Greatest Athlete DUIs
In light of (former) Arizona Cardinals WR Michael Floyd's recent DUI arrest, we had the Sportsesh research team compile a list of the greatest athlete DUI arrests (in no particular order):
Michael Floyd - WR Arizona Cardinals - 12/12/2016
Falling asleep behind the wheel is a surefire way to make this list. Early Monday morning, following the Cardinals return home from their 28-25 loss to Miami, police found Floyd unconscious behind the wheel of his running Cadillac Escalade at an intersection in Scottsdale, Arizona. Floyd claimed he was 'on his way to the airport to pick up his nephew,' before Police had to help him out of his car. He was subsequently booked for a DUI and released from the Cardinals in the days following his arrest. 'Picking up my nephew from the airport,'...at 3 AM...classic.
Tony LaRussa - Manager St. Louis Cardinals - 3/22/2007
There's something about Cardinals and falling asleep at the wheel. Reigning World Series champion manager Tony LaRussa was also found unconscious on his steering wheel at an intersection in Jupiter, Florida in March 2007. According to the police report, LaRussa claimed he was not impaired, but subsequently failed a breathalyzer (.093) and several field sobriety tests, most notably reciting the ABC's. LaRussa apparently started strong and confidently, but then got a little confused in the middle, reportedly listing the letters in this order - "A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-I-Z-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-V-Z-T-U-V...X-Y-Z with a pause." Props to Tony for trying, but failing to get through the alphabet wont convince too many cops that you're not hammered.
Carlton Fisk - Catcher Boston Red Sox & Chicago White Sox - 10/22/2012
In late October of 2012, 64 year old Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk proved you're never too old to party when police in New Lenox, Illinois responded to reports of a truck in the middle of a corn field. There, at 7:20 PM, the police discovered Fisk passed out in the F-150 with an open bottle of vodka in the truck. New Lenox Deputy Chief Bob Pawlisz told ESPNChicago.com, "When officers went over there, they found Mr. Fisk unconscious behind the wheel. ...They contacted local paramedics in New Lenox, had him examined, and the officers had reason to believe he was under the influence. He was transported to the local hospital and charged with a lane violation, driving under the influence and illegal transportation of alcohol. An open container of alcohol was found in the vehicle." I'm can't tell whats funnier; Fisk passing out in the middle of a cornfield, or the police charging him with a 'lane violation' for it.
Jim McMahon - QB Chicago Bears - 11/9/2003
Jim McMahon is the type of flamboyant athlete you just kind of expect to be on an 'all-time DUI' list. So it should come as no great surprise that in November of 2003 police in Navarre, Florida pulled him over after several reports of his pickup truck swerving over the center line of a highway. McMahon blew a .261, over 3 times the legal limit of .08, but the real kicker came during the sobriety test when the former Super Bowl Champion looked at the officer and said, "I'm too drunk, you got me." I guess when you're that hammered there's really no sense in making the poor guy touch his nose or balance on one foot - just get it over with.
Troy Smith - QB Ohio State (Baltimore Ravens) - 4/3/2016
Things have pretty much gone straight downhill since Troy Smith won the Heisman in 2006. The Buckeyes were obliterated in the National Championship by Florida shortly after he won the prestigious award and Smith never found a footing in the NFL. However, his performance with the Westerville, Ohio police early Sunday April 3rd, 2016 may have been the worst of his career. After being pulled over for weaving and not having a front license plate, Smith told the police, "I'm officer," to really throw the cops off his scent. The encounter gets worse as Smith claims he "majored in bachelors," from Ohio State before fumbling through the alphabet as part of a sobriety test (ABCs are apparently harder than anyone thought when you're wasted). Smith ended up blowing a .143 and was charged with a DUI, which begs the ultimate question - Had Ohio State beaten Florida for the National Championship in 2007 would Smith even be on this list? Anyway, thankfully this was all caught on dashcam video:
Ryan O'Reilly - FW Buffalo Sabres - 7/9/2015
Oh yeah bud, they've got DUIs up in Canada too bud. Buffalo Sabres center Ryan O'Reilly found this out the old fashioned way in July 2015 when he slammed his 1951 Chevy pickup into a Tim Horton's in Lucan, Ontario for perhaps the most Canadian DUI imaginable. O'Reilly, presumably tipsy from a combination of Canadian Club whiskey and a coupla' Molsons, then drove away from the Tim Horton's before he ditched his truck and continued on foot. Police found O'Reilly shortly after abandoning his truck walking down main street - where he was charged with "Impaired Driving" - aka Canadian DUI - and 'Failure to Remain at the Scene of an Accident.' Quick 2 takeaways: 1. Tim Horton's at 4 AM is the last place in Canada you want to drunkenly crash into (most lit spot in town) 2. When trying to evade police after a DUI/Leaving the scene of an accident always avoid 'Main Street.'
Jason Kidd - Head Coach Milwaukee Bucks & PG Mavericks/Suns/Nets/Knicks - 7/15/2012
Shortly after the Knicks acquired Jason Kidd in the summer of 2012, the veteran point guard christened his return to the tri-state area in the most stereotypical way possible - a DWI in the Hamptons. Just before 2 AM, Kidd blew through a stop sign and skidded 25 feet into the woods, severing a utility pole in the process. Kidd had been boozing for a while before he got behind the wheel of his Escalade, as reports say he made an appearance at a fundraiser before getting blacked out at SL East, a nightclub in East Hampton. Witnesses at the club claim that Kidd left after breaking a light fixture that he was "hanging from," and several pictures have surfaced of Kidd visibly trashed throughout the night. To society, wrapping your car around a telephone pole in the Hamptons isn't a great look for a 39 future Hall of Famer, but it is exactly the criteria we looked for when we compiled this list.
Here is a pic of Kidd at the club that night looking sober as a judge:
Scott Olsen - Pitcher Florida Marlins - 7/21/2007
Probably my personal favorite entry on this list, Scott Olsen's DUI arrest had a little bit of everything: drinking and driving, evading police, violence, and a taser. Fresh off a 2 game suspension for an altercation with teammate Sergio Mitre, Olsen was clocked going 48 in a 35 after his first game back. However, when Aventura, Florida police attempted to pull Olsen over he sped up and led the cops on a chase for about a mile to his home. Olsen then got out of the car and sat in a chair on his deck and waited for the police, who had since called for backup. When the cops attempted to arrest him, Olsen began kicking at them, which led to the officers using a stun gun to subdue the big lefty. He subsequently failed a field sobriety test and was charged with a DUI, Fleeing and Eluding a Police Officer, and Resisting Arrest with Violence. Quite a list of charges for Scotty, but in a sick way I kind of respect that he didn't go down quietly.
