Browns receiver Davone Bess tweeted a photo of some weed this morning. This is noteworthy only insofar as marijuana is illegal, though increasingly decriminalized, and a banned substance in the NFL, though ubiquitous and largely unpoliced, and we presume that most of the NFL's rookie symposium consists of players being told, "Don't post photos of your weed."
No, this is a particularly fun story because it gives us a chance to watch reporters cover it in a language that's barely English. Stories about drugs, whether it be because of omnipresent lawyers or the effect of years of self-imposed newspaperese, always bring out the weaselliest of words.
[A] photograph featuring what appears to be a cigar and a potential banned substance was posted on his official Twitter account.
"Bess tweeted a photo of weed."
More questions were raised this morning about the off-field behavior of wide receiver Davone Bess...
"Bess tweeted a photo of weed and people are talking about it."
The photo, posted on Bess' official twitter account, @davonebess, shows a small bag of a greenish-brown substance that looks like marijuana, and more of the substance spread on the table. The photo also contains what looks like a cigar...
"The photo shows Bess preparing to roll a blunt."
The Twitter photo also captures the screensaver on Bess' phone, which says "Jah'' in large orange letters. Bess is a Rastafarian and Jah is a common term in the Rasta way of life, which also encompasses the spiritual use of marijuana.
[...]
The Instagram photo from December showed Bess sitting outside on a deck lighting something that looks like a cigarette or cigarillo. A photo of late reggae legend Bob Marley sits next to him, and a flag with the colors of the Rastafari movement lies around his neck. The Rastafari Movement is a spiritual ideology with roots in 1930s Jamaica.
"It's totally weed."
"The team is aware of the photos and looking further into the situation and will deal with the matter internally,'' a team spokesman said in a statement.
"'Oh, for fuck's sake,' a team spokesman said in a statement."
He led the league with 14 drops, and was been limited to 28 or fewer yards in 11 of 14 games.
Bess, 28, was traded to the Browns from Miami along with the Dolphins' fourth-round pick and seventh-round pick in exchange for a Browns' fourth and sixth in the 2013 draft. He received a contract extension through 2016 worth $11.5 million, including $5.75 million guaranteed.
"We're stuck with him for a while."
We wish Bess the best as the Browns internally deal with controversial photos of a greenish-brown substance and a Bob Marley poster that may or may not indicate recreational drug use.
Controversial photos appear on Davone Bess' Twitter account, Browns say they'll deal with matter [Akron Beacon Journal]
Cleveland Browns looking into Davone Bess Twitter photo that appears to contain marijuana [Plain Dealer]