49ers Aldon Smith made a huge mistake by staying up past 8pm

San Francisco 49er Aldon Smith was stabbed at a house party (I believe it was his OWN home) while trying to break up a fight. Somehow a man doing a typical man-type thing has turned into a bunch of idiots in the media and sports fandom opining about how athletes should do nothing but sit on the couch with their boring ass families scratching their nuts while checking fantasy stats on their cell phone when they’re not playing their respective sport.

To be clear, the police are still trying to figure out what happened and why there were guests would have brought guns to the party (although if you grew up in Virginia like I did it seems fairly normal). But what appears to be clear is Smith didn’t attack anyone.

Yeah I get that Smith has been in trouble before. But I’d have to think that my reckless driving charge and other random violations of the law I’ve personally committed would distract a sane person from empathizing with me when something bad happens at any time of day.

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But the key word here is “sane.” Sane people aren’t so obsessed with sports that they think athletes should put their careers above all other things. Sane people aren’t so thirsty for clicks and twitter followers that they jump to criticize athletes before even knowing 1/16 of the facts. Sane people don’t say shit like “No respectable person should be out at 2am ” (this was a real comment on yahoo) And sane writers don’t think think that an athlete getting stabbed in the OFF SEASON will be a distraction for the team come September much less a challenge for a coach that has shown himself tough as nails already.

I just find this so offensive!  When Patriots Rob Gronkowski is out in the clubs or posing with porn stars or throwing drinks on women at charity events everyone laughs like “hee hee yo Gronk is so cool yo.” But I assume that this is because none of those things are illegal right? Oh wait, throwing a house party and getting stabbed isn’t either.

So why all the venom against Smith?

There’s this really sad pathetic thing where sports fans live vicariously through athletes and when players don’t live the way the public THINKS they would live in they were young, hot and rich (and black?)  people start getting oh-so-offended by it.

Athlete settles down. Public says:  ”If I were him I’d be out there sleeping with all the beautiful women I could.”

Athlete is a homebody. Public says “Man Gronkowski does it right. Gotta enjoy life man forget staying at home when you have all that juice!”

Athletes goes broke. Public says “If I had that kind of money I would [insert pile of bullshit here written by someone who doesn't have $10,000 much less $10 million]”

Athlete gets stabbed at his own party trying to break up a fight. Public says “If I were an athlete I’d be in my house by 10pm every night!”

And what’s with the assumption that athletes want to live their lives the way you you pretend to live yours?  I hate that folks assume athletes value their job above everything else – family, friends, and taking time out to enjoy life are all important and something that many athletes feel is necessary to keep stress down.

OH OH OH OH OH OH OH I ALMOST FORGOT…

I saw some asshole on twitter say that Aldon Smith is “the 49ers property.” After the paramedics stopped by and screwed my head back on after it blew off, I was still so angry I wanted to google map that tweeter’s address, show up and punch him square in the damn throat and break all his fingers so he couldn’t type anything else remotely that ignorant in the future.

Players are NOT pieces of property. They are human beings with jobs just like you and I and anyone else. Hearing someone say a black man is owned by anyone set off all the alarms in my brain. I wanted to vomit.

Last note to all your journalists who are saying various versions of this:

Aldon Smith may be a victim here but still it won’t look good to most people.

I HATE WHEN THE MEDIA HIDES BEHIND THE PUBLIC TO BE NEEDLESSLY MESSY AND CRITICAL.

If you have a platform to speak and you DON’T think that his stabbing should look bad to people in context, your job is to explain that NOT to voice the opinion of some ignorant ass strawman. Not to stretch to speculate how bosses will perceive the incident.  It’s a cowardly copout and I see right through it like you’re bathing in windex! (copyright: Mariah Carey) Now, if your opinion is Smith was wrong for hosting a houseparty that went past 9pm teenager curfew, I think you’re wrong, but if you write that without hiding behind someone else at least you’re not a punk ass bitch (for the moment).’

I’ll be interested to see if Gronk receives this much vitriol if he happens to have a brush with the law beyond security in night clubs.

Wishing a speedy recovery to Aldon.

Ultimately this is a lesson – always attend the rookie symposium (*gag*)

Bottom line is that athletes are in the club ALL.THE.TIME. Having pool parties and such at their houses all the time.  Yet most of them aren’t getting into trouble at these clubs and parties. Abstaining from fun after midnight not only sucks it wouldn’t change much of anything at all.