MJS and Letroy Guion story

[paulpressey25]

The guys on WSSP were talking about it this morning.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/packers-letroy-guion-has-faced-drug-gun-domestic-violence-charges-b99595657z1-336695811.html

Apparently a number of Packer fans are upset the piece was written. McCarthy got angry regarding a question on it at the presser and the author, Michael Cohen, is the paid "Packers insider" on WSSP but refused to go on the air to talk about the piece, saying the story speaks for itself.

One preliminary question I've wondered, is Michael Cohen the son of former Journal Sports Editor Jim Cohen? If so, that would explain a lot, since Jim back in the day was a very tough nosed reporter who along with Dave Begel were critical pieces in starting to examine the mess that was the Packers back then. Jim Cohen later left to work for ESPN.

The second question is what are people's thoughts on the piece? We've talked endlessly about MJS not providing this type of coverage of the Bucks and how that perhaps contributed to the malaise under Herb Kohl.

Thoughts?

[Badgerlander]

couldn't care less really

[KidA24]

I would be fine with the piece if it were put together with an objective point of view.

It was not. You could write an article with the exact same "facts" from the written article and have it seem like Guion was being maligned and being completely hosed by the police.

It was an awfully written Skip Bayless style piece designed to get clicks and give himself a name. It was not objective in the least.

For example:

"Driving within a few miles of his home, he was pulled over, had his last paycheck, which he had cashed, taken from him by police, who also confiscated his unloaded and stored gun and his $70,000 truck, under the guise of it being used for drug trafficking, despite no charges being filed nor any actual evidence of wrong doing, beyond possession of marijuana."

[Ron Swanson]

Mixed feelings on it. I was listening to Bill Michaels and it seems like the local radio guys are using it to point out the hypocrisy of "the Packer Way", but it's honestly just a tactic by them to draw listeners, stir the pot, and present themselves as the moral crusaders of the discussion. The "Packer Way" is a mentality promoted by the fans, not the organization, so it's really unfair to criticize TT and MM as if they were supposed to have intimate, first hand knowledge of Guion's legal troubles and personality traits back in his Minny days.

Yes, it's a legitimate topic to bring up, and the local fans that are lambasting it as a "witch hunt" are delusional and discrediting it because of their obvious bias. Guion is certainly no Boy Scout. These are legitimate accusations and convictions that are on record.

Yet, I've long hated the NFL's "morality police" stance they've recently taken up in regards to player conduct off the field. It would be a joke to retroactively suspend a player for infractions he did years ago simply because new information became available. Yet, the NFL has done it before....

Which brings me back to my first point. I take issue with the lack of context in some of the details. No mention of the fact that the firearm was purchased legally and registered to Guion, and the only thing illegal about the stop was the marijuana. Yes, common sense would suggest the large amount of cash and weed made Guion a dealer, but there's barely any mention of the borderline illegal seizure of his truck (again, registered to him) which he is still, through legal channels, trying to recover.

Beyond that incident, the guy has been nothing but a model citizen in his tenure here. Should Guion be open to public scrutiny following the domestic assault accusations? Absolutely, but should the Packers be held accountable for his actions 3-4 years ago and feel any pressure to waive him in the coming months? Absolutely not.

[humanrefutation]

Idk, I don't feel like this piece really changed my view of anything. The DV **** is **** up, but I was already aware of that. And frankly, I don't know if Guion was selling pot or not, but I don't think the evidence substantiates that enough, and even if he was, I wouldn't really care.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Why write the article now? All old news.


Worst case scenario: Big time drug dealer
Best Case Scenario: Idiot who carries $190K, a gun, and a crap ton of weed at the same time.

He served his suspension, he paid his fine, and also basically cashed in his last get of jail free card. I have no problem with him going forward but he's pretty much has to be a saint for the rest of his career.

[HKPackFan]

There are a couple things about this case.

#1 I don't like the fact they are bringing up old dirt on the guy from 3-4 years ago. Not only that but there is disputed evidence about the domestic violence (one witness said he pushed the ex-gf). Also some of the domestic violence includes the girl beating him and his gf and he's the reported victim. So are we dealing with a psychotic physically abusive ex-gf? Sounds like the whole thing was pretty f'd up and it is a grey area on who's the victim. Don't ever agree with a guy hitting a woman (and it is disputed if he did), yet don't like players becoming targets for a money grab either. The other incidents are him fighting with his cousin and the ex-gf bf that one time. Yet the "REPEATED domestic battery" language everyone is tossing around makes him sound he's some serial woman abuser or something. Until you read the whole thing you realize that's not the case. Again why now? Why not when he signed up last year? Why are they piling on after the fact? Are we going to comb through 1700 players and find out any legal cases they had over the last 10 years and start crapping on all their character's?

#2 Last I checked carrying cash wasn't a crime. Yet I hate to get political, but there is a loophole in today's law books that allows police departments to grab and KEEP cash WITHOUT NEEDING PROOF, if they say, "We suspect it is drug money." It is very profitable. There are billions and billions of dollars being snatched by normal people everyday if they happen to be carrying cash. And the burden of proof is on the individual to PROVE IT IS NOT drug money. It's the opposite of innocent until proven guilty. It's become a business and certain dept across america have asset forfeiture as a means to run their budgets. Just google "civil asset forfeiture abuse" but I don't want to discuss it here. Yet I will point out that using cash has been demonized quite a bit. There are training videos out there where they teach a hotel receptionist, "This man wants to pay his hotel bill with cash, should we call someone? See something, say something."

#3 Some people who grow up in certain urban environments NEVER use credit cards or banks, they only use cash. That's just how they grew up and everyone around them uses cash when they go back home. It is not hard for me to believe someone who grew up in a poor urban environment still believes in carrying cash when that's what they know. Not only that but if they are coming home and bringing cash to help their family and community THERE IS A POSSIBILITY the people who are the beneficiaries DO NOT HAVE bank accounts. That becomes a problem when they can't wire funds home.

#4 The recovered STOLEN gun, was reported STOLEN by GUION. So OBVIOUSLY it means it was legally registered and purchased, otherwise you can't REPORT it. They never mentioned in the article that it was a legally purchased and licensed gun. Our gun laws are extremely screwed up if a person is busted for being caught with an unloaded gun registered in his name that was locked and put safely away. This is not like Plaxico toting his gun around and shooting himself in the foot. Guion had it unloaded and registered and safely kept about as responsibly as any responsible citizen.

#5 The only crime here is he has WEED. Which in certain parts of the country isn't even illegal. I don't give a crap if he has a ton of weed. It was the offseason, let him smoke it February through June. I just would hope it's out of his system come the regular season. Until then let him keep calm & listen to Bob Marley songs and smoke everyday if he wants. Why would I care?? Let him live his life. That was a stressful NFC championship game, I hope he does what he needs to and relax after a season like that.

It's difficult for me to discuss Guion's case without mentioning certain political topics. The irony is I never seem to have cash, I will never own a gun and I will never smoke weed.


I didn't feel the article was objective, but rather to paint Guion poorly. Probably 30% of the league we could snoop into the lives of the parents of players and find out they have criminal history records, why should that be included except to crap all over their character. Oh Guion's dad is a drug dealer, like father like son! Look he had weed!111

[BUCKnation]

Yeah, I don't really care. HKPackFan summed it up very well.

He's not being a demonstrative a** like Hardy so its a non issue for now. If he messes up again, sure, cut him.

[chuckleslove]

Very good summary HKPackFan. I will never smoke weed, I hate carrying cash and I'm a legal gun owner/carrier. The only crime he "committed" as you said was weed which I think should be legal despite the fact that I never smoke myself. At minimum it is no more harmful than alcohol.

All I will say about politics is that civil asset forfeiture needs to end.

[WiscoKing13]

http://m.jsonline.com/sports/packers/packers-not-above-the-fray-of-win-at-all-costs-mentality-b99604933z1-339139291.html

I lost a ton of rspect for McGinn last off season for lyera (sp), but this is a **** joke.

[WiscoKing13]

Also this entire off season he bitched about zook. How there are other options available and zook didn't want the job. Guess what beside Goodson slipping on a fake punt the ST have been fine. Can he ever admit he was wrong and move on? I'm sorry McGinn that js let Bedard leave and couldn't pay the last guy that ran off to Buffalo. But this new beat writer blows and I'll go to the green bay press gazette for my packer news bc this is bull shot reporting.

[Turk Nowitzki]

Holy **** is that article a pile of garbage.

What kind of writer tries to basically fabricate a hit piece on the organization he is covering the night before a game after a bye week?

[chuckleslove]

McGinn has been on a random crusade for the last few years with these hit job articles full of nonsense

[paulpressey25]

Seems like a story that Rob Davis came over to intimidate Cohen.

[LittleRooster]

Wtf is this ****? Why is he randomly bringing up stuff from 3 years ago...what's with the agenda, gotcha style piece. I'd go to TMZ if I wanted that.
Then they send out McGinn to defend it? Seriously?
I don't know what's going on over at MJS (they were recently sold), but it's not good.

[trwi7]

Wtf is this ****? Why is he randomly bringing up stuff from 3 years ago...what's with the agenda, gotcha style piece. I'd go to TMZ if I wanted that.
Then they send out McGinn to defend it? Seriously?
I don't know what's going on over at MJS (they were recently sold), but it's not good.

TMZ is at least funny. At least their TV show is.

[WiscoKing13]

Cohen now getting blackballed.

Ryan Rodig
‏@ryanrodigwfrv
Twice this week a #Packers OL cut off interviews or waited until a specific reporter left before continuing. Not happy w/ Guion story

[MickeyDavis]

Cohen is new, I highly doubt it was his idea to do the story. And while I agree it was a hatchet job I also think the team trying to blackball him is b.s. too

[paulpressey25]

Cohen is new, I highly doubt it was his idea to do the story. And while I agree it was a hatchet job I also think the team trying to blackball him is b.s. too

The reason I put this thread up is because for 20-years we all hoped that the MJS would actually do some well researched and critical reporting of the Bucks. Instead, if anyone ever tried to do that either at MJS or even a community newspaper, they'd get a call from John Steinmiller and quickly be told to get in line.

As a result, a lot of Bucks dysfunction went unreported and the Bucks never had to account to anyone for their decision making. We could have had a lot of stories like the Guion one about Joe Smith, Bobby Simmons, Larry Sanders, etc, etc, etc.

Now I realize the Packers are a great organization and tons of solid coverage already exists to keep them accountable. Nonetheless, I'm not too upset about this piece since there is a lot of accuracy to it. Packers would be well served to acknowledge it and move on versus taking things out against Cohen. (Again I'll ask, is he the son of former MJS Sports editor Jim Cohen?)

[MickeyDavis]

I forgot about Jim Cohen. That could be true