Syrup over Touchdowns
Houston's Purple Drank slows another sports career to a stop
JaMarcus RussellPhoto by Paul Sakuma/AP
Purple Drank is a slang term for a recreational drug with its main ingredientbeing prescription-strength cough syrup containing codeine and promethazine.
JaMarcus Russell loves a trend piece.
Hot on the heels of ESPN's Outside the Lines report and CultureMap's exploration of hip hop's love for the Houston-hometown drug Purple Drank, former Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell was arrested at his Mobile, Ala., home for illegal possession of codeine syrup as part of an undercover investigation.
No details have been provided on what exactly led to his arrest, although a spokesperson for the sheriff's office did say there were several people at Russell's home at the time of the arrest, although he was the only one taken into custody. Russell was shortly released on $2,500 bail for the felony charge.
Twenty-four-year-old Russell was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, but was released by the Oakland Raiders in May after three lackluster seasons. He's already considered one of the biggest busts in NFL history. Until his arrest yesterday, there were reports the New York Jets had some interest in him. Once Russell was arrested, a Jets source quickly told the New York Daily News that the team is no longer considering Russell.
A career down in syrup?
Sizzurp or Purple Drank is a concoction of prescription cough syrup with codeine, Sprite and, sometimes, grape Jolly Ranchers
I can't speculate how long Russell's been dabbling in liquid codeine, but I'd venture to say something that's nicknamed "lean" for its most common side effect (as in it messes you up so much you can't sit or stand straight) can't be good for the reflexes required of an NFL quarterback.
Maybe stop slowing your roll and try stepping up your game?
