This story from Yahoo! Sports would not be so pertinent to us as Browns fans, were it not for the fact that the Browns will be facing the Cincinnati Bengals in the season opener in just 13 more days.
↵Bengals running back Cedric Benson has been sentenced to 20 days in jail in Austin, Texas on two misdemeanor assault charges -- but there is a catch.
↵Benson worked out a plea deal after a jury had already been picked to hear his charges of punching a bar employee and also punching a former roommate.
↵And the catch? The distinctly "sports is Big Business" catch?
↵Benson will "surrender to authorities" to begin his sentence on October 17. Why then? That just happens to be the Monday before Cincinnati's bye. In other words, even if Benson does all of his time, he would get out on November 5, and would be able to play on November 6, and thus miss only one game. And of course, there is this to consider:
↵↵↵"Assistant Travis County Prosecuting Attorney Corby Holcomb told The Austin American-Statesman that with credit for good behavior, Benson would serve about a week in jail."
↵
Ah, sports.