Chicago Tribune reporter Steve Rosenbloom wrote a piece Wednesday calling Georgia football star Roquan Smith an embarrassment to the Chicago Bears for letting items get stolen from his vehicle.
In case the news has eluded you, Roquan Smith’s Georgia football jersey and helmet, along with his Chicago Bears issued tablet and other valuables were stolen from his vehicle. Chicago Tribune reporter Steve Rosenbloom determined the act was unforgivable and embarrassing. Not the act of theft. Being a victim of theft is unforgivable and embarrassing to Rosenbloom.
He tore Smith’s character apart saying, “it’s possible we’re looking at a new and exciting turn in pratfalls for Bears draft picks because it doesn’t sound as if Smith, the man the team and player himself describe as a leader, did everything right.”
He asked if this is the earliest that a draft pick has ever embarrassed the Chicago Bears. Yeah, he asked that. Almost verbatim.
His exacts words were, “Is this the earliest the Bears have been embarrassed over their choice in the first round?”
That’s not all though. He also accused Georgia of either paying Smith, or Smith of accepting money from a donor while on the team. He alluded that it’s suspicious that Smith owns a brand new BMW X5, and several of the expensive items stolen from the vehicle.
I responded to his piece early this morning, as did other’s who write about Georgia football. So for my opinions about Rosenbloom and his thoughts on the situation, you can read them there. I’m just writing now to provide an update. Rosenbloom has apologized to Smith and the Georgia football team.
Not because he had negative things to say about Smith because someone broke into his vehicle. No, that’s still unforgivable and embarrassing according to Rosenbloom. He only apologized for accusing Smith and the Bulldogs of violating NCAA rules.
Because with just a small amount of research, you could find out that Smith received his BMW X5 when he signed an endorsement deal with Athens BMW after he declared for the draft. But Rosenbloom didn’t care about research, because that would have gotten in the way of the story he tried to tell.
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No, he was on a mission to shred Smith’s character. You think he’s going to pass up the chance to accuse Smith of violating NCAA rules? Of course not.
His apology read, “I was sloppy and unreliable in reference to Smith and his new car. If I had researched the issue properly, I would’ve learned that Smith had entered into an endorsement or partnership deal with an Athens BMW dealership after he declared for the draft, as many emailers from Dawg Nation rightly pointed out… I screwed up, I lumped Smith in with those gaining impermissible benefits. I was wrong, I apologize to Smith and the University of Georgia for that.”
I’ll wait for the rest of Rosenbloom’s apology. But I won’t hold my breath for it.