By Ron Johnson
When people get famous and come into money, they already have a slight ego. Some try to embrace their success in the right way. Some channel their inner evil and let karma run its course. There are even those who balance out the goods and evils in their lives.
And then there’s Ja Morant and Jack Jones.
While everyone has their opinions about these two and their actions, the fact is simple: When you play stupid games, you are guaranteed to win stupid prizes. But why would you risk your actual career with a future to be a trigger-happy jagoff with zero future in sight? There are tons of questions that we could ask Ja Morant and Jones. But the biggest question to ask them simply is this: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO THINKING?
There are plenty of people that would love to be in the shoes of these two individuals in regards to their skills on the court as well as the field. But the last thing they want to do is screw it up by letting the hood side overtake the level headed one.
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
Ja Morant is a true anchor for the Memphis Grizzlies, and he has been a big reason as to why the Grizzlies have been a legitimate threat in the Western Conference. However, after getting caught brandishing a firearm not once but twice on social media, Morant has been suspended by the NBA for 25 games without pay.
While Ja Morant has expressed remorse over his actions, it is the NBA Players Association that is up in arms about the suspension (aka channeling their inner Karen). The NBPA has called the suspension ‘excessive and inconsistent’ with past discipline handed down.
In a statement, the NBPA stated: “Ja has expressed his remorse and accepted responsibility for his actions, and we support him unequivocally as he does whatever is necessary to represent himself, our players and our league in the best possible light.
As to the discipline imposed, which keeps him off the court until December and requires some unstated conditions to be met, we believe it is excessive and inappropriate for a number of reasons including the facts involved in this particular incident, and that it is not fair and consistent with past discipline in our league.” (Kaskey-Blomain, 2023)
Let’s be honest here: This is the same Players Association that was up in arms about Kyrie Irving not being able to play because he wasn’t vaccinated. I do not remember hearing these guys being up in arms chastising Kyrie for being a whiny little jagoff with monstrous talent but no brain whatsoever. To think that they are okay with Morant brandishing a gun on social media but are upset because he’s having to deal with the consequences of his own actions is no surprise.
They must have graduated from the school of Donald Trump University with a Master’s Degree in Kendrick Perkins studies.
That fact is that Ja Morant is paid millions of dollars to showcase his skills and talents for the world to see. And for Morant to come out and say that he screwed up is a step in the right direction. But for the Players Association to yell out blasphemy is indeed the dumbest hill to die on.
Ja Morant knew what he did, stepped up and admitted that it was wrong and graciously accepted the punishment. For the PA to object to him being punished for what looks to be a light sentence versus a lifetime ban from the NBA altogether makes no sense. The league made the right call, and Morant made the right decision to apologize to everyone affected by his stupidity. The PA just needs to sit down and shut all the way the hell up on this one.
But of course, Ja Morant is not along in his Barrage of Dipshittery.
Jack Jones, New England Patriots
If you have never heard of Jack Jones, hear this: He had 30 tackles and two interceptions in his rookie year for the Patriots but missed the final four games of the season with injury and suspension. Do you see where this is going yet? I have not even got into the reason for the suspension.
Jones missed two games with a knee injury and was then suspended for the Patriots’ final two games after rehab issues. “Jones, according to NBC Sports Boston, missed rehab sessions and talked back to coach Bill Belichick about it at one point.” (Young, 2023) To say that least, Jones has a bright future on his hands. However, it would take a lot of growing up for him to fully embrace his true potential.
What he did on Friday June 16 is not a way to get back in the good graces of Belichick, the Patriots or the NFL. Jones was arrested on Friday night at Boston’s Logan International Airport with a pair of firearms in his carry-on luggage. He is currently charged with two counts of five different charges, including possession of a concealed weapon in a secure area, possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm and possession of a large-capacity feeding device.
This one is extra heavy for most if not all Patriots fans due in large part to the fact that this brings back memories of Aaron Hernandez, the former Gator great turned Patriot lunatic who killed his best friend, was sentenced to life in prison and eventually ended up killing himself in his cell.
Did Jones believe he was going to be attacked on the plane? Was he concerned for his life? Or was he just being stupid for ALL the wrong reasons?
No matter what the scenario was, for Jones as well as for Morant, they have put themselves in a territory no true athlete wants to be in. There is a reason not many teams wanted Irving after he demanded a trade from Brooklyn. There is a reason Hernandez is all but forgotten in both Gator and Patriot lore. There is a reason why Plaxico Burress was never the same when he attempted to return to the field after shooting himself in the leg.
If money truly is the root of all evil, then Morant should do everything to clean up his image and start flying straight before he returns to the hardwood in December. As for Jones, he has roughly a few weeks to get himself right, plus get ready for what could be a trial.
I am not saying that guns are bad, but in the wrong hands they could be. In the right hands, they can end a war or save lives. In the wrong hands, they can cost you your career, your life or both.
It is truly time for both of them to stop playing stupid games, because the prizes do not ever get less stupid.
References
Kaskey-Blomain, M. (2023, June 16). NBPA calls Ja Morant’s 25-game suspension ‘excessive and inappropriate’. Retrieved from CBS Sports: https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nbpa-calls-ja-morants-25-game-suspension-excessive-and-inappropriate/
Young, R. (2023, June 16). Patriots CB Jack Jones arrested at Boston airport with firearms in carry-on luggage. Retrieved from Yahoo Sports: https://sports.yahoo.com/patriots-cb-jack-jones-arrested-at-boston-airport-with-firearms-in-carry-on-luggage-024015169.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAE-vJ6cANn4XWnk2ZL8pnl9ROLu925NqbxZ0nP8Ni8elE52Uby