Gene Smith reinforced the need to do proper research on draft prospects.  Blackmon was the 5th selection in the 2012 draft. After a similar incident in 2010, the Jaguars thought that Blackmon has only had an isolated incident.

Blackmon said he didn’t have a drinking problem but said he was “done drinking” for now.  While that wasn’t specified in his statement, Blackmon will probably focus more on responsible behavior.  Like his time before the draft, Blackmon appeared genuinely apologetic about his actions.  While a suspension is still a possibility, it appears that the action may come from the NFL rather than the Jaguars.

An emphasis was put on creating a roster that is filled with good guys.  89 of 90 players did the right thing over the weekend, according to Smith.  Just one player, Blackmon didn’t make the right decisions.

If Blackmon can rebound from this incident and hone his receiving skills, he could join many other “troubled” receivers like Cris Carter, the Jags’ own Jimmy Smith, and Randy Moss in being a difference maker on the football field and in people’s lives.  As our own Dave Johns pointed out in his recent article, it’s rare that the best receivers are flawless individuals.

Jaguar great Fred Taylor has reportedly reached out to Blackmon.  While no formal mentorship has been established, the guidance of veteran players can have a profound impact on players just entering the league as they learn how to transition their game and their lives to the bigger stage.

- Luke N. Sims

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A lot of people here don’t think the rules or laws apply to them.   They do what they want, how they want, when they want.  If they get caught doing something forbidden, it isn’t their fault, it’s the fault of the state for having a crappy law.

Governor Schweitzer of Montana brands a "VETO" onto Senate Bill 109 as the public watches

When I moved here in 2009, my Montana-born friends told me that having an open container in the car was perfectly legal – so long as it wasn’t within reach of the driver.  (Apparently the front seat is “out of reach”)  My friend from Butte (Butte, America is famous for having a highly radioactive mining pit – now disused – that is a mile wide and a mile deep) has told me time and time again that if you’re drinking anything besides coffee and beer you’re not a man.  The representatives to national politics bring bolo ties and big belt buckles with their big personalities to Washington.  The governor has a “VETO” brand for legislation.

Drinking and Driving?  It’s practically a state past time here.

I can go downtown Missoula and identify how far my friends have been drinking by which sidewalk their pickup truck is impeding on.  There’s a systematic bar crawl here, and drunk driving laws sure as hell aren’t going to stop people from driving their overly loud truck (or “Rig”) the half a block to the next bar.

The West is weird like that.

Oklahoma, while further south, is somewhat similar I’d imagine. I’ve never been, and the closest I have come to wanting to visit is reading things about Tulsa at the Art of Manliness (great blog!).

Drinking and driving is a culture that is tough to dispel.  Blackmon has spent a lot of time in Oklahoma and I guarantee that, like my friend from Butte, there’s a bit of pride about being from a western state.  Pride borne down from the community. It’s a harsher place to live than California or Virginia.  It’s a more barren area.  When you live in a place like Oklahoma, damnit you deserve a drink.

Tack on the fact that he was returning to the state where he went to college and high school and having a few beers too many with your friends is just a great idea.  Going to a bar (or two or three or four) is a part of the college culture.  Some of the best friendships are forged in the dingy corners of that bar you don’t remember.  It’s an experience going out, and when you have those experiences and meet up with people you used to do that with, it’s tough not to do it again.  College students, well they’re invincible apparently.  Drunk driving is almost a natural byproduct of drinking for those students aged 18-22.

I’m not saying drinking and driving is right (it’s definitely wrong).  There have been numerous other players who have driven drunk.  There have been numerous people who drive after having one (or five) too many.  There are players that struggle with addictions.  There are numerous things about Justin Blackmon’s situation that aren’t new the NFL scene.  But maybe these are just growing pains.

DUIs are serious, they can negatively affect other peoples’ lives in a very harsh way.

Maybe, just maybe Justin Blackmon is leaving a drinking culture and will grow into a man in Jacksonville.

- Luke N. Sims

Disclaimer:  My apologies if I have offended anybody that lives in Oklahoma or Montana.  I do not intend this to be a commentary on the communities of those states.  My perception of the actions in college towns in Montana and my lack of knowledge of Oklahoma’s culture ensure that my comments may not be accurate.  If you do have some insight, please share it with me in the comments as I would love to learn more.

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But with an aggravated DUI and a widely publicized .24 breathalyzer test, it may just be time the Jaguars started trying to bid a bit lower on the Oklahoma State star.

The top eight picks from the 2012 draft have yet to be signed.  From Andrew Luck to Ryan Tannehill, the players have been trying to impress their team during OTAs in order to ensure that they’re worth the money that the team will throw at them.  21, 22, and 23 year old boys (rarely are we men at this age) given large amounts of money in signing bonuses and guaranteed contracts.  Clubs trust that their investment will pay off and pray the player doesn’t do anything stupid.

Like get charged with an aggravated DUI in Oklahoma.

Blackmon was impressing coaches during OTAs.  He had Head Coach Mike Mularkey excited about his play.  He was asking questions of the schemes being put in place by offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski.  Jerry Sullivan had a star to work with as a position coach.  Blackmon did everything right during his time working out with the team.  His value was secured.

His DUI came at the wrong time.

His second DUI in 20 months (he had one in Texas in 2010), getting suspended for a couple games may be the least of Blackmon’s concerns.  Maybe he has a problem that goes beyond a couple nights of binge drinking.  Maybe Blackmon just had a bad night and made a bad decision.  We simply don’t know what was (or wasn’t) going through his head.

Either way, his value plummeted for a team that places a very, very strong emphasis on high character.

The Jags won’t low ball Blackmon.  His talent is too good to risk a holdout, media controversy, or losing crucial development time during the preseason and early weeks of the season.  He’s definitely worth some money.  Yet, how much is the club’s public image worth?

What does a club value integrity and its cherished values and principles at?

The Jaguars are forging a new identity under new owner Shahid Khan. Is it one that will reflect Gene Smith's focus on high character players? Source: Phil Sears-US PRESSWIRE

Is it a two game suspension?  Knocking $4 Million off the signing bonus?  A removal from first team reps?  A stern sit-down with General Manager Gene Smith?  Does the team force him to attend some meetings like some colleges do?  Is it just going to be a simple statement read to the public announcing a game suspension like coach Mike Gundy did at Oklahoma State during Blackmon’s previous DUI?

What value is placed on integrity?  What value is placed on the Jaguars’ cherished values and principles?

If this were Dallas or Cincinnati, Blackmon may get paid more for the extra “free” exposure his situation has brought the team.  So long as he performs on Sunday (or doesn’t perform given the teams’ track records), the team doesn’t care.  There’s no such thing as bad press, right?

There is if you’re a small market team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2007.

That bad press may cost Justin Blackmon dearly.  But whatever “discount” the Jags get from Blackmon’s poor decision probably won’t be enough to compensate for the poor media attention that threatens the integrity of an organization that is trying to forge a new identity post 2008.

- Luke N. Sims

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