12 Jan 11 Gilbert Arenas, Javaris Crittendon Deserve To Be Suspended

Brendan Smialowski/Getty ImagesMany people are of the belief that guns don't have a place in our societyat least not for those not at war or working in security.Some are for greater gun control, and some cite the Constitution and their right to bear arms. But wherever you stand on that debate, one thing canOakland Raiders jersey
certainly be agreed upon: Guns have no place in an NBA locker room. Or any locker room, arena, or sports facility. Especially when players' lives are so vulnerable to public scrutiny. Especially when tensions escalate to dangerous levels. Especially when athletes are looked up to as role models. It's one thing to say the right thing in front of the lights and microphones. It's quite another to do the right thing behind the scenes, when adoring fans and sponsors aren't watching.You would think that a guy like Gilbert Arenas would have figured that out. After all, he is one of the NBA's most entertaining players: a frequent blogger and an exceptional player who is always good for a quote, nickname, or smile off the court. If anyone knows PR, it's him. So why would he do something so stupidand yes, this was truly idioticlike bringing a set of guns , unloaded or not, into a locker room?Apparently, it was, in his words, a jokethe extension of a previous disagreement with Washington Wizards teammate Javaris Crittendon. But Crittendon didn't find it so funny, actually fearing for his personal safety.In fact, he was reportedly so afraid that he brought an unloaded gun with him to the locker room for protection. Crittendon is clearly in the wrong, as well. It is easy to sympathize with the young player who feared reprimand (or worse) from the franchise's star player. Perhaps his fears were legitimate, and it's hard to get on him too much for protecting himself.But bringing a gun into an NBA arena is so clearly a violation of the rules that he should have Philadelphia Eagles jersey
known he would get in trouble. Guns result in nothing but trouble, like alcohol or daytime talk shows. The strange case of former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burresswho now sits in jail for his massive brain cramp of bringing a loaded weapon into a nightclubshould have taught usand all athletesthat by now.But apparently, Arenas believed that because of his star power and franchise player status, he was somehow above the fray. In fact, he mocked the outcry on his Twitter page days after the incident was made public, and he took very questionable photos before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers satirizing the incident. Mr. Arenas, Mr. Crittendon: Guns aren't cute. They aren't funny. They kill and maim and destroy and tear and ruin people. Happiness isn't a warm gun. This isn't some minor thing you can twist around with a public apology and a PR stunt, a blog entry, or a 40-point game. In fact, you won't be playing any games for a long time. Arenas and Crittendon have been suspended for the entire season. NBA Commissioner David Stern got this one right.Firearms have no place in an NBA arena. It's bad for the league, it's bad for the fans, and above all, it's dangerous. Stern's words did the best job summing it all up:"We mean what we say when we say that guns are prohibited from being in our buildings and on team business...You will be dealt with harshly, because it's very potentially dangerous to our players, to the other players, and to anyone else who might be involved."I felt that I should do something to keep Arenas Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
from doing even further damage to himself, and I told him that." Hopefully, this punishment will set a precedent for future athletes who believe that they are outside and above the law. Otherwise, we could end up with an even worse incident on our hands.This article is also featured onSports Shakes