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It’s not a great optic, but how much does it really matter on the field? . . .
Talking about Le’Veon Bell having more than $500,000 in jewelry stolen form his house by two “girlfriends” on May 25.
Harvey Levin released the 911 police call last week:
“Well, I had two girls in my house,” Bell said on the 911 call in South Florida. “And I got up, and I did my normal routine to go to work out. So I left the workout for a couple hours. When I came back, they took my money, they took my watch, my jewelry, a couple more of my things of value out of my house. I don’t know where they’re at. I tried to call them before I called you guys. I tried to call them and they’re not answering me, and they’re ignoring me.”
He had a hard time describing them to police.
“When I left, she was in the bed not wearing clothes … so I didn’t see her, when she [left the house],” Bell said.
She will certainly will be able to afford clothes now.
Not sure why he only talked about one of the girls not two when asked to describe them.
You’d have to think that police or private investigators will be able to find the girls. He did have their phone numbers.
But I don’t want to speculate too much on whether the police can solve this crime because it’s out of my wheelhouse.
Let’s get back to football.
While this isn’t a good look, I don’t think it’s going to impact what the he does for the Jets on the field.
Bell has been a bit of an eccentric over the years in the league, but when he laces up the cleats, he usually gets the job done.
He’s been able to compartmentalize his sometimes wild private life and not let it impact him on the field.
While he’s not a lock for the Hall-of-Fame yet, he was putting up Hall-of-Fame numbers before taking off last year due to a contract dispute.
The last time we saw him on the field in 2017, he rushed for 1291 yards and nine touchdowns, and added 85 catches and two receiving touchdowns.
So when on the field, some of the craziness off the field rarely impacts him.
The big question is more about whether he lost any of his skills while sitting out last year. Rest makes rust, use it or lose it – throw out whatever cliche you want.
There was no way to discern in the spring, in just two practices, with no tackling, whether he has slipped at all.
The other question is about his love of football and this isn’t coming from me, so I don’t want anyway saying I questioned his love of football. It came from this cat:
“Le’Veon Bell doesn’t love football,” FSI’s Colin Cowherd said recently.
I find it hard to believe that Bell doesn’t love football when you look at the numbers he’s put up over the years, like the states I posted above from 2017. Almost 1,300 yards rushing and 85 receptions. Doesn’t that sound like a dude who isn’t into it? Not to me.
Not sure what Cowherd was basing this on.
And Bell should be highly motivated to prove the detractors wrong; those who questioned his decision to sit out last year and not take the Steelers’ last offer.
But I highly doubt the jewelry heist is going to have any impact one iota on what he can do for the Jets on the field.
Like I said, he’s been pretty good at separating his off-field hi-jinx from his on-field performances.
June 25, 2019
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