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This was in the Rocky Mountain Post
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/
Solutions sought to avoid trouble
Having bodyguards available debatable; low profile suggested
After the murder of Darrent Williams, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen spoke of the need to "address this kind of behavior, this kind of danger with our athletes" and how he talked with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell about the league approaching things "in a far different way" and not putting players in jeopardy.
Lenny Walls, a former Broncos cornerback now with the Kansas City Chiefs, suggested having security available to athletes to try to prevent such instances.
But Clinton Portis, a former Broncos running back now with the Washington Redskins, countered that having bodyguards only "brings attention" to the athletes and that, other than avoiding such situations, there's not much that can be done over and above what players already know.
But Ashley Lelie, a former Broncos receiver now with the Atlanta Falcons, had a practical solution for the situation in Denver, particularly with the suspects still at large in the Williams case and perhaps gangs involved.
The party Williams attended before he was murdered was advertised as a birthday celebration for Nuggets player Kenyon Martin. Fliers not only bore Martin's name but also those of some Broncos players.
That practice, in Lelie's view, should cease.
"The Broncos, the Nuggets or any of the pro sports out there shouldn't sponsor, condone or involve themselves in anything the Denver nightlife does with the clubs, promotions or any parties, anything like that because, obviously, they don't give us the right kind of protection . . . ," he said. "And even though there's a lot of guys in clubs that hate us and are jealous of us, we're the ones that bring people to the party and what makes the club's money."
Walls, who left the Broncos in 2005, was less than enthusiastic about Denver's club scene, saying it's not a big deal in cities such as New York, Miami and Los Angeles to be around people with money and that there's a good upscale vibe.
It's more of a mixed crowd in Denver "and you get a lot of guys who do what mad folk do because we have money or because girls like us or whatever."
"There's no way to get away from these knuckleheads," said Joey Long, a cousin of Walls who lived in Denver for five years.
He said one of the big problems is security in his and Williams' case didn't do more to extricate people from the premises, thus allowing the situations to escalate.
"And there's no surrounding cities to go to," Long said. "It's either downtown or nothing from the Parker area, where everybody stays at. Denver's not the best place for an athlete trying to have a good time."
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/
Solutions sought to avoid trouble
Having bodyguards available debatable; low profile suggested
After the murder of Darrent Williams, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen spoke of the need to "address this kind of behavior, this kind of danger with our athletes" and how he talked with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell about the league approaching things "in a far different way" and not putting players in jeopardy.
Lenny Walls, a former Broncos cornerback now with the Kansas City Chiefs, suggested having security available to athletes to try to prevent such instances.
But Clinton Portis, a former Broncos running back now with the Washington Redskins, countered that having bodyguards only "brings attention" to the athletes and that, other than avoiding such situations, there's not much that can be done over and above what players already know.
But Ashley Lelie, a former Broncos receiver now with the Atlanta Falcons, had a practical solution for the situation in Denver, particularly with the suspects still at large in the Williams case and perhaps gangs involved.
The party Williams attended before he was murdered was advertised as a birthday celebration for Nuggets player Kenyon Martin. Fliers not only bore Martin's name but also those of some Broncos players.
That practice, in Lelie's view, should cease.
"The Broncos, the Nuggets or any of the pro sports out there shouldn't sponsor, condone or involve themselves in anything the Denver nightlife does with the clubs, promotions or any parties, anything like that because, obviously, they don't give us the right kind of protection . . . ," he said. "And even though there's a lot of guys in clubs that hate us and are jealous of us, we're the ones that bring people to the party and what makes the club's money."
Walls, who left the Broncos in 2005, was less than enthusiastic about Denver's club scene, saying it's not a big deal in cities such as New York, Miami and Los Angeles to be around people with money and that there's a good upscale vibe.
It's more of a mixed crowd in Denver "and you get a lot of guys who do what mad folk do because we have money or because girls like us or whatever."
"There's no way to get away from these knuckleheads," said Joey Long, a cousin of Walls who lived in Denver for five years.
He said one of the big problems is security in his and Williams' case didn't do more to extricate people from the premises, thus allowing the situations to escalate.
"And there's no surrounding cities to go to," Long said. "It's either downtown or nothing from the Parker area, where everybody stays at. Denver's not the best place for an athlete trying to have a good time."
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