I think it's pretty obvious from Lovie Smith's news conference and Jerry Angelo's letter that the Bears are going to release Tank, and they're making sure they don't violate the CBA. At the very least, I don't think they're going to play him again.
I have a lot of respect for Smith. He's in a tough position. But the one thing I took from what he said is that he asked Tank to do some things to get his situation in order, and Tank disappointed him Friday night. And as Smith said, you have to draw a line somewhere.
My personal feeling their is to much media hype on Tank Johnson issue. Whatever happen to do process on a individual rights! Yes the police raid his home and found weapons! Did Mr. Johnson kill anyone with these supposed weapon no! Has Mr. Johnson miss practice with the Bears organization in what I read no again! What Mr. Johnson did was stupid in violating his probation! Why don't we rehab someone with this condition in instead he is found guilty and we are trying to kick him out of the NFL and his true love for the game of football! Mr. Johnson did apology for his bad decision! We should accept his apology and let law run it course on his faith! The one should be fired on this matter is Mr. Jay Marriot whom bashes every sport team in Chicago like he done with Ozzie and now with Tank! I do agree with Brian Urlacher that Tank is not a bad guy.
Mark O Jones
THE BEARS WERE OVERLOOKING THE OBIVOUS WITH THESE NEWWAVE BALL PLAYERS, TANK,AND THE DENNY'S KID, THEY WERE TRYING TO WIN NOW,AND HIDE THE FLAWS OF THESE NEW ERA "GLADATIORS" YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. THEY SHOULD TAKE THE BLINDERS OFF IN THE FUTURE
"Yes the police raid his home and found weapons! Did Mr. Johnson kill anyone with these supposed weapon no!" Mark its not a raid. Its a signed search warrant with credible evidence from a third party, signed by a judge who talks to the thrid party. The guns were not used to kill people, but Tank is unable to own guns legally without an FOID card which is only 10.oo to get. Tank was getting high and firing said weapons in his backyard . Any spent round could have killed anyone within miles, this is called "Reckless discharge " it is a felony charge, like the weed was. all that being said.....for this man to go out the next night with his felon freind and party till 230 A.m shows bad judgement gain by Tank. Hence his judgement will hurt the Bears family even more one day to give him a pass now. Other teams would let this slide, not the Bears. They are a real old family franchise. I praise them and Lovie for saying goodbye to a man who lost his way. Millions of dollars and fame couldt staighten him out, threats will do worse. Bye Tank walk the plank!
Tank is not a bad guy, he is worse. He makes bad decisions again and again!
It's not a matter of how severe the crime was or all these ammandents people throwing out.It is about a man who makes millions of dollars playing pro sports who can't abide by certain responsibilty that comes with it.All these pro athletes that constantly getting in trouble and come closer and closer to losing it all.Worst case you end up like strawberry or taylor.Maybe johnson's case isn't that tragic but it could snowball if he can't keep out of trouble and nobody wants his services.Let's hope for johnson's case he learns a hard lesson and better his situation.The worst thing in the the world is wasted talent!
Earlier today I watched a show on classic sports and they did a retrospective on Dennis Rodman. Everyone hated Rodman until he was beloved by Chicagoans. They actually put up a billboard on the expressway and had more accidents than almost anywhere in the city. People were smashing into each other to get a look at his mug. The talked about all his transgressions and I remembered that NO ONE turned their back on him when all of the stuff he did happened. He head butted a ref. Elbowed people in the nuts. He kicked the camera man and EVERYONE said that the guy was faking. That was all they got out of that.The camera man faking being hurt because Rodman kicked him. They said watch he file a suit. Yeah he did but where was the outcry from anyone but the media. He saved his worst behavior for the cameras and on the court. Who boycotted? Did Jordan kick Rodman in retaliation or did he go with the flow? This guy did all that and he was the ambassador of bad behavior. Maybe the media called for his dismissal but it never happened. Even Jordan and Pippen who HAD to hate him defended him every step of the way. He rewarded the city with championships and EVERYONE looked the other way when he acted the fool. When he finally left in his bridal gown you still couldn't find anyone who dwelled on his bad behavior. If anything people would crack a smile with the mere mention of his Chicago playing days(daze). That is a past Chicago ICON and everyone knows why. Championships trump losing and bad behavior. I would never confuse Tank with Rodman and maybe that's the problem with so many people wanting to turn their backs on him. Did they save their outcry for a rainy day or was Rodman one of harmless stars who was just misunderstood. I bet if it was Devin Hester who did all this after the RAMS game you guys would've helped himcome up with excuses. But since Tank is in the trenches in obscurity who actually like those guys.I just want to ask where was the outcry. Rodman committed misdemeanor too while he was here. Plenty of them. Where was the outcry then? Save it please. Class clowns always look better than someone perceived to be a thug. Maybe Tank will put on a dress and marry hisself and act like Rodman did to make you guys like him or feel sorry for him. It might work. It worked for Rodman. Someone got richer with Rodman on the BULLS. Hell a LOT of people got richer because of Rodman being a BULL. He was beloved. When did you guys stop loving bad boys? If it wasn't for that program today I wouldn't have remembered half of this stuff. Thank you media.
Granted - Johnson has shown himself to be little other than the stereotypical dumb impressionable jock at best, a complete moron at worst.
But let's face it. Illinois's stupid gun laws may have gotten Posey killed. The story we keep seeing in the press indicate that the guy who shot Posey may have recognized Tank and knew that he and his friend wouldn't be armed to protect themselves so he goaded them.
What harm did Tank Johnson ever commit with the weapons that were taken away? None that he's been
charged with.
His first conviction was because a valet saw his handgun in his car and freaked. In his CAR. He didn't register a FOID. Where he grew up (Arizona), no registration is necessary at all. He still hasn't registered. Yup. Bonehead move. But that doesn't justify a raid on his home. And no lame excuses of noises heard by neighbors cuts this invasion of privacy and infringement of 2nd amendment rights.
Posey was seemingly a shady character to be hanging around. Again, boneheaded on Tanks part. But that's no reason for the raid either.
This whole thing stinks. And, IMO, Tank is stinking a lot less than the politics and showboating being demonstrated by the authorities here.
Tank Johnson made a mistake? He had is best friend in the world living with him, probably trying to help him better his life. They owned a few guns. Don't we all? There was a little pot found, I have several police officer friends that smoke pot, all in their home. Why was this raid conducted? If there is one thing that bothers me, it is having loaded firearms in the same home as kids playing. This is SICK. But I do not know the details on this. Were they locked up, etc. Sounds like the police found what happens in a majority of homes in America. A little pot, a few weapons. My guess is if they would have raided the neighbors of Mr Johnson, they would have found just as much, if not more. Again, why was this home raided in the first place. This was not a normal probation check up. I would like to know more.
There are an awfull lot of experts on this post. Tank was high and firing weapons? I did not read that anywhere else. Have any of you actually seen the police report? Or just columnists versions of it. Were those weapons really within reach of any kids? An d what can the Bears do? Tank's in the union. He has been charged(not convicted) with misdemeanors! Supposedly he was in the process of moving Posey out. Yes going nightclubbing was stupid. They probably ran into someone like some of these bloggers and Posey paid with his life. Where is the outrage over someone having a handgun(in Chicago) in that club? A lot of other "innocent" people were in danger. As for the Bears and playoffs, if that "D" doesn`t tighten up they are not going far. Maybe the best thing for all is to sit Tank till the playoffs, then put him in. After all the Bears have a lot invested in him.
TANK IS A GOOD GUY AND WE NEED HIM IN OUR LINE UP AND COMPARED TO WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN THE LEAUGE 6 GUNS IS NOTHING ITS NOT A BIG DEAL ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GOT PLAYERS OUT THERE GETTING DUI S BEATING PEOPLE UP ECT ISNT ANYONE CURIOUS WHY TANK WAS TARGETED? AND WHAT IS THIS "CREDIBLE INFO" THAT LEAD TO THE WARRANT TO BEGIN WITH? THERE ARE ALOT MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS THE POLICE COULD BE AFTER INSTEAD OF A BALL PLAYER WITH SOME GUNS COWARDS!!! GO GET SOME REAL CRIMINALS OFF THE STREET TANK IS A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY AND YOU DONT JUST KICK THEM OUT FOR MAKING A MISTAKE OR TWO!! GOD BLESS YOU TANK SOME OF US ARE STILL WITH YOU!!!!!!
I think the thing that I am most tired with this whole situation is the media. They have taken a great season and exploted all the negatives about it. The first thing when the Bears were 6-0 was the fact that they played a weak schedule. Then after Arizona came the Rex-factor and how he was not the right fit for this team and we should look at one of the back-ups for a starter. Then came the defense who they now say is terrible because they too have had a few bad games. Finally the Tank thing and how it will turn years and years of Bears tradition on its head. Well lets see the organization decided to ride the Rex thing out and now we are doing pretty good with him back there. The defense has a lot of injury issue and with three weeks to get healthy the Bears should be in great shaoe for a play-off run. Finally, I applaud the Bears and what they are doing with Tank. They are making sure whatever course of action they take is one that the league, the players union, and the teamm all agree on it without any further distractions that the media will be able to jump all over and say "see I told you so the Bears are falling apart." So, in the long run I think the medis should concentrate on what is the most inprotant thing here the Bears run to the Super Bowl and not every little thing that can prove some writers right in how the Bears won't or can't make it.
I was here before TANK and I will be here after TANK...which I hope will be soon.
God bless him...somewhere else.
This whole thing is rediculous. Tank has done nothing wrong. Since when was it a crime to go to a nightclub. Do you know how much parting was done in 85? And the weapons!!! The police are not going to protect anyone. America is probally the most armed nation in the world. How many citizins have weapons? Millions!!! It seems to me that Tank did not make a bad decision, but (God bless) is best friend did. And MR. Posey was a man who was willing to die for he best friend. I am horned to have someone like Tank representing my team and my city. We do not live in fairytale land. Yes players are living a dream and should be careful in their actions so not to lose what they have worked so hard for. These are misdemeamors not phelonies. He had the guns in his home, not waving them around in the streets. This is a classic tale of envy and jellousy. Leave the man alone. You can not kick him off the team for owning guns, or having a friend who smokes weed, or having a pit bull, this are the freedoms and blessings of America. He never failed an NFL drug test. He has never killed anyone. No one has been attacked by his dogs. Sounds like protection to me. If you had millions you would protect yourself to. However you decied to do that would be your decison. Leave Tank Alone. Fine Suspend him for a game and get him on the feild where he is sapposed to be. As vicious and evil as some people responding to this situation are they should of been shot instead of his loving best friend. GO BEARS!!!! SUPER BOWL CHAMPS!!!
Good Morning! If he would've owned a FOID card, would this be made into such a big deal? For all of the saints out there. Would it be ok for your employer to let you go if you cheat on your spouse, or if the student that ejaculated in the ranch dressing was your son? Until the shoe is on the other foot, people are always so quick to decide what is best for others when they can't even grasp control of the things that are going on in their own lives. How this man conducts himself on the field and with his teammates is one thing, but what he does in his personal time is his own business. Whether the Bears are winning or not, because I don't watch football, I do not think that they should get rid of him and I hope that they don't! Good Luck!!
If this were Brian Urlacher, would he be having the same problem? People are continuously stating that athletes have a social responsibility and I totally agree, however, if these sorry parents would stop letting television raise their children, maybe athletes wouldn't be their role models, mom and dad would be!
Ship him off to the Bengals...he'll fit in perfectly.
I am torn between wanting to see a young man get a second (0k 3rd or 4th) chance and given a hard lesson. He basically told the Bears and Ownership "too damn bad" and went out that Friday night. Everyone makes their own decisions in life. The Bears either will rally or fall hard in playoffs. I just hope everyone is not in a state of denial and we have a hard fall in January. Winning is good but the team needs to get send a message. We do not need to become the Bengals or Chargers crime sheet wise.
It must be a slow news week for the media in Chicago. I really believe this has been blown up bigger than it needed to be. Is it unheard of for a 25 year old guy to be in a bar? There was a fight and his best friend got shot. I don't see where Tank is the bad guy in that situation. I hope the Bears will keep Tank on their roster
The media is always ready to jump on athletes and call for their heads when they make a bad decision off the field. What about their actions on the field? Hasn't Tank, Kruetz, Manning Jr., and Urlacher been, not only good players, but class acts on the field despite their off the field problems. Obviously Tank has made a stupid off field decision but who hasn't made bad decisions away from their jobs. Non-violent bad decisions made away from the workplace should be handled by the individual and not the company. Once the individual is convicted of the crime, then the company should be allowed to take any necessary actions.
Note to Mr. Johnson:
You have shamed yourself, your fammily, your friends and your team for the last time. Grow up. But for now, so long and Tanks for nothing.
What didn't happen: My boss yelled at me, and told me I better shape up, or ship out! I'll show him, I'm going to go out and get drunk, push my best friend into a fight where he'll get gunned down, and I'll make even more headlines!
What may have happened: Oh man! I really screwed the pooch on this one! I may lose my job, I feel like crap, how could I be so stupid? The boss told me I better lay low. I gotta think, let's go get a beer and try to figure out what to do.
What did happen: a bad day in the life of Tank Johnson. His career threatened by bad choices. Told to get with the program or your gone. He does what millions of his fellow citizens do, they go to a bar to relax or try and forget. Even sportswriters use this avenue. Now tragedy. Some Jackass with a gun makes life even worse for Tank Johnson. A Jackass people! Not Tank. It wasn't his gun, it wasn't him pulling the trigger, it was a jackass. If it wasn't Tank Johnson, if it was some other, (stress other!!!) innocent group of people, there would be public outrage, get the killer, hang him by the neck until dead, those poor people who lost their best friend!!
No, we gotta get Tank Johnson. Our moral indignities have been offended. What kind of nerve does a guy with his money, his noteriety, his priviledges have? To actually want to go and throw back a couple of beers after a day like that one?
If you want to judge him for his failure to abide by the firearms law, it's your priviledge, but not your job. If the McKaskeys don't believe he's an element they wish to continue in their employment, they own the club, it's their priviledge.
Not having a license to own a firearm seems a whole lot less offensive than marital infidelities and out of wedlock children, at least taken from the perspective of a morally rehensible offense to family values and role models. Yet Brian Urlacher has no such critics. I'm not his critic either, merely an observer of how one type of crime, (adultery is a crime by the way), is viewed Vs another.
My Lord, millions are guilty of adultry, so what? Millions are guilty of owning handguns without a license. If they catch the jackass, bet he doesn't have one.
If Tank is gone, it's his fault, but maybe, just maybe he's finally learned something. Get off your pulpits, and his back. Get your opinions out of the public eye, and report the facts, not your feelings. Cause frankly, in the big picture, they don't amount to a hill of beans.
Roman-I have read, with interest, your thoughful and insightful blogs on the various issues surrounding our Bears. It's true the team faces a tough situation with Tank. His poor decisions indicate he may not play for them again. It also seems that the organization failed him in the sense they didn't do enough to provide more of a support structure for him when they knew quite well what was going on with his brushes with the law and his ill-advised associates. So do you then just throw a person away? - When they need help? It is a difficult call in that way.
That said, I have grown weary of the media coverage of the Bears. Early in the season the media foolishly compares the team to the 1985 Bears (Let's face it folks, there will never be another team like that), then spends the remainder of the year tearing it down. First the offense is no good, then the defense is no good, etc. etc. It's a shame the team hasn't been able to enjoy, to this point, a 12-2, division winning, home-field clinching season. I give this team a lot of credit for hanging together and winning through some hard times. The local media has increasingly become a self-serving, moralizing group. It must be nice, as a pundit, to be perfect and sit behind a cushy desk, have all the answers, and pass judgement. I wonder how they might fare in a similar situation. What a bunch of jerks.
Lifetime Bear fan, Chicago native, now in Virginia.
What the HECK is wrong with going clubbing with your friends??? Posey seemed to be a hotheaded unsavory guy, but its not against the law to have lowlifes for friends!!! It is clear to me that most of these media types are simply too old to remember being in their 20's. Keep Tank, get rid of Mariotti!
The Amish don't watch TV or follow sports. They don't have things that are sinful and they are always upstanding citizens. They don't pollute nor speak or think profane thoughts. You'll never have one end up on a police blotter unless they are a victim of a crime. They must have the perfect society. If some of you joined them you would be the weak link of their society. How many of you are ready to renounce your lives and follow the perfect society? If the world you live in leaves you sick and upset because the moral foundation has eroded there is a society that will not only welcome you but will be a great respite from the world you've grown to hate/dislike. How many of you are ready to give up your daily trappings to achieve that happiness with fellow perfect folk? Next time I past an Amish I bet it won't be any of you guys from this blog. You like yor life. You get to turn on your internet and your HDTV and use your palm pilots and nuke your food in the microwave. You are not ready to leave this society no matter how hard you'd like to. You would lose your minds riding in a wagon while people on bicycles passed you by. You can shake your head at the way the world is going and how thugs have permeated all the sports in this world. If you are so fed up just do like people did in the 60s and 70s when they were "finding themselves". Take a long detour and we'll welcome you back to the world you live in, already. Cut the self righteous indignation. We all are with sin. This comes down to the ones who won't admit that they sin telling the rest of the world how they should think. I wish I could investigate all these anonymous people who don't even bother to let us know who's giving a certain opinion and see what it is he/she is hiding. Jesus said in the Bible"He who is without sin should cast the first stone". Why are so many forgetting what a sinner they are? Peace be onto you all.
He has not sin cast the first stone. Look in the mirror and judge.
THE SEARCH WARRANT was directed at his housemate, not at Tank. TANK'S GUNS are registered in the state of Arizona. This is not like coming into someone's home and finding a bazooka or a bomb--illegal possessions to be sure. These were legal weapons that actually were registered. Of course he showed bad judgement by not registering the guns here...but I can see past that--it is a pain in the ass to register weapons and even though you obviously need to do it, I can see it slipping his mind.
Something had to be going in on Tank's or his bodyguards life for 1) the weapons to be out, loaded, and apparantly in plain sight, and 2) for his bodyguard to be murdered so soon after this search warrant was executed. Maybe Posey had a feeling that someone was coming to get him or he had a grudge with someone that was coming to a head.
Remember folks--the search warrant was for Posey, not Johnson. And they discovered about 20 ounces of marijuana--that is over a POUND. Much more than personal stash if you know what I am saying. Johnson is a product of said warrant...although from a law enforcement standpoint it makes plenty of sense to grab him too...Johnson was harboring a known felon who just so happened to be in possession of a felonious amount of weed. I think punishment is in order...but what? Kick one of the best pass rushers in the league off the team and have him end up in Green Bay? We cannot just kick him to the curb. He is an excellent player that happens to have some off field issues. How about suspend Tank for the remainder of the regular season, and then let him play from then on? Also, of course a ZERO tolerance policy would be enacted, meaning he is on his last legs. This is fair in my mind. Of course all you people out there, especially Mariotti, are going to whine and moan about the non severity of the punishment. Tell you what guys--the league is full of bad guys playing a mean sport. To me, football is supposed to be like that. Sorry.
Roman responds: It reportedly was 2 1/2 ounces of weed.
There is no doubt the Bears need to get rid of Tank Johnson. However, the calls to so it immediately are impractical, untimely, and illogical. What happened to reason and logic? What happened to waiting til the dust settles before making up your mind?
A more practical solution would be to cut Johnson in the offseason. While the Bears' will be judged on how they respond to Tank's actions, they should not be held responsible for them. Therefore, they should not be punished for waiting until the offseason to address the situation. To cut Tank now would be a betrayal of everyone in their organization that has worked so hard to get them where they are today, including us, the fans.
These knee-jerk reactions by SOME in the media are rediculous. Left alone, the members of the Chicago organization and players might come down internally on Tank and pressure the front office to release him eventually. Much in the same way you'd be hard pressed into finding someone who won't defend their alcoholic uncle from the mean remarks of a stranger, even though they themselves disapprove of their uncle's actions, you would logically be hard pressed to find a Bear that will turn against one of their own, even though they may also want Tank gone.
Give the organization a chance to make the right, move, the responsible move, which will be to cut Tank Johnson AFTER the playoffs
This is not an organization in Chaos. It is an organization trying to get it all together for a deep playoff run. Let's allow ourselves to have a bit of fun and go along for the ride.
Everyone deserves more chances...Keep Tank...Let him do some soul seaching and then sit back and watch a sucess story...I'd take Tank over Terrell 0-wins anyday...Get it together Tank...Stay Strong!!