NFLMarty
10-31-2000, 08:25 AM
NFL TO HAMMER GRIESE WITH $10,530 FINE
by Marty McDonald
Posted on 10/31/2000
The future doesn't look good for Denver Broncos QB Brian Griese. The NFL will fine Griese $10,530 after a weekend arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, according to the Denver Post. While Griese is losing roughly half of his weekly game check (he is scheduled to make $358,000 in base pay this season), the consequences of his actions speak volumes about how serious the NFL feels about alcohol-related law violations. Denver head coach Mike Shanahan informed reporters that Griese will be randomly tested for alcohol up to 10 times per month for the next two seasons. One violation will cost Griese four weeks of pay, or $84,235. A second violation results in a four-game suspension and a third violation will result in a one-year suspension. Griese has entered Level 2 of NFL's Substance Abuse policy, which means he has a past violation on file with the league office.
"I'm going to stand up and take it like a man," Griese said Monday.
He also admitted that he had a couple of drinks during dinner on Saturday night. What triggered the incident was that Griese was doing 80 mph in a 65 mph zone.
"I think it can happen to anybody," Shanahan said. "I think sometimes you don't use the best judgment. You go out to dinner and you have some drinks, and you make a bad decision. You think you're fine and you're not. And that's what happened with Brian. It's something that doesn't reflect good on him or the organization, but it's happened. He's quite disappointed that he made a poor judgment."
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by Marty McDonald
Posted on 10/31/2000
The future doesn't look good for Denver Broncos QB Brian Griese. The NFL will fine Griese $10,530 after a weekend arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, according to the Denver Post. While Griese is losing roughly half of his weekly game check (he is scheduled to make $358,000 in base pay this season), the consequences of his actions speak volumes about how serious the NFL feels about alcohol-related law violations. Denver head coach Mike Shanahan informed reporters that Griese will be randomly tested for alcohol up to 10 times per month for the next two seasons. One violation will cost Griese four weeks of pay, or $84,235. A second violation results in a four-game suspension and a third violation will result in a one-year suspension. Griese has entered Level 2 of NFL's Substance Abuse policy, which means he has a past violation on file with the league office.
"I'm going to stand up and take it like a man," Griese said Monday.
He also admitted that he had a couple of drinks during dinner on Saturday night. What triggered the incident was that Griese was doing 80 mph in a 65 mph zone.
"I think it can happen to anybody," Shanahan said. "I think sometimes you don't use the best judgment. You go out to dinner and you have some drinks, and you make a bad decision. You think you're fine and you're not. And that's what happened with Brian. It's something that doesn't reflect good on him or the organization, but it's happened. He's quite disappointed that he made a poor judgment."
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