Lions rookie Jerome Messam charged with assault

[Balraj]

After showing that he may potentially be a quality player for the team this year, it appears that his off-field issues are going to continue for the time being.

Here's the link: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/foot ... story.html

[Bosco]

A potentally ominous quote from Wally:

"The only thing I can say is that is not the kind of conduct we approve of. But we can't judge the person until the facts come out."

[Rammer]

He Messam his career. Hope that this isn't his fault, and at least this occurred prior to TC. Still it will be brought to his attention by Wally that headlines of this nature won't be tolerated very often.

[WestCoastJoe]

Messam messes up. Can't say his reputation for trouble is undeserved now.

So soon in his time here.

Dayum shame.

Can he recover from this? 50-50 methinks.

If he did not have what seems to be great talent, teams would not be giving him second and third chances.

[KnowItAll]

depends on if there is anything for him to recover from

[WestCoastJoe]

depends on if there is anything for him to recover from

I would have to say charged with assault is already something to recover from.

It already damages the image of the team.

Some athletes do not learn that they have to stay away from certain places and dangerous (compromising) situations. IMO ...

This would not seem to be the first time Messam has put himself in harm's way.

[joe kapp22]

Well, if this was prior to Training Camp, it would not be unreasonable to assume Wally knew about the impending case.

[TheLionKing]

Let's hope he's not another Josh Bolden

[B.C.FAN]

Well, if this was prior to Training Camp, it would not be unreasonable to assume Wally knew about the impending case.

Wally said he heard about it today when a reporter told him.

"There is nothing I know about that. Now that I know I'll visit with him. Right now I want to make sure about the facts. We want the conduct of our players to represent what we want them to represent," said Buono.

"The only thing I can say is that is not the kind of conduct we approve of. But we can't judge the person until the facts come out."

Wally usually gives a player two strikes. Being charged and drawing negative attention to the team is enough to count as a strike in his books, and rightly so. The team's reputation is at stake, and this kind of incident is a distraction to players and management.

But Messam downplayed his alleged involvement, saying he was just stepping in to help out a friend.

"It's more pertaining to do with one of my friends. My friend got into an altercation with some bouncers and I had to help him out. It is nothing to do with me. I'm fine," he said.

I don't know what time of night this occurred, but I suspect it was late. Jim Rome likes to say that nothing good happens outside a bar at 2 a.m. Getting into a fight with bouncers, even associating with a friend who gets into an "altercation" with bouncers, is just stupid. I suspect there's a lot more to this story.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/foot ... z0rGW0uS8r

[WestCoastJoe]

For a guy who is essentially the 6th running back on the team, Messam would not be a big loss if released. We have A. Harris, L. Green (or perhaps Lumballa) who can fill his special team role.

Jamal Lee is the keeper there, amongst the NIs. Harris is somewhat undersized to be a fullback/blocker type.

Pro athletes have to stay out of the environment where bad things happen. This includes places and the people you hang with. Messam has not recognized that. This is aside from whatever the police have charged him with.

It is a question of staying out of harm's way. And it is a question even of appearances. Some athletes don't recognize that, or they don't subscribe to it.

[West Coast Blue Fan]

He's hardly Josh Boden....its an assault charge, not murder and none of the witnesses have ended up on the missing persons list. Can we please stop comparing Boden to any player that gets into trouble.

[Shi Zi Mi]

So who amongst us has never been in a bar until late?......Who has never been in a bar where a bouncer is present?.......who has never seen a bar fight?

These things happen.....I've seen bouncers throw people out of bars for absolutely no reason (power trip).......I've seen people punch other people in the head over mistaken identity or mistaken action (perceived hitting on girlfriend).

The moral indignation and expectation that because a person is a professional athlete they should restrict themselves to going to church is......well, ludicrous. What needs to happen is for Wally to drop the holier than thou attitude that has been his mantra and look at the facts with some objectivity.......if the guy is a trouble maker, than by all means, boot his a$$ off the team........but don't punish him because some cop points a finger at him.......we all the know what the cops are capable of and a charge layed is not necessarily one that they intend to prosecute (can you say intimidation).

I've been saying this for years on this forum.......wait for the facts before beginning the crucifixion.

[WestCoastJoe]

I've been saying this for years on this forum.......wait for the facts before beginning the crucifixion.

Yes, we have to wait for the facts on the charge of assault.

But in pro football (and college), the teams usually have behaviour expectations and even clauses. Some of the expectations are not just about legal behaviour, but about not putting yourself in situations where you can get into trouble, even if you did not cause it.

Messam seems to lack the judgment or the attitude of staying away from the kind of people (he admitted that) who can get you into trouble.

About the case with police, for that we can wait for the facts.

About hanging around with the wrong kind of people, and going to the wrong kind of places, that has already been a problem for Jerome Messam. It makes him a risk. Was his attitude a problem in the past? Dunno. Has he changed? Dunno. Has he learned a lesson? Dunno. But this new bit of information about the assault charge is not a good thing, no matter the outcome.

One more thing ... IMO.

[B.C.FAN]

He's hardly Josh Boden....its an assault charge, not murder and none of the witnesses have ended up on the missing persons list. Can we please stop comparing Boden to any player that gets into trouble.

Herman Smith?
Ray Jacobs?
Chris Hoople?
T.J. Acree?
Dennis Mitchell?

Hoople, Acree and Mitchell may be better parallels in this case, but one thing they all have in common is that they didn't last long with the Lions after being named in police reports.