Marshawn Lynch Receives 3 Game Suspension

Oakland Tech Alumni, former Cal Bear and current Buffalo Bill Marshawn Lynch has been suspended for three games by the NFL in response to a misdemeanor gun charge he caught in LA last month. It is unclear whether or not he will appeal the ruling. I already think the arrest scenario was shady, but Marshawn should have been smarter than to have an unregistered heater on him. Read all about my feelings concerning the incident HERE.

Check out the suspension news story HERE

Understanding the plight of Marshawn Lynch

For those of you who have not heard, Oakland native and Former Cal star, Marshawn Lynch was arrested for carrying a concealed firearm yesterday. My first reaction was an old rhetorical question that Oaklanders too often have to ask: "Why can't Oakland folks learn how to act?!" It has never been a question I can answer in a way that makes me too hopeful. Though this question persists, the source of my frustration has shifted a bit in this case.

Firstly, I am not surprised that Marshawn was carrying a gun. Coming from nothing to millions in the course of 2 years is quite an assent. There are always a gang of haters lurking in the shadows ready to pounce, especially when you still come around the old neighborhood like Marshawn does. That fact that he reps The Town so hard and comes through on the regular is great for the kids to see, but it also makes him vulnerable. Let us not forget that during his junior year at Cal he was shot at while sitting in front of his alma mater, Oakland Tech High School.
It is easy for those of us who don't have to negotiate humble pasts and extravagant presents to criticize him as another ghetto knucklehead. But the only thing that makes him a knucklehead in this situation is that he didn't have the gun registered . . . to his homeboy/ personal assistant who is always with him. The threats he is susceptible to as a 22 year old high-profile millionaire from Oakland, CA are real. Granted the T.I. and Plaxico Burress fiascos should have been warnings to all gun-toting celebrities, but I understand the position he is in.

I also understand the police's position. More specifically the Culver City police's motive. Read the below excerpt from ESPN and see if you don't see something wrong with this scenario.

The Culver City Police Department on Sunday afternoon released a brief statement with details of the arrest. The statement noted officers spotted three men in a 2006 Mercedes Benz and recognized Lynch as the Bills' running back.

"A subsequent field investigation led to the discovery of a loaded firearm," the report said. "The officers determined the gun belonged to Lynch and he was arrested for possession of a concealed firearm."

By their own admission the officers approached Marshawn after recognizing him. Keep in mind that he was not driving, as alluded to here and confirmed by his attorney. If you are sitting in a car minding your own business, what reason do police have to search you? None. If they were smoking weed or parked in a red zone or something else equally trivial, the police would have cited that. The fact that the police straight up admitted that they approached him because they recognized him is rediculous and illegal. The Culver City PD in this case are the equivalent of TMZ with badges.
I was just talking to a good friend, and LA native, tonight and he gave me a little run down on the Culver City PD. We all know that the LAPD is notoriously suspect for many reasons, but the smaller Culver City Police is apparently known specifically for racial profiling. My friend, a Black male with dreads (sound familiar?), says it's an event if he is NOT pulled over driving through Culver City. The police have offered a wide array of invented reasons to justify their harrasment of him over the years, but they are always unfounded. With this first-hand testimony in mind, Marshawn's aprehension is that much less of a surprise, especially since he was in a Mercedes. I am no law student, but it is my understanding that evidence obtained illegally is not valid in a court of law. Can any one offer some clarification here?
Regardless of whether or not any of this turns out to constitute harrasment or racism or anything else, the fact now remains that Marshawn was caught with a loaded firearm. This will surely earn him a league fine, a potential suspension and tarnish his reputation further. Again, should he have been carrying an unregistered concealed weapon? No. But the police's means do not justify this end. We have a little thing called civil rights in this here country, and the Culver City PD's actions here are just as illegal as Marshawn's.

This also frustrates me because it overshadows the fact that Marshawn had a great season in which he rushed for over 1,000 yards and 8 touchdowns. He made it to the Pro Bowl in his second season and then ran for 48 yards on 6 carries there against the game's best players. His hard-nosed, never-say-die attitude on the field is known as "Beast Mode" and his jovial off the field persona is hilarious. Somewhere in the middle of these extreme's Marshawn finds balance by always putting his "Fam 1st." In short, Marshawn is much bigger and better than the stupid thug role the press have assigned him.

ESPN blogger Tim Graham even suggested that Buffalo should let Marshawn go due to his legal troubles. "Pardon me I had to laugh at that" (c) Jay-Z. They would be the laughing stock of the league if they did so. Marshawn is a rising star, but like anyone, he is unprepared to deal with the magnitude of that fame in certain ways. He needs to realize that though carrying a gun in Oakland may be common, he can no longer do that as a Pro-Bowler and franchise player. Oakland may be the center of our universe, but our rules don't apply everywhere.
Regardless of the drama Marshawn, keep your head up and your mind clear. Remember that a good reputation will only help your career, and a bad reputation will make everything a struggle. Keep some wise old heads around you and remember that you have a lot to protect. A gun won't always be the best solution. Fam 1st, Fame 2nd, Firearms Never.

Enjoy Marshawn's highlights from this season below, but mute the sound and slap the song "Marshawn Lynch" by the Cataracs feat Mistah FAB and The Jacka.

Marshawn breaks out the Beast Mode for 100+

Unfortunately the Buffalo Bills lost a close one on Monday Night Football against the Cleveland Browns. The good news however is that Oakland Tech's Marshawn Lynch broke out for his first 100+ yard rushing game this season. He had several nice receptions, YACs and rushes and hopefully built up some confidence that he will carry into the coming weeks. For most of this season Marshawn has been grinding out a respectable 3 or 4 yards per carry, but has been unable to break off the big plays. This was not the case on Monday. He had a number of long tackle defying runs and receptions, reactivating his sometimes dormant Beast Mode.
Below are his highlights from Monday night with audio of The Cataracs' song "Marshawn Lynch" feat. The Jacka & Mistah FAB. Unfortunately, the footage is via youtube and thus, really shitty quality. For a much better viewing experience check out his game hightlights at nfl.com.

Lynch Mobs on Dago: Marshawn's Wk 7 stats

On Sunday against San Diego, Oakland Tech's Marshawn Lynch ran 19 times for 70 yards and a TD for the Buffalo Bills. He also caught 4 passes for 22 yards. Marshawn has yet to break 100 yards in a game this season, but due to Trent Edwards's great passing thus far, Marshawn has yet to see the number of touches a feature back usually does. Nonetheless he has 5 touchdowns in 6 games which isn't too shabby. He's not trippin as long as the Bills are winning and he's contributing. Is it just me or is Marshawn not throwing up Fam 1st after he scores this year? I know the NFL said it was going to cut down on anything that could be construed as "gang signs" this season, so maybe the suits upstairs are to blame.

Below is a Beast Mode special followed by a video of Marshawn interviewing Bill great Jim Kelly. There are some pretty hilarious videos of Marshawn on the internets, but to many they border on minstrelsy. I won't say that Marshawn comes off as particularly intelligent in most of the videos out there, but that is lightweight his sense of humor. Tough to call. You gotta love that he always shouts out The Town though!

Watch Jim Kelly roll his eyes when Marshawn tells him he's taking him to Oakland to get his grill done. Priceless

Scrawny boys from Piedmont refuse to man up

Just peeped this piece in the New York Times about how Piedmont High's football team has adjusted to compensate for the fact that their entire team is like 5'6" and 145lbs with ankle weights on. They basically have relegated the concept of an offensive line to the history books and sport a line-up called the A-11 that features two quarterbacks and a GMC Safari load of eligible receivers.

Its actually a pretty ingenious adjustment as it confuses the shit out of defenses. But lets be real, it's just a bit too stereotypical that the pale skinny white kids have to rewrite the entire game of football to have a fighting chance against- you know actual football teams. I'm sure it would be fun to watch, in the same way its fun to watch your son hit the ball off the batting-tee and then run through the outfield to the 7-11 in confusion.

I would still rather watch Marshawn Lynch or any other hard hitter from The Town run through that little scrawny land-locked island of wannabe Little Giants anyday. And lets be real, if Piedmont played in the OAL, their parents would be lucky they have so much money to spend on healthcare. I'm just sayin.