Bears coach Lovie Smith made a specific point of telling all his players, before the Bears' off-season activities concluded this week, to stay out of trouble. It was directed at the whole team, but everyone must have known that one player more than any other -- defensive tackle Tank Johnson -- had to pay special attention.Johnson didn't pay attention. On Friday morning -- his first night back at his Arizona home after leaving Bears practices in Chicago -- Johnson was pulled over for speeding at 3:30 in the morning. The officer who pulled Johnson over suspects that he was under the influence, and toxicology results are expected back in two weeks.
Even if it turns out that Johnson was sober, he was still out, and speeding, at 3:30 in the morning. The only reasonable conclusion to draw is that Johnson has no respect for Smith whatsoever. Smith has bent over backward defending Johnson to the media, the fans, the Bears' front office, the judge who sentenced Johnson to 60 days in jail, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who suspended Johnson for the first half of the season. And yet Johnson couldn't even make it through one night without having a run-in with the cops after Smith specifically requested that his players keep their noses clean.
It's surprising that Johnson shows Smith such disrespect, because Smith is almost universally respected throughout the league. The Bears' players like him, other coaches like him, he conducts himself with class off the field, and he has turned the Bears into winners on the field. If Johnson can't show respect to a coach like Smith, he'll never be able to show respect to any coach. Which means he has no business in the NFL.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-23-2007 @ 12:07PM
Rusty said...
he was doing 40 in a 25 zone, which while still breaking the law, is probably something no one here reading this can say they havent done. as for being out at 3:30? when did that become a crime? he wasnt at a strip joint shooting people, he was just out at 3:30. i was awake last night at 3:30. i bet some of you guys were too.
sometimes it makes me very sad to see how you guys will twist something, to try and make better print. These guys, despite their wealth, are still human beings. maybe show a little restraint until all the facts come out?
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6-23-2007 @ 1:45PM
steve said...
I have no doubt that he will also be suspended for the whole season, which is as it should be. Guys like him and Pacman Jones never learn. Personally, I think these guys are uneducated thugs and they should be banned from the league for good.
Steve
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6-23-2007 @ 2:19PM
Panger said...
Disagree, Rusty. If I were on probation - and my entire career rested in the hands of people concerned with public opinion - I'm not sure I'd even be driving at 3:30 in the morning, much less speeding. And sadly, the facts at this point are irrelevant. Appearances are everything. However unfair that is doesn't really matter. It's what IS.
As for a lack of respect for Lovie, I fear that would require more thought than Tank is able to muster. More like he just doesn't think things through.
This Tank is running on intellectual empty, if ya know what I'm sayin'...
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6-23-2007 @ 2:45PM
Ross Grant said...
I doubt if Tank was really thinking about Coach Lovie at 3AM in the morning. Chances are he wasn't thinking at all. Old habits are tough to break.
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6-23-2007 @ 6:49PM
Gary Malmberg said...
Rusty, Panger hit it right on the head. Johnson is on $1,000,000+ probation right now. Different rules apply. You and I can get away with many things that Johnson can't. It's a fact. He dug his own hole, and is nearing 6'under. If it turns out he was Tanked Johnson, say goodbye to 2007.
And this article was restrained. No speculation about about the likelihood of him being drunk and driving. This is news. I expect to see this info published, and so do most other reasonable people.
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6-23-2007 @ 11:59PM
JAB said...
Wait,..but,...Tank Johnson is not a Bengal.
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6-24-2007 @ 6:07AM
Yeah I Can Do That said...
Smart move Tank....You are a genius....NFL really does mean Not For Long, now be a good thug and go play with your arsenal....
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6-24-2007 @ 12:37PM
Panger said...
Gary, your comment to me makes no sense. I wrote the same thing you did. Rusty is the person you should be disagreeing with, not me.
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