Angelo says Benson had lapse of judgment
GM criticizes poor judgment, but he doesn't plan to cut him
General manager Jerry Angelo said the Bears have no plans to release running back Cedric Benson in the wake of his arrest last weekend in Texas. But no matter how the case plays out, Angelo said Benson was guilty of poor judgment.
''The thing that I am most disappointed in is the fact that he put himself in a position to be the victim,'' Angelo said at the opening of the Bears' black-tie charity ball Saturday at Soldier Field. ''He's done a real fine job in the offseason. Obviously, this makes big story lines. That's not good for business.''
(Al Podgorski/Sun-Times)
Benson was arrested May 3 on Lake Travis, near Austin, and charged with drunken boating and resisting arrest. A Lower Colorado River Authority officer subdued him with pepper spray when he ''presented himself as a threat,'' the police report said. They are allegations Benson has denied, saying he wasn't drunk and didn't resist the officers before he was dragged off a boat and allegedly choked with a hose.
''It was a lapse in judgment,'' Angelo said. ''He put himself in a position. Obviously, he knows he is going to be held to a higher standard. All athletes know that, particularly those that are high-profile like him. That's his hometown; everybody knows him.
''I'm putting myself in his shoes here, [but] he was very disturbed how everything came down. These things are very routine. This went further than normal, and he reacted. It's unfortunate.''
An initial court hearing is scheduled for May 19, but Benson isn't required to be present. He has hired prominent Austin attorney Sam Bassett to defend him.
While details outlined by Benson and authorities differ wildly, statements from Benson and those in his camp don't match up, either. Benson told the Sun-Times last Sunday he had been on Lake Travis twice this year -- once in early April before the offseason program began, then again last weekend -- and was stopped both teams for a routine safety check by an LCRA boat. In the aftermath, a friend who was on the boat during the incident has come forward to claim she has been boating with Benson six times, and they've been stopped every time.
Benson has been participating fully in the voluntary offseason workout program and said he's in the best shape of his career after suffering a broken left leg in November that required a plate and screws to stabilize the leg and ankle.
He has struggled to fit in since his rookie season, when he came in with a grand vision but found playing time and acceptance difficult to come by. He has had four injuries in three seasons, chipping away at his reputation as a workhorse back, and the organization rather would try to pin a busted No. 4 overall pick on injury woes than on a bad decision by the front office if he doesn't pan out.
Coach Lovie Smith declined to speak about the matter, and Angelo seemed a little taken aback by the crowd awaiting him at the tony event. The Bears' actions before the arrest -- drafting Tulane's Matt Forte in the second round -- speak loudest about how they feel.
''There's no plans to cut him,'' Angelo said. ''You run with this way too much. I'm a little surprised it's an every-day story, but unfortunately it is, and he's having to deal with it.
''What he needs to do is get himself up and going. He's fighting for a starting position. He's hungry. He's ready to go.''
Benson might be in a fight for a roster spot, too. Angelo is known for saying a player's boat has taken on water when off-the-field issues pile up. It could be sink or swim come Bourbonnais.
