Spunky

October 28th, 2013 at 7:09 PM ^

SI is doing a great job with these sad, yet fascinating features. I clicked on a link at the bottom of the Williams story and read the one on Speedy Cannon, too. That one includes video from 1972 of the out of bounds, helmet-to-helmet hit, which killed the African-American Alabama high school football player. I couldn't help but think of and appreciate the current targeting rules.

Thanks for posting, Sam Soccer. 

robmorren2

October 28th, 2013 at 10:01 PM ^

My first thought after reading for a few minutes was ... this sounds like a guy that smoked a lot of weed. Shortly after thinking that, I read the quote about Bison/Brian smoking a lot of weed. It doesn't really change my opinion of him, but he just seemed like that type of guy (similar to Ricky Williams).

Ali G Bomaye

October 29th, 2013 at 10:54 AM ^

Because in the 1930s racist law enforcement officers were looking for an excuse to harass and arrest Mexican laborers, and noticed that many of them smoked marijuana, so they created a scare campaign to convince people that pot made its users stupid and violent.

XM - Mt 1822

October 29th, 2013 at 12:56 PM ^

in an alternate universe, where what you posted would be considered 'facts'. 

dope does make you stupid.  it also screws up hormones, causes birth defects, changes speech patterns and voices, and chronic users evolve into some form of beevus and butthead.   and if i'm not mistaken, the terrorist bombers of the NY Marathon, Gabby Giffords shooting assailant, and a few other notable nut-jobs were pot heads.

i may not favor harsh penalties, and i certainly approve of it for the truly sick (cancer, MS, MD, etc), but dope is generally not your friend. 

jeag

October 29th, 2013 at 3:22 PM ^

When bringing into question the veracity of an adversary's argument, it is advisable to present some facts of your own. I believe that "stupid," "some form of beavis and butthead," "nut-jobs," and "generally not your friend" are all highly subjective views.

The basis of your argument should focus on the "screwing up" of hormones, the birth defects, and the speech patterns. Please present your evidence that research on these issues led to use of the slang term "dope" in reference to marijuana.

Ali G Bomaye

October 30th, 2013 at 2:16 PM ^

You need to take a class in logical argument.

Some chronic users of marijuana may sit on their couch giggling at cartoons all day.  Other chronic users become politicians, artists, and business leaders.  One of the best attorneys I know, who is a capital partner at a major law firm, smokes marijuana almost every weekend.  Your note that various terrorists were potheads holds exactly as much water as noting that Hitler and Stalin both had mustaches, therefore anyone who has a mustache is predisposed to genocide.

El Jeffe

October 29th, 2013 at 8:41 AM ^

Did anyone else think the format of the story was distracting? I mean, I thought it was kind of interesting, but I felt like it made it hard to get in the flow.

Get off my lawn caveats apply, but sometimes when you've got a great story you just want to read it and not be distracted by the graphical hoo-haa and frippery and 23-skidoo.

remdog

October 29th, 2013 at 9:34 AM ^

For the link. I remember reading the story when it happened. It didn't seem to get much media attention although the story of his life and death are both fascinating and tragic. It seems extremely obvious that his brother, Kevin Williams/Miles Dabord, committed the premeditated murder of all three. The story seems to dance around this obvious conclusion. The only unanswered question is how exactly he did it. At this point, it doesn't really matter. The incompetence of Phoenix police is astonishing. Several people are missing and yet they released the only suspect in their disappearance even though he is impersonating one of the missing.