Former New York Giants and current Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor was released from jail yesterday where he was charged with raping a 16-year-old girl in a hotel in New York.
Taylor posted $75.000.00 bond and proclaimed his innocence. He will be arraigned June 10.
The man formerly known to the world as "LT" has gotten himself in some hot water.
In this case LT stands for "Latest Trouble."
How can a 51-year old man get himself involved with a 16-year old in this fashion is baffling. But once you look at this logically it makes some sense. Perhaps part of Taylor's recklessness stems from not really being able to replace the game he once dominated with something meaningful.
Pro athletes die twice. Once their career is over and they die along with the rest of us. Too often athletes face financial dilemmas and personal turmoil from not being able to move away from the game and on with life.
During his career Taylor was considered to be one of the very best. He revolutionized the linebacker position with his speed, athleticism and smarts. Just too bad he wasn't smart enough to keep himself out of the limelight for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Even though Taylor had drug problems during and after his career he seemed to have it all together. After bouts with cocaine, hookers and bad business dealings Taylor bounced back. He got his finances straight and competed on Dancing with the Stars. Taylor even lost weight as he got back down to his playing weight.
The latter doesn't matter now. If the rape accusations are true whatever Taylor faces will be squarely on his broad shoulders. There's no excuse for a 51-year old Hall of Famer to get mixed up with an under-aged runaway in a New York Hotel.
Period.
There are those like Yahoo Sports' Jason Cole who suggests Taylor should be booted from the Hall of Fame.
Please.
If one examines the facts there's no reason why the NFL should even consider such a move.
If you want to take LT out of the HOF that's fine: while you are at it how about taking out the devout racists who are currently in the NBA, NFL and Major League Baseball Hall of Fames. After they are removed then we can call it even.
Is LT a choirboy?
No.
Has LT been a consistent model citizen off the field?
No.
But the latter doesn't matter. Last time I checked the criteria that got Taylor into the Hall of Fame is based on how he played the game of football and not the game of life.
What Taylor has done off the field has nothing do with how he performed on it. Despite being addicted to cocaine, not training properly and really taking the game seriously LT was one of the best ever at what he did.
Perhaps this current brush with reckless behavior is the bottom of barrel for Taylor. If this is the depths of doom he must face to get himself right so be it.
Hopefully this time once the dust settles he can finally rid himself of being LT the reckless cannon and get back to being Lawrence Taylor.