I’m not one to hate on Jon Jones. As a matter of fact, I’ve been one of those people from the beginning that has always been taken aback at all of the animosity towards him. I always thought he was just one of those guys that wasn’t what people wanted him to be – whatever that is – and as such he was unfairly labeled a “phony.”

I still hold to that. I don’t think the guy’s phony. But his reaction to his DUI arrest early Sunday morning sure is shitty.

From his Facebook page:

Man I haven’t added anyone new to my Facebook page in like three years and right now I’m so glad that I haven’t. It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I’m down. At the same time, I totally understand, I gave them the leeway to. I screwed up, big time. Just needed to say thank you to all you guys for being amazing friends/supporters.

 

Always having to deal with so many critics, haters and fickle mma fans, I almost forgot how strong of a home base I had (607 and people that knew me before I was a champion fighter). Although the hell that will come with this hasn’t even started yet, I want you guys to know how much better you’ve all made me feel, not only about this situation but about life, everything. It’s good to feel that people are there and care. With that being said, I felt I should apologize to you first.

 

I’m truly sorry to those of you that I may have embarrassed in any way, to those of you with kids that I may have let down. I will prove to them as well as to myself, that no matter what is happening in life, we can always work our way back and make things even better than before. Reading you guys uplifting comments was a great reminder for me to not give up on who I am or all the hateful people. I’m not gonna allow this situation to outweigh the positive. I love you guys right back and I promise to make things right.

 

ps sorry about the terrible grammar

Jones isn’t the first athlete to get busted with this and he won’t be the last. Not by a long shot. It’s a problem bigger than him, particularly in the sense that the “personal Hell” he alludes to are the consequences of him being arrested after crashing into a telephone poll and escaping with minor (if that) injuries. That’s a very common reaction to this sort of thing.

Yet it’s nothing compared to the personal Hell of the family of someone that very well could have been on the wrong end of his Mercedes Benz.

And that’s the real problem here. Jones’s entire “apology” here is built on self-pity and self-deprecation. The last line, apologizing for the terrible grammar and stamped with an emoticon, is the penultimate sentiment. Jon Jones is aghast at the nasty reaction anonymous strangers had to his arrest, rather than at the fact that he could have killed somebody.

Like I said, this isn’t the first and won’t be the last time this happens to a professional athlete. But that doesn’t mean he or we should treat it so flippantly. Too many people, some of whom are reading this, have lost people due to the poor decisions and reckless behavior of people like Jones. For him to intimate anything but the deepest regret is irresponsible and reprehensible.

Shame on you, man.