I Hurd Chicago's drug scene 'took a big hit'

[scottaa1]

What. An. IDIOT.

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Bears receiver Sam Hurd was in federal custody on Thursday, charged with trying to set up a drug-dealing network.

Hurd told the agent that he was interested in buying 5 to 10 kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 pounds of marijuana each week to distribute in the Chicago area, the complaint said.

Hurd agreed to pay $25,000 for each kilogram of cocaine and $450 a pound for the marijuana. The United States attorney in Texas said Hurd faced up to 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine if convicted

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/16/sport ... -plot.html

[m16a]

What. An. IDIOT.

Understatement of the season? Sweet mother that's crazy...

[Mr.Joshua]

Ya think he's still worth a 'stash'?

[scottaa1]

Ya think he's still worth a 'stash'?

He'll be approaching the judge's bench.

[moochman]

Wow, I think you guys may be missing the bigger picture. Who was this dude selling too? What are the implications of his partners in crime? Here are a few suspicions bandied about on Sporting news.com http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2 ... re-players

Another real concern in Chicago and elsewhere around the NFL has to be who was allegedly supplied with drugs from Hurd. Police reports said other NFL players were involved.
According to CBS Chicago, police have a list of names that is in "double digits."

Now we know that he was purchasing an enormous amount of drugs, an amount so large that it would only be bought for resale. I haven't known a lot of folks from the drug-side of town, but I do know that hooking up and/or recruiting friends seemed common practice. This places his football friends and associates in a pretty poor light. I am not naive enough to think that Hurd wouldn't have at some point in time suggested to teammates, Roy Williams or Marian Barber (who each played with him in Dallas and came to Chicago this year) for example, that he good get something for them to get up for or come down from a game, or just some party aides. This is shocking stuff. It's not so much how many players he was dealing to or knew of his involvement, but of the crime connections that come with that practice. Once again Sporting News hints at the unspeakable.

The Bears brought in three former Cowboys during free agency and it's safe to say the moves haven't really worked out.

Two weeks ago WR Roy Williams dropped a possible TD catch at the goal line in a seven-point loss.

Last week, RB Marion Barber fumbled and went out of bounds at the wrong time in a loss at Denver after lining up in the wrong place for a TD-negating penalty against Kansas City.

Now what is implied here? A few things are possible. One is that fellow dopers Barber and Williams were too wasted to make the routine plays in pressure situations. The other is much darker. Could it be that they were fully capable of making the plays but chose not to, perhaps at the behest of some associates who had their money placed against the Bears? A third one that comes to mind is how much did Dallas know about this?, and how much did that prompt them to move each player?
My paranoid, conspiracy self thinks we have haven't Hurd the end of this one by a long shot. Wonder if the league has the stones to do a full scale investigation into this. Don't know how they couldn't, given the integrity of the game is in question. Hey, just sayin'.

[Mr.Joshua]

guess he was a possession receiver....

[Kareighuis]

It doesn't surprise me that a player is using. Doesn't surprise me if multiple players on one team is using. What will be interesting is this impacts higher-profile players because, let's face it, Hurd, Barber and Williams aren't.

Some interesting snippets from here-

Hurd told the agent and a cooperating witness over dinner that he was distributing 4 kilos per week in Chicago but was having trouble getting enough product to meet demand. It was not clear if that “demand” included other Bear players or others in the NFL... [W]hile a co-conspirator was responsible for a majority of the deals, Hurd himself handled the “high end” clients. It is not clear if those “high end” associates were other NFL players or staffers.

Wonder if the league has the stones to do a full scale investigation into this. Don't know how they couldn't, given the integrity of the game is in question. Hey, just sayin'.

From the article linked above- "Our investigation at this point consists of obtaining whatever information is available from the federal authorities and cooperating with them in any way necessary," League spokesman Greg Aiello said.

[scottaa1]

explains why all his routes follow the hash marks...

[moochman]

Wonder if the league has the stones to do a full scale investigation into this. Don't know how they couldn't, given the integrity of the game is in question. Hey, just sayin'.

From the article linked above- "Our investigation at this point consists of obtaining whatever information is available from the federal authorities and cooperating with them in any way necessary," League spokesman Greg Aiello said.

Yes cooperating. that is the least they can do. But how in depth will their own investigaton go? do they launch a league wide probe into what may be rampant drug use in the league? will they investigate the apparently bone-headed mistakes of players who played with Hurd; Barber who inexplictly ran out of bounds then followed it up with a loosey-goosey fumble when holding the ball meant winning the game. Or Romo who muffed that play years ago to lose a game?
Da Bares have cut Hurd, snorts cbsnews.com http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-400_162-573 ... e-on-bond/ and also hint at a list of players

A law enforcement source told CBS Radio's 670 The Score that Hurd was a top drug dealer in Chicago and police have a list "in the double-digits" of NFL players who were supplied drugs by the receiver.

I find da Bares WR Earl Bennett's reply on the character of Hurd and his fellow teammates:

As for Hurd, receiver Earl Bennett described him as a "guy with high character who just loves to play the game of football, loves to have fun." Bennett also said he doesn't think other players are involved.
"I wouldn't think so," he said. "A lot of guys in this locker room are very high-character guys."

Trying to tell us something, Earl? Hurd made bail and is out on the streets as we speak.

[Mr.Joshua]

Great quote from Lovie Smith:

"My dealings with Sam here, as most of you would probably say the same, has all been good, real good"