'A serious offense'
Saints' Collins apologizes for drunk driving arrest
Posted: Tuesday November 03, 1998 09:33 PM
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Collins still says he doesn't have a drinking problem, just a lack of good judgment AP |
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A contrite Kerry Collins apologized
Tuesday for his arrest on charges of driving drunk in North Carolina and
said it will not happen again.
"I take full responsibility. This is a serious offense and it should not be
taken lightly," the newest New Orleans Saints
quarterback said at a news conference. He was reading from a prepared
statement.
"This is my first offense," said Collins. It will be my only offense ... I
realize I'm at a crtical junction in my career. Therefore, I'm going to
rededicate myself to football."
Collins' arrest early Monday was just the latest distraction for the
Saints, a team suffering both on and off the field. On the field, they have
gone from 3-0 to 4-4, Their offense is ranked 23rd in the NFL and the likes
of the Vikings, 49ers, Dolphins, Cowboys and Falcons lie ahead. Off the
field, distractions have included a training camp hazing incident and
various players' brushes with the law.
"We've had a lot of off-field problems, and in our situation -- not one of
the elite teams -- we cannot afford to have those problems interfere with
our football," Saints cornerback Tyronne Drakeford said.
"It's a big distraction for us, but somehow we've got to find a way to get
around it and focus on what's going on on the field."
Collins, 25, was arrested in North Carolina and charged with drunken
driving early Monday, hours after the Panthers, his former team, beat the
Saints. Collins never got into the game, watching from the sideline while
the Carolina fans booed and jeered him.
Collins was given permission to stay in his old home town when the Saints
left.
"The last thing I told him was, 'It's a very hostile environment down
there. Can you handle that?'" a weary Mike Ditka said Monday. "And he said,
'I'm not going to get into any trouble.'"
Collins has gotten into plenty of trouble since the Panthers made him their
first pick in 1995. He was called a boozer, a racist and finally a quitter
after he reportedly told Carolina coach Dom Capers his heart was not in the
game.
The Panthers cut Collins after that, and the Saints claimed him off
waivers.
Collins' arrest is another in a string of embarrassing incidents Ditka has
had to deal with since last season.
The Saints are being sued because of a hazing incident at training camp
that injured three players, fourth-round draft pick Julian Pittman is in jail
in Florida for parole violations, wide receiver Keith Poole is charged
with assaulting a man with a golf club, players Joe Johnson, Eric Guliford and Keno Hills have had scraps
with the law and former player Andre Royal was arrested
while celebrating a contract with the Saints.
"Our goal is to get better players and be a better team," Ditka said.
"Sometimes better players aren't better people."
Saints general manager Bill Kuharich called Collins' behavior disappointing
and unacceptable, but said the Saints support him and will not rush to
judgment.
Kuharich said he did not know if Collins' arrest was symptomatic of a
drinking problem.
"I'm not a doctor and that's the next step, to have our team physician get
him an evaluation to answer that question," Kuharich said.
Still, with journeyman Billy
Joe Tolliver as the starter, Danny Wuerffel as the
other backup and Heath
Shuler and Billy Joe
Hobert limping from serious injuries, Ditka admitted he is not about to
pull the plug on Collins immediately.
"He's such a talent I'll probably go a little further with him than I
normally would," Ditka said.
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