It is the kind of thing that defies opining: Jonas Valanciunas got charged with impaired driving in Wasaga Beach, Ont., on early Monday morning. How could that happen?
Whenever something like this happens to a professional athlete, money inevitably comes into play. Valanciunas is making more than US$3.5-million this year. Surely, if there were any question about his sobriety, he could have paid for a cab for him and his friends to get back to their lodging. Heck, he could have paid for a cab to take them back to Toronto, and paid for another one to take him back to Wasaga Beach the next morning to pick up his car and still had the ability to tip nicely.
That, most likely, is why Raptors fans were so annoyed when news broke: This was all so avoidable. That ignores the real cause of this - Valanciunas is 21, or in the prime of humanity mistake-making range.
That is not to shrug off what Valanciunas did with a 'boys will be boys'-styled indifference. Part of coming to the NBA at a tender age is accepting the realities of not only adulthood, but adulthood lived in the spotlight. It would be wrong for a third-year sociology student at Western to drive while impaired by alcohol, but it is even more wrong for Valanciunas to do it, even if the law will not reflect it. It is a life he agreed to when he signed the contract that made him a multi-millionaire.
Naturally, that will have some observers crying out for the Raptors give Valanciunas additional discipline. If and when Valanciunas pleads guilty to the charge - and the statement he released Monday night through the Raptors stopped just shy of that - the league will likely suspend him for a pair of games, according to precedent. The Raptors could certainly add a game to that penalty, although it is hard to see what that will accomplish: Between having to face the media for what is sure to be an uncomfortable few minutes after practice on Tuesday, the league suspension, the suspension of his license, the fines from both the legal system and the team, there will be ample confirmation that driving under the influence results in a barrage of unpleasantness. Valanciunas made a stupid decision in isolation, but he is smart enough to realize breaking the law again could be potentially disastrous for his career.
Valanciunas's first court appearance is scheduled in Collingwood for April 22, although Valanciunas will not have to attend, as this is a summary offence. A lawyer can stand in for him unless the case goes to trial, which seems very unlikely. That means during the Raptors' first playoff series in six years, Valanciunas will be responsible for a momentary distraction. All over again, Valanciunas will face scrutiny about the issue.
There is little else to say. Valanciunas messed up, and it will cause him to have to apologize, again and again, over the next month or so. The Raptors, however, do not have a significant problem unless he fails to learn from this.
Post By http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/04/08/toronto-raptors-jonas-valanciunas-will-face-plenty-of-unpleasantness-over-impaired-driving-charge-and-must-learn-from-it/
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