Free Advice, When Antoine Already Paid

It's easy to judge in hindsight. Was it a good idea to give Soriano an 8-year, $140 million contract... should I really let Billie Joel drive my family home tonight... I think that last week's Chinese takeout is still edible. Well, Antoine Walker made one of these such mistakes this week when he was arrested on an outstanding warrant for bouncing checks at a casino. But it's not the crime or total lack of financial acumen that really bothers me here, it's the fact that he was arrested in another casino.


Now Antoine is not in a good position lay low in the first place. He's 6'6" and "weighed" (a better term might be "he was listed at") 250 pounds in his playing days, and knowing Antoine's love for Harold's Chicken Shack I'm guessing that 250 might be more than a little light. On top of that, I doubt he can get within fifty feet of a basketball hoop without hoisting up an off-balance three and shimming down the street... even if he's surrounded by 35 autograph seekers and Paul Pierce is wide open cutting through the lane.


Now I'm not a criminal mastermind but my first instinct is that if you're wanted for cutting bad checks to a casino, it's probably best to stay out of the casinos for a while. Or, if that's too much to ask, just stay out of casinos in the state that has issued the warrant. Or, if that also is too much, stay out of casinos in that state that are owned by the same company you bounced three quarters of a million dollars in checks to.


Think about this. You probably have no idea if that guy walking down the street has a warrant for cutting bad checks to cover gambling losses. And you probably don't care. He's no risk to you and his mugshot probably won't be on your wall at the post office. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure a casino employee is going to recognize a three-time NBA All-Star wanted for cutting $750,000 in bad checks to the company that signs his paychecks. While hard work and solid problem solving skills are sure ways to rise through the ranks, it can't hurt to turn in someone that owes your company a nice chunk of change.


Sorry I couldn't pass this along sooner Antoine, but I guess this goes to show you that sometimes bad shot selection carries over to off-the-court activities.