Packers defensive lineman Johnny Jolly is scheduled to stand trial later this week on drug charges. As Gred Bedard of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel explains, a conviction would result in the realization of the franchise’s misgivings about Jolly.
Two unnamed sources told Bedard that the Packers repeatedly warned Jolly about steering clear of questionable characters when in his hometown of Houston.
Last year, Jolly failed.
During one of the only real periods of down time in the NFL, Jolly was back in Texas, behind the wheel of a car in the parking lot of a night club with a reputation for guns and drugs.
Allegedly excessive music from the vehicle drew the attention of police; what they found inside the car resulted in a trio of arrests.
One man was charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon. Another passenger was charged with marijuana possession.
Jolly was found in the captain’s car with a bottle of Dr. Pepper (product placement!) and two cups of soda and ice. The items smelled of codeine, and Jolly now faces second-degree felony charges of possession of more than 200 grams of a controlled substance.
Codeine-laced cough syrup routinely is mixed with soda to create a concoction known as “purple drank” or “lean” or “sizzurp.”
Jay Hayes, a pharmacy professor at the University of Houston, offered an opinion as to the amount of cough syrup that Jolly allegedly had in his possession.
“That’s a couple years worth for someone that has a serious pain
disorder,” Hayes told Bedard. “If you just talk about a regular dose of
combination product with codeine in it, you’re talking about 30 to 60
milligrams. It sounds like [the amount was] somewhere around a bottle [of codeine-based syrup].”
Through it all, Jolly projects confidence.
“I’m innocent,” Jolly said earlier this year.
Though he might not be innocent, he also might not be convicted. With three other people in the car (one of whom was not charged) it might be hard to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that codeine was Jolly’s.
Even if, you know, it was.
Regardless of whether Jolly beats the rap, the fact that he ignored the team’s advice and, at best, cavorted with one or more people who have an insatiable appetite for the kind of syrup that doesn’t go on pancakes could mean that Jolly, who’s entering the final year of his rookie contract, won’t be a member of the Packers for much longer.
He’s going to need a Pro Bowl year to get GB’s attention. I think Collins,Bigby and Colledge are bigger priorities and Kampman will be a big decision.
After 2007 he looked like a future core piece but was just ok last year.
If Harrell can emerge (finally) and w/ Raji…..the Packers like Jenkins and I think he has 2 years left on his deal…there really isn’t a spot for Jolly in the new 3-4.
Sucks,after 2007 he looked like a major hit for Ted and Ted needs some of his picks to really start hitting. But then he regressed when the team needed him most and now the legal/character issues.
Hmm…do drugs outside a nightclub and end up in a gutter 5 years from now or stay clean and make 6 mil a year playing NFL ball on a competitive team? Tough call.
Codeine-laced cough syrup routinely is mixed with soda to create a concoction known as “purple drank” or “lean” or “sizzurp.”
Florio you are such a dork!
Codeine-laced cough syrup routinely is mixed with soda to create a concoction known as “purple drank” or “lean” or “sizzurp.”
Florio you are such a dork!
Is codeine the reason Johnny is so Jolly?
Jolly isn’t a critical player and he’s not universally well liked among fans or teammates.
So regardless of the outcome, not too many people outside of Jolly himself will care.
Houston must be the Purple Dank capitol of the USA. The late Terrence Kiel was from Houston, and he got popped for shipping codeine to friends there.
Jolly is a moron but it may be difficult to convince a jury that all that codeine was his/for him. Either way, I don’t see the Packers trying to hard to retain him.
Robotripping! That’s the lamest thing I’ve ever heard of an NFL player getting busted for. Was he hanging out with 14 year olds playing dungeons and dragons? Also, what kind of super-cop could SMELL codeine? I think he actually smelled the cough syrup, not the codeine in it.
Yet another idiot that could have it made financially for life if only he could keep his head out of his ***
Another NFL role model……Way to go genius, tarnish and potentially ruin a career that could give you millions of dollars in income by hanging out with the low lifes, all in the sake of “Keeping It Real”…..Perhaps he should go back to college and take a culinary course….Say, doughnut filling?…..
I hope justice is served. Can’t play both sides of the fence and complain about the double-standard created IF the Williams boys get off while trying to back up Johnny’s Jolly. So I say, if he did the crime he should do the time. It would decrease the Packers’ depth, but you won’t find me arguing for Jolly.
Innocent until proven guilty by Mike Florio.
Purple Drank makes me “Jolly” too. mmmmmmmm.
Johnny Jolly truly IS “Packer People.”
So Jolly played well in 07 and the defense was good. Then he plays poorly in 08 and the defense sucks. This brings you guys to conclusion that he wasn’t important? That sounds logical
Codeine smell? Puhleeese. He may have smelled something but it wasn’t the codeine.
Someone needs to check their facts, if he had 200g of codeine he’d have needed like 13 gallons of cough syrup at 60mg/oz. Its far more likely there were 200g of “purple drank” in the two cups and soda bottle.
Shamrock: Yes, it is the purple drank capital of the world. I guess this was more common knowledge when Paul Wall was still relevant.
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Yet another idiot that could have it made financially for life if only he could keep his head out of his ***
…..
Yepper he had a big contract coming his way.
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Someone needs to check their facts, if he had 200g of codeine he’d have needed like 13 gallons of cough syrup at 60mg/oz. Its far more likely there were 200g of “purple drank” in the two cups and soda bottle.
……
Bingo, we have a winner here.
I would make it at least 90-10 he’s cut a deal already. Now, he just too play his butt off to have chance at the money again.
I don’t know how to make that one yet.
practicing pharmacy without a license…
Johnny Jolly….. Sounds like a “Fish & Chips” restaurant.
he’s not charged with 200 grams of codeine. He’s charged with 200 grams of as controlled substance. The controlled substance is the “drank” in it’s entirety, not just the codeine in it. Just like prosecutors won’t quibble about the amount of “cut” ingredient in a given amount of cocaine and will prosecute as if it’s all cocaine.
My medically educated 42 year old thoughts are that we should legalize and tax ALL drugs. Prohibition has proven to be an abject failure. Human nature is to alter our consciousness and to limit legal (non-prescription) choices to alcohol and nicotine is a cruel joke.
Maybe this is why the guy lasted till the 6th round. Sounds like his teamates don’t even like him.
Well, if the Packers were the Raiders they would’ve just cut him before season 1.