Inside the Bears

The court of public opinion has had Cedric Benson on trial for a week now.

General manager Jerry Angelo took his turn judging the running back Saturday night at the Bears’ black-tie fundraiser at Soldier Field.

Benson’s guilty, at least when it comes to proper judgment.

That’s what Angelo said in his first comments about the arrest of the former No. 4 overall pick from 2005. Benson was busted May 3 on Lake Travis in Austin, Texas, charged with drunk boating and resisting arrest. They are allegations he vehemently denies. Benson claims he was sober and was roughed up by police for no reason, that he was fully cooperative even after being sprayed in the face with pepper spray.

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The TV crews camped out at Halas Hall awaiting the return of Cedric Benson, but the Bears’ running back did not meet his stated goal of rejoining the club’s offseason program today.

Benson was absent for the voluntary workout program, a teammate said, missing for a second day after his arrest Saturday night on Lake Travis near Austin, Texas. Benson told the Sun-Times Sunday night that he expected to return to work Tuesday after tending to matters Monday in Texas.

Continue reading "UPDATED 3:23: Benson absent from voluntary workout program Tuesday" »

Posted by Brad Biggs at 02:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (29) | TrackBacks (0)

Surely, the Bears are still in an information-gathering mode when it comes to Cedric Benson.

Two days after his arrest on Lake Travis near Austin, Texas, there are vastly different stories being told by the running back and the Lower Colorado River Authority. The NFL, no doubt, is also looking into the matter. While Benson is not in danger of being zapped like Tank Johnson was with an eight-game suspension last year, commissioner Roger Goodell can hand out one-game suspensions like others give out Halloween candy. They’re not tough to get.

Cutting bait with Benson is not going to create any kind of savings for the Bears in terms of the salary cap. None at all.

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Posted by Brad Biggs at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (28) | TrackBacks (0)

Just got off the horn with Cedric Benson about 45 minutes ago.

He was emphatic that he was not drunk and did not resist arrest after officers from the Lower Colorado River Authority stopped his boat for a routine safety check just after 9 p.m. Saturday on Lake Travis, near Austin, Texas.

``I was not intoxicated,’’ Benson said. ``There was alcohol on the boat and others were enjoying themselves but I wasn’t drunk. It’s not like my boat was over the passenger limit or anything, either. It’s a 37-foot boat. Every time I go out there I get pulled over.’’

Continue reading "Benson proclaims innocence, vows to "rise to the occasion"" »

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Cedric Benson denies that he was drunk Saturday night when officers from the Lower Colorado River Authority arrested him. He also denies that he resisted arrest.

Benson tells Ch. 5 that he passed a slew of field sobriety tests, including counting forward and backward “at least 20 times.”

He paints a completely different picture of events than those detailed by the police and said that he was dragged from the law enforcement boat to a sheriff’s vehicle because officers kicked his feet out from under him.

"I did nothing wrong; I didn't resist arrest, didn't curse and wasn't drunk," Benson told Ch. 5.

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Posted by Brad Biggs at 09:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

When Cedric Benson returns to the Bears’ voluntary offseason workout program (assuming that happens), he might need a lift to work.

While Inside the Bears is not going to pretend to have any legal expertise in the state of Texas, or any other jurisdiction for that matter, it appears that Boating While Intoxicated charges are applied in the same manner as Driving While Intoxicated charges in Texas.

If so, Benson could be rolling without his drivers license whether he’s in Austin, Texas, the Halas Hall parking lot, or any point in between.

Continue reading "Drunk boating charge could leave Benson needing to hitch a ride" »

Posted by Brad Biggs at 07:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

According to a press release from the Lower Colorado River Authority, an LCRA officer first made contact with Cedric Benson’s 30-foot ship at 9:09 p.m. Saturday to do a random safety inspection.

At 9:27 p.m., an LCRA officer conducted a field sobriety “float test”. When Benson did not pass the test, he “presented himself as a threat to the officer” and argued about whether or not he would be taken to land for a follow-up test. He also refused to wear a life jacket, the report stated and at that time the officer decided to place Benson under arrest. When he continued to “present himself as a threat to the officer” he was subdued with pepper spray.

Continue reading "UPDATED 1:05 p.m.: Police report: Benson "presented himself as a threat to the officer"" »

Posted by Brad Biggs at 12:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

It will be interesting to see if general manager Jerry Angelo makes himself available to media today following the final rookie minicamp practice.

He’s got a veteran who was already entering 2008 in a sink or swim situation and now Cedric Benson faces charges of drunk boating and resisting arrest stemming from his arrest Saturday night on Lake Travis, near Austin, Texas. Both charges are misdemeanors. He is free on $14,500 bail. KVUE-TV first reported that Benson failed a float test, which is a scaled down field sobriety test, and then argued with officers from the Lower Colorado River Association and refused to put on a life jacket. Ultimately, Benson was reportedly pepper sprayed.

Continue reading "UPDATED 11:35: Benson busted for drunk boating, resisting arrest" »

Posted by Brad Biggs at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (22) | TrackBacks (0)