The best thing about second chances is that an endless supply of them can be meted out -- especially when the entity providing the second chances has just won its second Lombardi Trophy.
Yes, the Ravens believe that thrice-arrested and once-suspended (by the Raiders) linebacker Rolando McClain deserves a “second chance” in the wake of his most recent off-field incident. That’s what assistant G.M. Eric DeCosta told the Baltimore Sun recently.
“I think this about McClain, he deserves a second chance,” DeCosta said “If you asked him, he would probably admit to making some mistakes. We think he warrants a second chance. Obviously, he’s an Alabama guy.
“We have a relationship with a lot of Alabama players. We get a lot of good information from Alabama because of Ozzie Newsome’s relationship with the school. So, we think he deserves a second chance.”
DeCosta also expressed confidence in the team’s programs for keeping players out of trouble.
“We have a program in place for every single player who comes to Baltimore,” DeCosta said. “We have an individual plan for every single player that gets mapped out before they come on campus. Some guys have different issues.”
McClain’s issues generally arise from being physically present in Decatur, Alabama, since he seems to always get, you know, arrested when he’s there. Since the Ravens didn’t keep him out of Alabama, they weren’t able to keep him out of his most recent bout of trouble -- a disorderly conduct charge in Decatur.
The Ravens, like most teams at every level of football, pick their principled positions carefully. A player regarded as a contributor gets a bag of second chances after getting in trouble, and a slappy who finds himself in the back seat of a squad car doesn’t get a second thought.
That’s the way it goes in sports, and it would be nice if someone/anyone would just admit it.
Then again, why admit what everyone already knows?