This is definitely not a laughing matter, so let’s be better than that. Indianapolis Colts’ owner Jim Irsay was arrested early Monday morning on DUI charges and possession of a controlled substance. He is subject to NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy and can be suspended.
Irsay has gone on record indicating multiple times in the past that he was sober, via the Sporting News.
The alcohol turned him into Jekyll-and-Hyde — and he was a bad Jekyll-and-Hyde drinker…But there was a part of him that said, “I don’t want that to happen to my son.
This Sporting News feature points out an event about 30 years ago that most of us are too young to remember. Robert Irsay, Jim’s father, was a notorious drunk during his days in the NFL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4l-MltYGzk
In the video embedded above, Jim goes on to talk about how it was like to grow up with an alcoholic father. See, this is an affliction that every single one of us have either already had to deal with or will in the future. It’s no joking matter.
This isn’t to say that Irsay shouldn’t be held to account for his actions. It just gives you a little bit of a background as it relates to his family and personal situation from an alcohol-related standpoint.
Actually working,sorry naysayers..I don’t drink…haven’t in over 15 years..I know when your unhappy or jealous it’s easy to b mean-spirited
— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) October 21, 2013
Denial can be a dangerous thing. In this case, it’s obvious that Irsay was attempting to keep his problem private. If you follow the spirited owner on Twitter, you know very well that he’s not sober and in recovery. I guess it’s a good thing that he can no longer deny it.
#BREAKING: #Colts owner Jim Irsay arrested, accused of OWI in Carmel: http://t.co/waK9tMQBfC pic.twitter.com/G9itcG85bS
— FOX59 News (@FOX59) March 17, 2014
According to a local Fox affiliate in Indianapolis, Irsay was arrested around 11:40 pm local time. A bond hearing is set for 1:30 pm today and is set at $22,500. More than the DUI charge, reports indicate that Irsay had a controlled substance of some sort on him.
One thing to think about before making jokes and jumping to conclusions is that we are all human and make mistakes. While in no way condoning Irsay’s action, much like I wouldn’t a football player in the same situation, it’s important to respect the process and understand that this isn’t exactly a rare incident in the United States these days.
Alcoholism is a serious disease that’s only magnified when it runs in the family. If Irsay did slip up, the goods news is that no one was injured. That’s the silver lining in this whole situation. For Irsay’s sake, I hope he gets the help that he needs. For the Colts sake, I hope the organization and team rally around him. A support staff is huge in times like this.
For now, Irsay is currently sitting in county jail. He will have to answer for his actions.
Photo: Brian Spurlock, USA Today