Arizona Cardinals GM Steve Keim cited for DUI on July 4

[ajcardfan]

I just heard he had a previous dui in 1996. It wont impact his sentence as it is more than 7 years ago. But, he hopefully is going to get real help.

The chances he never duied from 1996 to 2018 are zero imo. He likely does it routinely.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Claiming to be head of security has no impact on the situation one way or the other.

I'm going to tell people unhappy with S.A.F.E. to email Keim directly from now on. Make him own the role he alleged was his.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I just heard he had a previous dui in 1996. It wont impact his sentence as it is more than 7 years ago. But, he hopefully is going to get real help.

The chances he never duied from 1996 to 2018 are zero imo. He likely does it routinely.

Totally agree. Also - DUI's should always remain on your record and count against you if you get another, IMHO. Why have it not matter after 7 years? That's a joke.

 

[cardncubfan]

Are you kidding? I know you'll go to the ends of the Earth to defend indefensible positions about player's ability on the field but to do the same with someone who's reckless enough to put other people's safety at risk off it is gross.

If you've got two DUIs you're a piece of a crap who never learned their lesson and keeps putting other people's safety at risk. If you want that guy to be the head of the football organization fine. But to me, that makes him human garbage and an AWFUL example for the rest of the team.

So the guy has had 2 DUI's in 22 years & you think he should lose his job? That must be a very high pedestal you sit on. I can't see taking away a guys livelihood over a mistake like this. Where did I defend what he did? I only asked why you would want to take away a guys career over a DUI. Simple question. That's not defending what he did. That's saying you want a more severe punishment than I. But I'm sure you've never made mistakes so you wouldn't know what it's like to make one. Why is it you are always the first to judge people on this board? You seem to do it a lot across multiple forums on here.

 

[Stout]

He was inebriated and not thinking clearly.

If he was THAT trashed, that he didn't know the difference between head of security and GM, he was so drunk that he should indeed be fired. You have to be absolutely smashed, not just a bit over the legal limit, to lose THAT much cognitive function.

it just makes me think he was trashed and bumbling his words.

Head of security sounds nothing like GM. (Philip Seymor Hoffman voice) This is the problem, Dude.

Claiming to be head of security has no impact on the situation one way or the other.

Absolutely it does. It means he lied and tried to use his influence, to use the ORGANIZATION'S influence, to get a professional courtesy pass from the cop. Not cool, not cool at all.

You're in the middle of Phoenix and the Cardinals are a popular sports team. If you're in his position, you do anything to maybe get the benefit of the doubt. I have a family member who is a federal agent who has "accidentally" fumbled out his badge when being pulled over for speeding, I've gotten out of a speeding ticket explaining that I have an urgent bathroom situation. There's a bit of a reason to do it. I used to tell my ex in college that the only guy she was allowed to cheat on me with was Matt Leinart or Larry Fitzgerald. Too much of a fan.

Sadly, all of the details coming out of this situation are pretty bad so far. I don't want Keim fired, because I'm the kind of person who is of the mindset that you shouldn't get fired for things that don't relate to your job, unless it's murder or grand larceny or something. But he needs to see some major discipline.

And most of all, I hope the organization is prepared with ways to get the man help, instead of just hanging him out there to dry.

Exactly. And, while this is fast thinking for most people, there are two problems: He's the GM of a prominent sports team in the public eye, and he didn't get away with it. I'm not advocating DUIs are okay if you talk your way out of them--not in the least--but we'd have never heard of it if he had, nor would the cards. As Solar7 says, lots of people have spouted BS or used their position to get out--or TRY to get out--of tickets. Hell, I even broke a serious (non-dangerous) law by lying once, and thank Christ got away with it. Not only did SK fail, he used the Cards as a tool and pretended to be head of security, something the cops might respect, to do so. It was idiotic--maybe they'll recognize me but actually THINK I'm head of security!--but he was trading on his clout with the Cards nonetheless.

Nope, he's gone for me.

 

[Solar7]

Totally agree. Also - DUI's should always remain on your record and count against you if you get another, IMHO. Why have it not matter after 7 years? That's a joke.

Because honestly, it's foolish to punish someone who made a mistake or error in judgement and seemingly reformed? A DUI or any crime can prevent you from getting employed for the rest of your days if it weren't for rules like this. Keim is a bad example, but my friend who got a DUI with a .04 as a 20 year old shouldn't be paying for that when applying for a job as a 30 year old that has never gotten a DUI or into any other legal trouble since.

People grow up.

 

[sunsfan88]

That's not just fans, it's today's society. Everyone is outraged or offended about something and not happy until somebody loses their livelihood. It won't be enough for Keim to pay the price the legal system determines, he must be fired or some people won't be happy.

I don't have a problem with Keim. He drove after drinking, got caught, and will pay his fine/sentence. Why is that not enough for people?

I'll be honest. I play golf 3-4 times a week, usually sit around and have 2-3 beers afterward, and then drive home. With no food and 4 hours on the course, I'd bet, if pulled over, I'd be legally over the limit. Does that make me a scourge on society and call for total outrage?

Awesome. So had Kiem drove drunk and killed someone on the way, would you still have no problem with Kiem?

 

[football karma]

its sure not a good look for the football side of the franchise -- and the behavior during the stop sure sounds closer to "hammered" than "a couple beers"

I suspect post all this -- there will be a suspension by the Cards combined with being admitted to treatment for 60 days.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Because honestly, it's foolish to punish someone who made a mistake or error in judgement and seemingly reformed? A DUI or any crime can prevent you from getting employed for the rest of your days if it weren't for rules like this. Keim is a bad example, but my friend who got a DUI with a .04 as a 20 year old shouldn't be paying for that when applying for a job as a 30 year old that has never gotten a DUI or into any other legal trouble since.

People grow up.

I'm not saying that it prevent him from getting a job, but if he got another DUI 10, 20, or 30 years later it shows that he still has no regard for others on the road. In that case, the old DUI should matter. The count should never reset is all I am saying.

Also - Hopefully they threw the book at your friend when it happened - DUI and underage drinking.

 

[Dback Jon]

Awesome. So had Kiem drove drunk and killed someone on the way, would you still have no problem with Kiem?

Slightly more people are killed by speeding drivers than by drunk drivers. If he was merely speeding and killed someone, would you give him a pass? If he was pulled over doing 90 on the 101 would you call for his firing?



I think everyone of us would call for his firing if he was at fault in a fatal accident - impaired or not. A lot of dangerous activities happen while driving, driving under the influence is just one of them.

 

[sunsfan88]

Slightly more people are killed by speeding drivers than by drunk drivers. If he was merely speeding and killed someone, would you give him a pass? If he was pulled over doing 90 on the 101 would you call for his firing?



I think everyone of us would call for his firing if he was at fault in a fatal accident - impaired or not. A lot of dangerous activities happen while driving, driving under the influence is just one of them.

Speeding vs drunk driving are two vastly different things.

Better comparison to drunk driving be if he was going 85 in a 65 zone then sure that’s reckless driving.

And more importantly it depends on his history. If he’s got caught for reckless driving before then yes!

I don’t know if he should be fired but the more information comes out, the worse it looks. However it’s somewhat discouraging to see so many stick up Kiem and make light of this situation in some ways. Drunk driving shouldn’t ever be some slap on your wrist warning type joke.

I used to hate Vincent Jackson back when he played for the Chargers because of this.

 

[Town Drunk]

If I get a DUI, I lose my job. Same for anyone else who works in education in California. Hard to defend someone who willfully puts himself and others at risk, especially if they have a previous track record of doing this.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Slightly more people are killed by speeding drivers than by drunk drivers. If he was merely speeding and killed someone, would you give him a pass? If he was pulled over doing 90 on the 101 would you call for his firing?

I think everyone of us would call for his firing if he was at fault in a fatal accident - impaired or not. A lot of dangerous activities happen while driving, driving under the influence is just one of them.

This shouldn't even be a discussion, but it is because of a choice Steve Keim made. He makes enough (more than $1 million per year) to pay someone to drive for him if he's too distracted to drive, too liquored up to drive, or too much of an ***** behind the wheel to drive responsibly and is basically a higher risk to cause a fatal accident for any reason. He can afford to take driving out of his list of things to do very easily. IMHO. But, honestly avoiding a DUI is the simplest thing for him to do and he couldn't manage that. Twice in his life, so far.

 

[TJ]

Absolutely it does. It means he lied and tried to use his influence, to use the ORGANIZATION'S influence, to get a professional courtesy pass from the cop. Not cool

Nope, he's gone for me.

Then he stinks at it, because a more effective, albeit poor choice, would’ve been to say, “don’t you know who I am? I’m Steve Keim, bitch. GM of the Cardinals.” The issue is the general occurrence of the DUI, no filler involved.

He may be “gone for you,” but by all accounts, including Michael’s public statements and precedent from other FO people in similar situations, he’s not going to be fired. The likely (and fair) consequence will be something like a month suspension with a fine, on top of the punishment stemming from the DUI itself. Letting him go does nothing but make the team scramble in July and August to find another GM, which is absolutely poor timing.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I don’t know if he should be fired but the more information comes out, the worse it looks. However it’s somewhat discouraging to see so many stick up Kiem and make light of this situation in some ways. Drunk driving shouldn’t ever be some slap on your wrist warning type joke.

It is very sad that many people do not see it as that big of a deal.

 

[Dback Jon]

This shouldn't even be a discussion, but it is because of a choice Steve Keim made. He makes enough (more than $1 million per year) to pay someone to drive for him if he's too distracted to drive, too liquored up to drive, or too much of an ***** behind the wheel to drive responsibly and is basically a higher risk to cause a fatal accident for any reason. He can afford to take driving out of his list of things to do very easily. IMHO. But, honestly avoiding a DUI is the simplest thing for him to do and he couldn't manage that. Twice in his life, so far.

Same with excessive speeding, or any distracted driving. I guess it is great to live in such a black and white world, where in your mind everyone that isn't perfect is either executed or unemployed.

 

[Dback Jon]

It is very sad that many people do not see it as that big of a deal.

Or maybe people think it is a big deal, just not an executable offense like some

 

[TJ]

It is very sad that many people do not see it as that big of a deal.

That's hogwash, and you know it.

There is not a single person here who thinks that it's not a big deal. Every single person here believes that Keim messed up, should own it, and face substantial punishment. It's that not everyone subscribes to the groupthink that the automatic punishment should be termination.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

I certainly think it is a big deal and he will be justly punished by the league/team/legal system. I do, however, believe he deserves to keep his job and given a chance to make amends. Would many of us be terminated from our job? Certainly--I know I would--but, that is because I couldn't do my job without my car.

 

[Dback Jon]

I certainly think it is a big deal and he will be justly punished by the league/team/legal system. I do, however, believe he deserves to keep his job and given a chance to make amends. Would many of us be terminated from our job? Certainly--I know I would--but, that is because I couldn't do my job without my car.

I doubt I would. They likely would never know.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

That's hogwash, and you know it.

There is not a single person here who thinks that it's not a big deal. Every single person here believes that Keim messed up, should own it, and face substantial punishment. It's that not everyone subscribes to the groupthink that the automatic punishment should be termination.

I haven't even called for him to lose his job, yet Dback Jon is insinuating I think he should be executed. Go figure.

 

[TJ]

I doubt I would. They likely would never know.

Does your employer do annual or biannual background checks? If so, they'd find out unless the charges were dismissed.

For me, I'd lose my job because driving is a large part of what I do and the fact that I'd have to report to my licensing boards that I got a DUI, which would result in a suspension.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

That's hogwash, and you know it.

There is not a single person here who thinks that it's not a big deal. Every single person here believes that Keim messed up, should own it, and face substantial punishment. It's that not everyone subscribes to the groupthink that the automatic punishment should be termination.

Have you even read this thread? People were instantly defending Keim, busting on the system, busting on the police/DUI checkpoints/procedures, doubting he even had alcohol, etc. Several talked about driving after drinking themselves and didn't see a problem with it.

Society as a whole treats this as not that big of a deal. Always has. It's never really given more than lip service. Not much has changed since I was in SADD in high school over 30 years ago.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Why did he have to say anything in regards to the cardinals? If I’m pulled over I’m pretty sure I’m not saying I’m Joe Schmoe, I am a Vice President of xxx Corp.

I had no idea you were in the porn industry!

 

[TJ]

I haven't even called for him to lose his job, yet Dback Jon is insinuating I think he should be executed. Go figure.

I'm not going to go back and read every post here, but I'd venture to guess that you, at the very least, have strongly implied as such. For example, you told me that the team would "sweep it under the rug," when it's been publicly stated that Keim will face consequences. That's the opposite of sweeping this under the rug.

Even if I'm wrong, there is a large contingent that are going to that extreme, and I simply won't buy it because I know that a) firing Keim does literally nothing but cause more angst for the organization, b) Keim deserves the opportunity to redeem himself, and at least he reported the incident promptly to Bidwill, and c) I know, based on the punishment others execs have faced for similar incidents, he's going to get slammed.