Honey Badger says "Honey Badger is a 1st Round Pick" (Updated Twice)

((ht: @brucefeldmancbs))

So, the NFL Draft is a day away (Thu.) and everyone who's ever written a sports related story or talked about it on the radio has come up with their own "Mock Draft".

We don't partake in such trivial matters here at OSG Sports, but we do find some of the speculation absolutely fascinating.

Kind of like the picture you see to your right.

Yes, that's right, the day before the draft, Tyrann Mathieu, he of "Honey Badger" fame at LSU before being kicked off the team is having a party this Thursday in New York.

He took this photo on Instagram and Tweeted it to the huddled masses.

To celebrate himself being a "1st Round Draft Pick".

((UPDATED---Mathieu tweeted to FOX Sports shortly after this picture made the rounds that he did not give approval for the "For 1st Round Draft Pick" part of the flyer. We believe him, because he probably had nothing to do with writing it.))

Hmmmm....

Does he know something the rest of us don't? We aren't saying that Mr. Mathieu won't be drafted, he will. But 1st rounder? After word got out he was admitting to double digit failed drug tests?

Of course, he'll be on his best behavior at THIS event, so if you find yourself in the Big Apple Thursday eve, drop on by, you too can party like a first rounder.

Just sayin'....

((2nd Update 6 pm---@Mathieu_Era There will be no party for Tyrann Mathieu. Hmmm...your thoughts?))

Honey Badger Likes The Weed and LSU Apparently Ignored It

((ht: usatoday.com))

So, let's read a little bit between the lines here on a story reported this morning by Jarrett Bell, USA Today's NFL writer.

Tyrann Mathieu, he of the "Honey Badger" fame at LSU, is telling NFL teams he failed more than 10 drug tests in his 2-years at LSU.

And it appears it took that many before LSU decided they finally should do something about it....

As Mathieu makes the rounds of NFL teams, trying to convince them to draft him, an assistant for a team he's already visited tells Bell, that Mathieu is admitting this.

Hmmmm...

Read the entire USA Today story RIGHT HERE

Mathieu's agent tells USA Today that his client is on a "Business Trip" when he visits the teams and he's being completely honest.

Which is nice.

((**UPDATE**--LSU released a statement from Mathieu praising the school and their drug testing program and complaining about information being released about him from the interviews. And while the LSU website says 'He disputes it', if you read what he said, he doesn't deny anything--Read the statement RIGHT HERE ))

It's good business and necessary if Mathieu ever wants a shot at playing in the NFL. However, the question, raised in the story, but not elaborated on is this: Why did LSU do essentially nothing to help the kid?"

And before you, LSU fan says, "It's not OUR responsibility"...we'd argue, yes, it WAS. Obviously the kid has a problem with recreational drug use. He's admitting it.

And yeah, sure LSU and Les Miles, you eventually suspended and kicked him off the team, but not before passing the double digit mark for failed drug tests.

Sorry, at most other schools, we're pretty sure that doesn't happen.

The only conclusion one could draw is that Les Miles or someone in Baton Rouge decided to overlook the issue. Or ignore it.

Maybe because the "Honey Badger" was one of their stars. Maybe because the team was trying to win a national title in 2011. Or maybe it was "We though keeping him around would help him".

Well, it didn't.

It's not our place to preach, but: Is it not the responsibility of a University or in this case an athletic program to recognize a kid in need? Should it not be incumbent on them to force the kid to seek help? And hey, who knows, maybe they finally got around to doing that. But it's hard to believe that there was not mention of failing drug tests 1 through 10--or more, it wasn't until well into double figures before they decided to finally step in.

We're sure the SEC won't do anything about this. In fact they will more than likely ignore it with the hope that it goes away. You can make the argument that ignoring the results of a drug test is a potential NCAA violation, but considering the NCAA's track record of late, we doubt they'll wade into this.

Should there be an investigation. Yes. Will there be. No.

In the end, yeah, sure, you can say it's an "SEC" thing--cheating to win and you probably wouldn't be wrong. The problem we, and YOU should have with what LSU did... or didn't do is "At what cost does ignorance become bliss?"

Honey Badger, Jordan Jefferson And Two Other Former LSU Tigers Charged On Marijuana Related Charges

[HT: WALB-TV Baton Rouge, LA]

Four former LSU Tiger football players were charged Thursday with Possession of Marijuana.  Two you will know real well.

Jordan Jefferson, Tyrann Mathieu, Karnell Hatcher, and Derrick Bryant were all charged with marijuana related charges (mugshots pictured right, thanks WBRZ-TV/EBRSO).

According to WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge, LA, Mathieu and Jefferson were charged with Simple Possession of Marijuana, Hatcher was charged with 2^nd Offense Simple Possession of Marijuana and Bryant was charged with Possession With Intent to Distribute Marijuana, Baton Rouge police later confirmed. All four men will be booked into to the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison.

WAFB-TV had the perp walk live Click the link to see the foursome getting cuffed and stuffed in police cars.

According to the police report filed by Lt. Don Kelly, at 3:30pm police officers were dispatched to an apartment on 262 West State and knocked on the door, Tyrann Mathieu answered.

Officers immediately smelled a strong odor of marijuana and obtained consent from Mathieu to
search the apartment. Inside they found three other men, including the one who had allegedly
tried to force his way through the gate. He was identified as Jordan Jefferson.

Jefferson was the starting quarterback for the LSU Tigers in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game.

Mathieu was the 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist.

Boy how far have that duo fallen.

More when we know it.                  

ICYMI: Tyrann Mathieu vs. SI.com: Allegations flying

((wbrz.com))

It appears more controversy is surrounding exiled LSU football player Tyrann "Honey Badger" Mathieu.

Sports Illustrated reporter Pete Thamel filed a report that was published on SI.com Tuesday afternoon. In that story, Thamel and reporter Thayer Evans documented what they claim is an NCAA violation that would make Mathieu ineligible.

That violation was the use of his and his former LSU teammates likenesses for promotional and payment purposes at a Baton Rouge nightclub, Club Palace.

The story did NOT include an interview with Mathieu.

You can read the SI.com story RIGHT HERE

The story goes on to talk about Mathieu's background, his family issues, his recent visit to John Lucas's rehab facility in Houston and his attempt to earn his way back on the LSU football team.

Mathieu's family and the owners of Club Palace have spoken out, accusing Thamel of harassment. They say he continually called the family from a blocked number after being told repeatedly they didn't want to talk.

According to the Blog "Saturday Down South", Mathieu's family hired a lawyer to make SI stop asking them to talk.

The club owner says no players lent themselves to promotional material and they got no special treatment at the club.

They spoke to WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge:



Oy!

We don't really know a good way to analyze this. It's a mess. It appears, at least on the surface the allegations are sketchy. It's very possible it happened, but it remains a bit odd.

In the meantime, if Mathieu's family can prove the harassment claim, well, then Houston, we've got a problem.

Reporters are supposed to ask for a comment on any story they work on. You know, both sides of the story (Yes---real reporters do this, despite what politicians think). If that subject say no. Then no it is. There's not a legitimate argument for persistently asking and getting the same answer. You say "We reached out to xxxx, he declined our request for an interview". That's it. No debate. Can't justify anything more than that.

It's not the first time Mr. Thamel's co-writer, Thayer Evans has been questioned on tactics. Evans was harshly criticized by Auburn for harassing a professor there about former QB Cam Newton.

We guess, like everyone else, that we'll wait and see just how this plays out. We just hope that it isn't a case of reporters being too aggressive and jumping to conclusions. Only time will tell.

Elder Mathieu: Honey Badger Staying In Rehab

((HT: Fox8Live))

Now, we know a little more...

Former LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu is hooking up with John Lucas to make sure he will straighten up and fly right in addressing his addictions...

Tyrann Mathieu has been at the Right Step recovery center in Houston since Monday as disclosed by his dad, Tyrone, in an interview with Fox8 in New Orleans...

Evidence below...
New Orleans Local News, Weather, Sports, Investigations

No decision will be made on Mathieu's football future until Lucas and Tyrann are comfortable with his recovery.

Honey Badger to stay at LSU or not?

((ht: nola.com/espn.com))

This kind of depends on who you believe.

ESPN.com's Joe Schad reported on Monday that former LSU standout Tyrann Mathieu was considering staying at LSU after being dismissed from the football team late last week.

BUT...Nola.com reports that is indeed NOT true and not even possible. They quote sources as saying Mathieu is returning to home in New Orleans while investigating a move to FCS school McNeese State.

The question is: Who do you believe?

The ESPN.com story is RIGHT HERE

The NOLA.com story is RIGHT HERE

OSG Sports reported on Friday that even if Mathieu was dismissed as a 3rd drug violation, he would be forced to sit out for one season. But not forced to leave school, never to return.

You can read that story RIGHT HERE

Quite frankly, we think it's absurd Mathieu would sit out, then return to LSU, though stranger things have happened. There is no reason to believe that his sights are set on a career in the NFL and sitting out for at least a season for bad behavior will only hurt his cause.

No, he can go to McNeese, dominate there and write his own ticket, checkered history or not. Playing at the FCS level would not inhibit him getting to the NFL and as long as he behaves, there are a lot of things that pro teams will overlook, right or wrong.

Honey Badger Visits McNeese

((HT: KPLC-TV Lake Charles, LA))

Surprising no one...

McNeese State Sports Information Director Matthew Bonnette acknowledged in a prepared statement that Head Coach Matt Viator met with Tyrann Mathieu Friday night.

"I received a call from Tyrann after practice on Friday that he wanted to come and meet with us," Viator said. "We contacted LSU to get permission to talk to him and he arrived on campus later that night. We visited for an hour-and-a-half and then he went back home to New Orleans."

McNeese officials still do not acknowledge that his transfer is a done deal...

"To McNeese's knowledge, Mathieu has not made a decision on his intentions and there will be no other comments from McNeese about the issue at this time."

Here's how the early question was posed in Lake Charles...
KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, Louisiana

BREAKING: LSU Don't Give A S*** About Honey Badger

LSU has dismissed 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist Tyrann Mathieu from its football team for violating team and school rules.

The program released a statement:

“This is a very difficult day for our team,” head coach Les Miles said. “We lose a quality person, teammate and contributor to the program. However, with that being said, we have a standard that our players are held to and when that standard is not met, there are consequences.

“It’s hard because we all love Tyrann. We will do what we can as coaches, teammates, and friends to get him on a path where he can have success. We are going to miss him.”

UPDATE 2:11pm (EST)--Speculation is rampant that Mathieu failed not his second, but rather his third drug test. Most are aware of him getting in trouble last season for failing a test, but there had been no report of a second before this.

According to several of the reports, LSU's policy states that a third offense is an automatic one year suspension.

The question then becomes this: Is he leaving the school for good, or is he going away for a year? If so, imagine the possibility of Mathieu and Greg Reid (recently dismissed from FSU) on the same team. We're pretty sure nobody would ever kick to them.

Here's the Les Miles presser...
((HT: WBRZ-TV Baton Rouge))

DEVELOPING: Tyrann Mathieu and 2 other LSU Tigers suspended

Tyrann Mathieu

((ht: theadvocate.com))

Wither the poor Honey Badger.

Reports are circulating out of Baton Rouge that LSU star cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, starting running back Spencer Ware and defensive back Therold Simon will be suspended for the Tigers upcoming game against Auburn on Saturday.

No word...yet as to what offense they committed, LSU coach Les Miles will speak to the media at 6 p.m. eastern today in a regularly scheduled press conference where he is expected to address what happened.

**UPDATE 3:41 pm **The Daily Reveille in Baton Rouge (Student Paper) reports that Mathieu and Ware failed a drug test. Simon's issue is apparently not related

**UPDATE 5:00 p.m. The omni-present SportsbyBrooks reports that they are all related incidents and that the drug in question was a synthetic marijuana---which makes one ask--Really?

As you know, this isn't the 1st issue the #1 ranked Tigers have had this season. Quarterback Jordan Jefferson has been back only a couple of weeks after missing the first 4 games due to an Assault investigation.

We will try our best to update this story later tonight.

For those of you who want to know what the "Honey Badger" thing comes from, here's the original video.