DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... Brittney Griner, Female Basketball Star held in Russia

JMHO, this is current news- would like your thoughts on it. Brittney is held on drug charges in Russia. I don't follow her or women's basketball- I just want your reaction to her being held. Everyone has biases. My biases concerning drugs are VERY straight forward- I'm 74 don't use any drugs except those given to me by a doctor- no marijuana, no vaping THC, none of that. My point- I can't believe a college grad traveling to Russia or anywhere else doesn't first check DRUG LAWS for the country they are visiting. I feel little pity for her, just think of her as an "entitled American" who thinks all our rights are granted EVERYWHERE. She's learning a hard lesson. Maybe she'll be traded for some nasty Russian in our jails- is that justice. My opinion- NO.

Was she actually carrying the stuff they said she was?

IMO, before you even get into any talk of her being entitled or stupid or whatever, you have to decide if the allegations brought against her by Russian authorities are legit, or just political theatre and/or gamesmanship.

I also saw that she pled guilty today.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/07/europe/brittney-griner-russia-pleads-guilty/index.html

Hard to know what the truth is regarding this case, especially since it is taking place in Russia.

Wouldn't surprise me.

I read the same article, that's why I posted what I did. I'm making a general statement- and that alone make it suspect. Americans go places and do things like they are in America. We assume to much. Taking any kind of possible illegal drug or smuggling drugs is just very stupid. Now her love ones are doing normal thing and asking politicians to save the day. This isn't isolated- folks going to Mexico and not thinking about drug cartels and lack of any laws being kept like in US. If you in an accident in Mexico you have NO idea what it will cost....let alone if a Mexican life is lost.....good luck. Bottomline, I think Griner could be there a long time.

First let me say that I hope any American Russia is holding gets released. But I do watch a lot of the news and have seen everyone from her family to her attorney to her wife interviewed and I have yet to see a single one of them claim she was innocent on the drug charges. I would think if any of them knew or strongly felt it was a lie and that she didn't have them, they would be shouting it to high heaven. Sometimes what people don't say speaks as loudly as what they do say.

Now as far as drugs go, I no longer use any of them. I use to not only smoke weed but drink. I don't anymore and haven't for several years. I'm not opposed to an occasional beer or two but haven't had such an occasion since the last time I saw GM. That too was years ago. As for everyone else I'm not a person who thinks just because I quit doing something everyone else should also. I enjoyed my party days and simply stopped because I lost the desire to do so. Everyone should have a choice to drink, smoke weed or anything else as long as they do it in a manner that does not endanger others.

But as much as I hope she gets released, it was her own actions that created the situation. I grew up in the 70's. Yep, I'm old. But when I was growing up the weed laws varied a lot from state to state. Just crossing a state line could change having a joint from a small fine to a possible prison sentence. If you were traveling, you damned well better know the laws.

What she was supposedly caught with was a very small amount. In my personal opinion it's nothing that should command such a stiff sentence. But that doesn't change the fact that one of two things happened here. She was either ignorant of their laws or she just didn't care. Neither of those are good things.

She pled guilty to the charges today.

"Griner told the court Thursday she had not intended to commit a crime, state news agency RIA Novosti reported. Griner had not meant to carry drugs in her luggage, she said through an interpreter, and it was the result of her packing in a hurry".

She made two mistakes.

Going to Russia was the first.

Then she does it carrying illegal drugs? With heightened tensions with Russia?

That's pretty stupid.

I listened to an attorney speaking about her case earlier. He said things are way different in Russian courts. It's actually better to plead guilty and hope for a lesser sentence. I'm not saying she is innocent, but that probably needs to be pointed out.

That is what I read also. In Russia, 99% of these cases are found guilty. PLEADING guilty could lessen her sentence. Up to 10 years is what she could get.

To peen - numerous WNBA players go to Russia to play in the off season, for the money.

Let's put it this way.

Not the best decision choices that one can make.

Obvious a noteworthy and easily recognizable person, who is noteworthy part of the LBGT community, decides to go to Russia, to play basketball. (Side note, says something about WNBA).

With or without a stash, it is obviously bad.

If there was indeed a stash, that is completely insane.

In Putins words... a useful idiot.

I am not surprised of the course of events, but she put herself in the position to be a political pawn through bad choices.

I can't fathom what her thought process was to even go to Russia in the first place.
It's not like Russia is the most welcoming place for LGBTQRSTUVfolks.

I remember being her age. I also remember some of the dumbs# ideas I had back then... and how I had a strong enough network of fam + friends to talk me out of most of it.
This one is HUGE. My Folk would have tied me down and had an intervention/exorcism before they'd let me do something as st00pit as this. Where were Her Peeps?


I gotta confess... this story is so bizarre, I'm having trouble even caring about it.
It reads like an Onion headline. And because it does, I've decided that it's just not important enough to me to follow with any interest. Gotta set standards and priorities, you know? Our 'internal clock mainsprings' are losing tension with each passing day. Gotta be more selective in how i spend my time.

I think I'll be doing more of this self-editing, going forward.



I wish this young woman the best possible outcome to her dilemma. I don't know what else to say.


.02

She played over there for.............get this..............the money.

If true, then that makes this story even dumber... and even less worth my time.

Well, it IS true. So there's that.

That's because she made 12X more money playing in China than she did in the WNBA.

She's been over there on and off for about eight years... probably got a little too comfortable with what she thought she could get away with.

I can't excuse the stupidity. Like someone else mentioned, and I've thought from the start; you really need to be aware of what you're getting into crossing a freaking state line, let alone a communist country across the globe. I remember when a rasta approached me in Jamaica... as intrigued as I was... I had to shake it off and walk away. Just too risky.

I do feel really bad for her though. I can't imagine locked up abroad and being a pawn in a political game.

Jimmy Johnson said....you can't fix stupid.. Don't want her to spend long time in jail, but maybe her experience will be used to teach others NOT to take things for granted.

j/c...

He might have to throw in a couple draft picks.

I thought they meant Yuri from Stranger Things.

Figures.

I would trade him for the Marine, not her.

She chose overseas so she didn't have to listen to the National Anethum. Screw her.

You realize she isn't the only woman basketball start who plays there. right? And the reason she was playing there has nothing to do with The National Anthem, right? Jeesh man have you gone off the deep end lately.

She confessed to bringing drugs so let her rot. No one believes she brought them by accident.

She plays overseas in addition to her job in the WNBA.
Last time I checked, they played the National Anthem in Phoenix, Arizona.

What is going on with you?
Your posts of late have been... perplexing.

Grinder has stated on many occasions that she thinks the anthem shouldn't be played at WNBA games. She has either knee led or stays in the locker room for years.

She has also said she doesn't mean any disrespect towards the military. She is the daughter of a Vietnam vet and a police officer of 30 years I believe. I think I read that she doesn't like the anthem because it was written when blacks weren't free.

I assume Peen knows the first bit and not the second. If it was me who was freed for a monster like Bout I would rethink my stance. Btw I think we should do the prisoner swap. I think I would have chosen one or two lesser criminals first but that's me.

If we're changing the national anthem I think I'm voting for Thunderstruck... if we need a song written by an American then maybe I'll go with Smells Like Teen Spirit or Lose yourself...

I think the problem lies in not finding out any information before just saying something that made no sense. That's what people took issue with. Many women American professional basketball players play in Russia in addition to playing in The United States. It isn't done for political reasons but for financial ones. Here's a read about that......

WNBA players can earn more money in Russia than U.S., but it's a lonely time for some

For the elite athletes in the WNBA, spending the offseason playing in Russia can mean earning more money than they can make back home — sometimes even two or three times as much.

https://www.chron.com/sports/article/WNBA-players-life-in-russia-17088082.php

Women's basketball in America isn't nearly as popular as it is over there. That's why there is such a big pay difference. Russia's women's basketball season is conducted during the WNBA's off season so it doesn't interfere with their careers here at home.

As far as the situation goes, I think it was her own doing that created it. At first people said she was framed to justify her. I didn't buy that because her own family and even her attorney didn't profess her innocence. Come to find out she did have what she was accused of. Then months later came the excuse she "packed it by accident". That is ridiculous. Then later came the excuse that her doctor had prescribed it to her. If that were the case why did they wait four months to come out and say that? And what does that have anything to do with the laws in Russia? So I think the entire responsibility for all of this lies with her.

I never want to see any American jailed in Russia. As such I hope they find a solution to get her released. But at the same time I don't see her as some innocent victim.

Agree she went to Russia to make money, she assumed she could bring her stash with her- wrong, different laws....AND could be political. I'm not happy trading a real dirt bag for her and the Marine. There are other Americans held for various reasons in lots of places in world. Bottomline- complain about US, but don't cry "save me" when you made your own bed and have to sleep in it. The world isn't fair. Don't assume.

9 yrs.

Wow just saw this too

when i travel, i make sure to at least skim through the basic laws of the country so i dont put myself in a dumb situation.

russia doesn't care about american laws. no country cares about someone being an american. play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Exactly, JMHO, Americans generally take so many things for granted...examples- if they really traveled the world they'd know- clean water isn't a given, electricity isn't a given, mostly walking down the street safely isn't a given, free/ good medical and dental care isn't widespread like in our country, and lastly- as bad as we do it- prejudice is a lot more evident in most of the world.

Americans, travel, and see how good you've got it. Hope Griner gets sentenced and she gets time off for good behavior.

j/c...

I find this whole thing to be horrible. Very stupid mistake, arrogant even -- as I'm sure she was well aware of all laws.

Still. Sad as hell and hopefully we can get her home asap.



With that being said, this was funny as hell lol.

Guess you're for trading a Russian spy/dirtbag- who gets to avoid our justice and reward an American who doesn't have the common sense to know the laws of the country she's entering....or doesn't care......I'm not for doing the deal.

I think the penalty is excessive. On the other hand, it galls me that she won't stand for the National Anthem and now she wants our government to save her after committing a crime in a country that is our enemy.

In that pic above, it kinda looks like she has an adam's apple. Mayve her real name is Brad.

Thats’ a good point swish

And there you have it. It wasn't a question of if we would see something like this, it was a question of when.

j/c:

NBA champion and Kim Jong Un pal Dennis Rodman says he 'got permission' to visit Russia and negotiate release of imprisoned WNBA star Brittney Griner

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...oing-Russia-release-Brittney-Griner.html

I wonder if Rodman can get thru the metal detector without being naked- he's got more metal on his body than a set of Michelin tires.