ICYMI: FSU Players Get Minor Citations in Hit and Run

((ht: nytimes.com))

Okay, yeah, the Tallahassee faithful are going to plead "Witch Hunt". The media is conspiring against us. It's the media's fault. Politicians use this excuse all the time and when it's echoed, it often sticks even though nothing could be further from the truth. The first proven case of a reporter coming out and admitting they are trying to deliberately trying to sabotage a football program will be a game changer. But it's never happened for a reason.

In the case of Florida State Football and their standing in Tallahassee, someone has to stand up for the public, because on the surface, the appearance is that the police aren't. And nobody down there seems to care as long as the football players don't get arrested.

The latest example: A story that appeared in Friday's New York Times.

According to the Times...and police records. FSU Cornerback P.J Williams, a starter, was involved in an October 5th early, early morning hit and run traffic crash. As was teammate Ronald Darby.

The report says a Buick Century, driven by Williams, crashed into an SUV driven by an area teen driving home at 2:30 in the morning after a late shift at work. The impact heavily damaged both vehicles, and the teen was injured by the airbags that deployed.

By the time he was able to get himself out of the car and before police, Williams and Darby disappeared into the darkness. Williams would return over an hour later and be issued to traffic citations, despite the fact his license was suspended.

By that time a number of other officers were on the scene and they had already determined the Buick belonged to Williams's grandmother.

But did Tallahasse's finest do anything? Yes actually. They called FSU police to assist. And somebody, possibly Williams had alerted Director of Player Development Mario Edwards.

Read more from the Times RIGHT HERE

Now....while police say it's not uncommon to issue citations in hit and run accidents, the difference here is the severity. And the fact Williams was driving on a suspended license, something that seems to have been overlooked.

Apparently two days later, he paid the fine for that, but has yet to pay the fine for his October 5th citation, which led to his license being suspended again.

The issue FSU apologists is this. If THIS incident involved ANYONE other than a football player the outcome would have been significantly different. YOU or I would have been arrested on the spot.

And for the sake of argument, even if everything here really is on the up and up, it still fosters the perception of preferential treatment for football players. Players who are able to commit crimes, damage property, injure people and do what they wish.

The Tallahassee Police and Florida State athletic program don't seem to be concerned about it. The excuse "everyone does this" doesn't fly. And while blaming the media is great and FSU has managed to scare off ESPN, it doesn't change the problem, one that sounds hauntingly familiar to Penn State fans.

Think about it...