Jim Irsay won't be winning any awards for being a role model any time soon. The owner of the Indianapolis Colts released wide receiver LaVon Brazill following a four-game suspension last year and an indefinite suspension this year for violating the NFL's Substance Abuse Policy. This move seems awfully hypocritical for a man who has had his own, very recent struggles with alcohol and drug abuse. Irsay was arrested for DUI in March, along with four felony counts of possession of controlled substances. One Indiana father even said he doesn't want Irsay to come near his kids. Greg Martin, who is involved in a custody battle with his ex-wife Jami, says the mother lives in a house owned by Irsay and he wants Irsay banned from being able to be near the children. Martin feels he is a danger to his children.
The rich, white owner of an NFL team is not facing any punishment for his actions from the league thus far, despite the desperate pleas for the NFL to show some fair and balanced administration of disciplinary action. Non-players, it has been argued, should be held to an even higher standard of conduct, when instead they often get preferential treatment while players are made into examples.
The Colts' release of Brazill smacks of hypocrisy, given Irsay's history and his call for tolerance of people who struggle with addiction (via Yahoo):
"It takes courage to try and overcome the difficulties you have. For some reason, it's seen as unheroic. When someone beats cancer, it's like, 'Wow, that's so heroic,' but when someone has this illness, it's treated like you're a leper because that person is morally corrupt, and that's not the case.
"... It's an ongoing thing in one's life when recovering from any disease. The disease never sleeps so you have to be proactive when dealing with it."
One man who isn't fooled by Jim Irsay is Greg Martin, father of two who had Irsay compelled to testify in Martin's custody hearing between him and his ex (via CBS Sports):
"Martin says Irsay's testimony 'will shed light on the atmosphere my children are living in.' Martin also wants Irsay's medical records 'to verify any addictions that the minor children would be subjected to while being around Mr. Irsay.'"
It is unclear the extent to which Irsay has had contact with the children, ages 7 and 12.
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