Things have gotten considerably worse with the more focused attention on these arrests with players getting arrested for things like DUI, domestic violence and more.
Some San Francisco 49ers players have been in this loop, most notably Aldon Smith. Former 49ers Hall of Famer Charles Haley was asked to speak to Niners rookies about this, and he made a statement that caught many off-guard.
"As far as the rookies," Haley said, "and I know they probably got mad, but I said, 'Why don't you all act like the white guys? You never see them in the paper getting high or hitting people. Why don't you act like that?' They all looked at me crazy."
Haley says he made the comment to get their attention.
"I just did it for the shock value of it," he told the Mercury News. "The hardest thing is these guys, they have an attention span of a 5-year-old. I'm not the most gentle and kind person to sit there and deal with that crap. I'm a little more confrontational. I think I got my point across."
By Josh Dhani
