JaMarcus Russell, recently released free-agent quarterback and on of the biggest draft busts of all time, was arrested Monday afternoon for possesion of a controlled substance. The substance? Cough syrup
Codeine syrup, also know as purple drank, lean or sizzurp, typically contains codeine and promethazine, ingriedients found in prescription cough syrup. ESPN's "Outside the Lines" just did a feature on the beverage. It's said to make those who abuse it feel drowsy, weak and in an altered level of consciousness.
Perhaps not coincidentally, the Oakland Raiders released Russell because he always played as if he was drowsy, weak and in a state of altered consciousness.
As a free agent, Russell was looking to sign a contract with an NFL team sometime soon, and odds are, he would have, sometime before training camp. With this, though? It seems like a big risk for a team to take, even at a minimum salary. I wouldn't go so far as to say that this is a career-ender, but anyone who was even thinking about signing Russell probably just put the idea on the backburner.
The optimistic view to take is in the long run, maybe an arrest is the best thing for JaMarcus. Maybe it's what he needed to wake himself up and get back on a positive track. I have no idea if his alleged sizzurp use was a one-time thing or a long-time habit, but if this gets him to think seriously about his career, then maybe it can turn into a positive. Time will tell.
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