NFL owner reportedly says cops 'prejudiced' against him for being a 'rich, white billionaire' led to his 2014 DWI arrest



Jim Irsay, owner of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, said police who were "prejudiced" against him for being a "rich, white billionaire" led to his 2014 arrest for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, ESPN reported.

What are the details?

The sports network said Irsay discussed his arrest during an interview with HBO Sports that aired Tuesday night. Irsay pleaded guilty in September 2014 to one misdemeanor count of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, ESPN said.

According to the sports network, when Irsay was asked why he pleaded guilty, the Colts owner replied, "Just to get it over with."

"I am prejudiced against because I'm a rich, white billionaire," Irsay added during the interview, according to ESPN. "If I'm just the average guy down the block, they're not pulling me in, of course not."

The sports network added that when Irsay was asked how he imagined others would react to his assertion of prejudice, he replied, "I don't care what it sounds like. It's the truth. ... I could give a damn what people think how anything sounds or sounds like. The truth is the truth, and I know the truth."

More from ESPN:

Police in the Indianapolis suburb of Carmel pulled Irsay over in March 2014 after he was spotted driving slowly, stopping in the roadway and failing to use a turn signal. Officers said he had trouble reciting the alphabet and failed other field sobriety tests.

Irsay, when asked whether the arrest was a "low point" for him, told HBO Sports that he failed the field sobriety tests because he was just coming off hip surgery.

"The arrest was wrong," Irsay added, according to the sports network. "I had just had hip surgery and had been in the car for 45 minutes. And what — they asked me to walk the line? Are you kidding me? I can barely walk at all."

HBO Sports asked Irsay to clarify his assertion that he failed the sobriety tests because of the hip surgery, not because he was under the influence, ESPN said, adding that the Colts owner replied, "Yes, I mean I'm not saying that — it's a fact."

More from the sports network:

Police discovered various prescription drugs in Irsay's vehicle along with more than $29,000 in cash. A toxicology report showed Irsay had the painkillers oxycodone and hydrocodone as well as alprazolam, which is used to treat anxiety, in his system at the time of his arrest.

The Carmel Police Department said in a statement Tuesday to The Indianapolis Star that it was "very sorry to hear" Irsay's accusation of police prejudice against him.

"We have a very professional agency consisting of officers that strive to protect our community with integrity and professionalism," Carmel Police Lt. D.J. Schoeff wrote in an email to the Indianapolis Star, according to ESPN.

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NBA team exec and co-owner declares that 'nobody cares about what’s happening to the Uyghurs' — despite China's well-known abuse of their human rights



Chamath Palihapitiya — an executive and part owner of the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association — said that "nobody cares about what’s happening to the Uyghurs," who are victims of China's well-documented human rights abuses.

What else did he say?

Palihapitiya is part of the "All-In" podcast with friends and colleagues Jason Calacanis, David Sacks, and David Friedberg, and they discuss the economy, tech, politics, and other subjects.

In episode 63, posted Saturday to YouTube, Calacanis brought up President Joe Biden's policy on China and said his statement on the Uyghurs was "very strong."

“Let's be honest, nobody cares about what’s happening to the Uyghurs, OK?" Palihapitiya shot back.

"What?" Calacanis retorted in shock. "What do you mean nobody cares?"

"You bring it up 'cause you really care, and I think that's nice that you care," Palihapitiya continued. "The rest of us don’t care. I’m just telling you ... a very hard, ugly truth, OK? Of all the things that I care about, yes, it is below my line, OK? ... It is below my line."

Calacanis called his colleague's stance "disappointing."

Soon Palihapitiya noted a few other issues he does care about, including empty shelves in grocery stores, climate change, that "our economy could turn on a dime" if China invades Taiwan, and America's "crippling and decrepit health care infrastructure."

"But if you're asking me do I care about a segment of a class of people in another country? Not until we can take care of ourselves will I prioritize them over us," Palihapitiya explained, adding that "every time I say that I care about the Uyghurs, I'm really just lying if I don't really care. And so I'd rather not lie to you and tell you the truth. It's not a priority for me."

When Calacanis argued it's a "sad state of affairs" when human rights as a global concept "falls beneath tactical and strategic issues," Palihapitiya replied that such a stance is a "luxury belief."

The Warriors' exec and part owner added that "we don't do enough domestically to actually express that view in real, tangible ways. So until we actually clean up our own house, the idea that we step outside of our borders ... with us sort of like morally virtual signaling about somebody else's human rights track record is deplorable."

E63: Insurrection indictments, human rights in the US and abroad, groundbreaking MS study and moreyoutu.be

Anything else?

China's human rights abuses of the Uyghurs — and in general — not only have been a pretty big headline for a while now, but also it's an issue in professional sports, most notably in the NBA, which covets the communist nation's huge financial stake in the game:

  • Interestingly, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was slammed in August for his silence on human rights abuses in China while complaining about critics of national anthem protests.
  • Last month, legendary sports announcer Bob Costas ripped the NBA, basketball superstar LeBron James, and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick for their lack of criticism of China's human rights record.
  • A couple of years ago, Hong Kong protesters against China blasted James, saying quizzically that "Martin Luther King Jr. fought for civil rights, but LeBron James supports totalitarianism?" James infamously called out then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey for posting a pro-Hong Kong tweet, saying the exec "wasn't educated on the situation at hand" and that while "we all do have freedom of speech ... at times there are ramifications for the negative that can happen." James added that "so many people could have been harmed, not only financially, but physically, emotionally, spiritually, so just be careful what we tweet, what we say, and what we do."
  • By way of contrast, Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter Freedom has been quite critical of China, delivering pro-Tibet remarks, condemning China's oppression of the Uyghurs, and blasting Chinese President Xi Jinping as a "brutal dictator." China removed Celtics games from Chinese TV in October 2021.

CA business owner says he has to close up shop after a year of lockdown. Then heroes step in.



Joe Tahanian owns The Wine Bar in Montrose, California. A year ago, he made headlines when he tried to fight the coronavirus lockdowns that were crippling his business.

After even selling his furniture to stay afloat, Tahanian told a local reporter this week that it was the end of the line for his business. But once the story got out, heroes stepped in.

What are the details?

KTTV-TV reporter Bill Melugin tweeted Thursday, "April 2020, I took these photos of Joe Tahanian, owner of The Wine Cave, a bar in Montrose. We did a story w/ him about how he planned to stay open during lockdowns. The day after it aired, authorities threatened him, & he complied. He just called me. He lost his business today."

April 2020, I took these photos of Joe Tahanian, owner of The Wine Cave, a bar in Montrose. We did a story w/ him a… https://t.co/6T7MO7RelQ
— Bill Melugin (@Bill Melugin)1617938906.0

Melugin attached the story he did on Tahanian last year, where The Wine Bar owner explained that he felt he had no choice but to defy lockdowns because his business would not stay afloat otherwise. Tahanian said back then, "Unless they handcuff me and take me to jail, I will not close."

After hearing of Tahanian's plight, celebrity chef Andrew Gruel tweeted Friday, "Just spoke with Joseph. We need to raise $100k to get his business back on track. We will contribute what we can. Please spread the word and help by donating to our gofundme below. All $ from this point forward will go to Joseph."

Gruel has worked to raise funds for restaurants and their workers amid the lockdowns, and has been a thorn in the side of California officials killing the businesses with COVID-19 restrictions.

According to Melugin, Gruel also reached out Dave Portnoy, president of Barstool Sports, who has saved numerous small businesses across the country with tens of millions raised through his initiative, the Barstool Fund.

Portnoy told Tahanian that Barstool Fund would supply the $100,000 needed for him to keep The Wine Bar, and the business owner would also be receiving another $10,000 raised by Gruel.

After posting Joseph’s story regarding his restaurant shutting down, Dave Portnoy @stoolpresidente & the… https://t.co/qZ7jax4D3D
— Chef Andrew Gruel (@Chef Andrew Gruel)1618006028.0

In reaction to Melugin's tweets about Tahanian on Friday, one person lashed out at the reporter, saying, "It is not the fault of the government or the authorities that he lost his business. It's the fault of the people who refused to comply with simple and reasonable preventive measures to stop the spread of an infection."

Melugin replied, "He has been shut down since last April. He complied. Even sold off all his furniture on Craigslist to try to stay afloat as long as he could. His reward for complying was losing everything he ever worked for. 100% the fault of government rules. No revenue for an entire year."

@ITS_Crabapple He has been shut down since last April. He complied. Even sold off all his furniture on Craigslist t… https://t.co/g2YXjxExRx
— Bill Melugin (@Bill Melugin)1617987010.0

Anything else?

When reached for reaction to Tahanian's story, Melugin told TheBlaze, "I'm thrilled both Chef Gruel and Portnoy stepped up to help Joe out. He's a really good guy and was on the verge of losing everything through no fault of his own. Happy that his story went viral and he got some quick help! He deserves it."