretty stupid to get caught smoking pot at the rookie orientation seminar that teaches young guys to avoid getting caught with pot. That is like bringing a case of beer to an alcoholics anonymous meeting.

[The Guilty Party]

According to Chris Broussard, this story goes as follows:

The smoke alarm in Chalmers/Arthur's room went off at 2AM in the morning. Hotel management went up to the room but the door was locked and they were told they could not come in. Management went and got security who opened the door and they found at least 2 women, the stench of marijuana, and someone (Arthur? Chalmers? Someone else?) in a locked bathroom flushing the toilet. The hotel called the cops, the cops came in and found nothing. Chalmers and Arthur stayed at the hotel that night (Tuesday Night/Wednesday Morning) and were sent home Wednesday by a pissed off Stern.

Ok... so here's pot smoking tip #2 that almost every college kid knows. The first was to put a towel under the door, the second is that if there is a smoke alarm in the room... you smoke in the bathroom with the shower running. What are they teaching the kids at KU??

[geiger]

People are bothered by it because it's against the law, because these guys are public figures, because many children view these guys as role models and try to emulate them. People might be bothered because in the last 5 months, more US men in uniform have died as a result of smuggling of pot from Mexico than US men in uniform dying in Iraq. People are bothered by it because these guys are young, rich, famous and seem to think that the laws don't apply to them and that they think they are above the law. People might be bothered by it because these guys play in a professional sports league where a number of players of late have been arrested for a variety of criminal acts. Some might be bothered by it because these guys are young, rich, good looking and black. People might be bothered by it because it is against the NBA rules. Not saying I agree with all or any of these reasons, but they are a few of the reasons why people might be bothered by it.

[Loose Cannon]

It's their personal lives. Professional athletes are not, these guys do have lives, and I guarantee the around the same percentage of people wouldn't approve of the population smoking pot either.

[geiger]

That I can be on board with 100%, but the money and fame have a price and in this case, your mistakes are out there for the world to judge. Most of us would probably take that trade off.

[geiger]

Rookies Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur could face a five-game suspension following their explosion from the NBA's Rookie Transition Program, according to South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

It has already been reported that Chalmers and Arthur have been fined $20,000, just as the Collective Bargaining Agreement suggests.

According to Article VI, Section 4(b) of the NBA's CBA, "When a player, without proper and reasonable excuse, fails or refuses to attend 'mandatory program,' he shall be fined $20,000 by the NBA." That clause also contains the wording "that if the player misses the Rookie Transition Program, he shall be suspended for five (5) games."

Of course, this situation is slightly different.

"That language was put in for a case in which a guy wants to skip it. …Nothing is definitive until the Commissioner makes a decision," NBA Vice President Tim Frank said Thursday.

[Skates]

Arthur claims he was not using marijuana (hey Mario buddy, how do you like it there under the bus?) in this article:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3570994

The best part of the article is here:

"Sources told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard that Chalmers and Arthur were caught in Arthur's room at the Doral Arrowwood resort in Rye Brook, N.Y., when a smoke alarm went off Wednesday at about 2 a.m. Hotel management went to the room, but the players refused to allow them in.

Management then left to get security, which used its own key to enter the room minutes later. Once inside, security found Chalmers, Arthur and at least two women, sources told Broussard. There was a strong stench of marijuana in the room, and one person was in the bathroom with the door locked, repeatedly flushing the toilet, sources said."

These guys are smooooooth.

[The Guilty Party]

This is where I get a little lost with this column. Which of the following is Broussard saying??

1) Security busts in and they see 2 women, Chalmers, and Arthur in the room with someone else in locked in a bathroom flushing the toilet??? If so, why didn't they just wait the person out?

or

2) Security found Chalmers, Arthur, and the 2 women when they got in the room but while they were trying to break in, they heard the toilet flushing and have no idea who was doing the flushing.

Is there a missing 5th person or not?