The CHICAGO TRIBUNE reports on the sad, yet lucky state of former Bears starting QB Bob Avellini. The man who epicly sucked started 42 straight games for Chicago in the late ’70s has been charged with four DUIs in suburban DuPage County in the past six years, but somehow is presently tooling around Chicagoland in the vehicle of choice.
(Untrue: Case dropped ‘cos smoking gun turned out to be an RC can)
The latest charge against #7 was dropped because the arresting officer, who had since moved to Tampa after the arrest, was unable to fly into O’Hare because of snow Wednesday to testify in the case. So the DuPage Judge Ronald Sutter dropped the charge, which is somewhat of a head scratcher. Then again, the Sutter may have figured the former QB would do as much damage to his fellow motorists as he did to opposing defenses during his forgettable tenure with the Bears.
Twice in previous cases Avellini has had DUI charges dismissed, but the CHICAGO TRIBUNE has no details on the circumstances. His only conviction came in 2002, when he was popped on I-55 and let off light (community service, nominal fine).
Thanks to the latest dismissal, the Trib reports:
Richard Kayne, defense attorney, said Avellini will be allowed to remove the device from his vehicle that forced him to breathe into a breath analyzer every 20 minutes in order to drive. That device was ordered by a different judge.
Every twenty minutes? How’s a guy to enjoy his Chicken Marsala with that kind of unreasonable penalty. Shame on the honest “different” judge.
Hmm, what’s the odds Avellini attorney Kayne and Judge Sutter swapped egg nog at a DuPage-area Christmas party recently? Not that I’m implying anything by that, of course. We all know how squeaky clean Chicago law & order and politics are. Right Blago? And Guv Ryan? And …
This is also so ironic for me, as I personally remember Avellini as a horrible QB, and a symbol of the Bears ineptitude throughout the ’70s. If anyone was responsible for failed drives, it was ol’ #7. Yet he’s keeping this drive alive, somehow.
7:56 pm on December 19th, 2008
I wonder which came first - the drinking, or the horrible QB play.
8:02 pm on December 19th, 2008
Do they even make RC Cola anymore?
8:49 pm on December 19th, 2008
Bear Down, Chicago B…*hic*
12:48 am on December 20th, 2008
Hopefully, the manila envelopes Avellini handed out to the judge and the cop came with bows attached and some warm holiday wishes to "you and yours." It would only be appropriate in the spirit of the season.Does Dana Jacobson need a date to the ESPN Christmas party??
1:21 am on December 20th, 2008
As a Chicagoan I have to make a tiny correction. While I have no doubt there are corrupt judges in the city of Chicago, I don't think that's the case here with Avellini.
As you said yourself in the article, Avellini was a horrible quarterback, and Bears fans hated him, which is why I don't think he's being let off for who he is.
You have to be a good player to get somebody to pay a judge to let you off the hook.
10:34 pm on December 24th, 2008
The Bears have retired #7.
Of course, it was for George Halas, not this bum.