It’s nice to see some investigative journalism doing quality digging in this modern world of instant news. You have to check out this week’s edition of Sports Illustrated when it hits your doorstep.
Along with CBS News, the magazine did an exhaustive study of its preseason top-25 exploring arrest records of players. Of the 2,800-plus players studied, 7 percent had some kind of criminal record not including minor offenses like open container violations.
That sample group included Alabama — the No. 1 preseason team — but not eventual champion Auburn since it didn’t crack the top 25. SI reported five Alabama players had criminal records. The online version of the story found here does not name individual Alabama players. Only two comes to mind.
- Linebacker Courtney Upshaw was arrested for third-degree domestic violence for an argument he had with a girlfriend in August, 2009. The charges were dropped after completing an anger management class.
- As a high school senior in May of 2009, linebacker Nico Johnson was charged with a misdemeanor “verbal harassment.” He was later acquitted.
- The December arrest of signee Aaron Douglas does not seem to figure into the five since he wasn’t on the roster at the time.
Alabama was nowhere close to having the most with criminal records. Pittsburgh took the dubious title with 22 while Arkansas was third with 18 to lead (sorta) the SEC.
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