A few days after a Week One loss to the Chicago Bears to start the 2008 season, then-Colts starting defensive tackle Ed Johnson decided to take a ride with a few friends, both literally and figuratively. Johnson was pulled over for speeding and possession of marijuana in the early morning hours. He was arrested on the spot.
The next day, the Colts cut him.
No suspension. No fine. No slap on the wrist.
They cut his fat ass.
Again, at the time, Johnson was one of the best players the Colts had on defense. He was a lynchpin for a club that seemed to have turned a corner when it come to stopping the run and playing tough, physical defense. The Colts went on to surrender an average of 120 yards a game on the ground that year. A lot of people criticized the Colts for cutting Johnson, saying it might have cost them a chance to get back to the Super Bowl in 2008. Maybe it did. Look no further than the playoff game against the Chargers, which featured Darren Sproles doing his best Barry Sanders impression.
The Colts would eventually bring Big Ed back for the 2009 season only to cut him again for poor play. He has since signed with the Carolina Panthers, where their current defensive coordinator, Ron Meeks, was once the DC in Indy when Big Ed played for the Colts.
So, what does all this have to do with the Pittsburgh Steelers trading Santonio Holmes?
It's simple. Holmes was a locker room cancer and colossal idiot. He was dumb enough to post on Twitter that he smoked weed. Nine days after the Tweet, Holmes reportedly tested positive for a prohibited substance. In addition to this, there's the law suit Holmes is currently defending himself against, which alleges that he assaulted a woman in a night club. And, of course, there was his little run in with pot smoking back in 2008.
Yeah, real high character guy, that Santonio.
So, what did the Steelers do after Holmes seemingly got busted for doing something stupid yet again? They traded his ass to the New York Jets for virtually nothing in return.
I have tremendous respect for Dan Rooney and his family. That respect factor just jumped up a few more notches. Santonio Holmes might have been the best WR on the Steelers. He might have been the reason they won Super Bowl 43. He might have been the second coming of Lynn Swann. But, the reality is the guy is a bum. He soils the Steeler brand and makes a mockery of their proud team tradition.
Thus, like Ed Johnson of the Colts in 2008, the Rooney family sent him packing.
For the Jets, they now have two schmucks running routes for them, working for a coach not known for his discipline. This is a mess waiting to happen for the Jets, especially since Holmes will likely sit out the first four games of the 2010 season. Holmes has tremendous talent, but in an environment like the Steelers he still acted like a douchebag. How do you think he will act in New York Friggin City?
For the Steelers, they are now weaker than they were in 2009, a season that saw them miss the playoffs. Also, if Ben Roethlisberger is charged with sexual assault today in Georgia, their 2010 season is over before it has even begun. If charged, Big Ben will likely be suspended to start the season. Without Ben and Santonio, the Steelers offense simply does not work. With the Ravens improved with Anquan Boldin and the Bengals much better with a healthy defense, the Steelers are on the down swing in the AFC North. Regardless of that, I applaud them for putting character above wins. I really mean that. How you win and how you conduct yourself off the field is just as important as that silver trophy.
Some people disagree with that. I call those people "soul-less chumps."
So, some serious props to the Rooney family for dumping the waste of flesh that is Santonio Holmes. The team might suffer in the short term, but in the long run it maintains their integrity.
And please, save the "enlightened" discussions about the legality of pot for another place. Pot is illegal. End of story. NFL players shouldn't be smoking it even if it was legal. NFL players should be working out, eating healthy, and doing everything possible to win for the teams they play for. They can do illegal substances after they retire. While playing, most fans kind of expect their team's players to, you know, obey the law.
So again, no sympathy comments for Schmucktonio Holmes, please. The dude is an idiot. I wouldn't want him on my team either.