Recession Hits Hard for Marshawn Lynch

Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch is currently in the middle of six-year $18.935 million contract that he signed when he was draft in 2007. But apparently, he needed some extra cash. The Buffalo News reports:

The incident occurred Dec. 7, at the TGI Friday's at McKinley Mall, where the detective sergeant's wife and her girlfriend had stopped before heading home.

Crawford said his wife's girlfriend was approached at the restaurant by another member of the Buffalo Bills, who struck up a conversation with the unmarried woman. At some point, Lynch arrived at the restaurant and joined them.

When the woman's girlfriend stepped away from the table, Crawford said his wife pulled out a $20 bill to pay their check in preparation for leaving.

Lynch, 23, then grabbed the money from her hand.

"He takes the $20 out of her hand, and my wife says "What are you doing?' and Lynch says "Don't worry.' When my wife's girlfriend came back to the table, she told her about it. The girlfriend approached Lynch and said, "Give my friend her money back,' and Lynch threatened her saying "Do you know who I am? There's going to be consequences.'

"At that point, my wife and her girlfriend left," Crawford said.

Crawford, who's quoted numerous times in the report, is the husband of the woman from whom Lynch allegedly stole $20. He's also a Sergeant in the Buffalo police force. So Lynch definitely picked the wrong woman to steal from. Lynch's legal representation declined to comment, although it's been reported that Lynch returned the $20 more than a week after the complaint had been filed.

But lest we let the details muddle the picture, here. This has got to be the most ridiculous crimes in the history of athlete indiscretions. Like, at least get caught doing something really reckless and cool. Stealing $20 from a helpless woman trying to pay her bar tab?

I can’t really dog Lynch too hard here because a few months ago Patrick Kane and his cousin beat up a cab driver for 20 cents. That incident also occurred in Buffalo by the way. There is no way this is a coincidence.

My favourite part of the story though is the location of the event. If you are a millionaire why would you be eating at the TGI Friday’s at a mall? It’s not like I expect him to eat every meal at some 5-star place but a TGI Friday’s at a mall? Does it get more white trash than that?

I also love how his buddy was trying to pick up women at the TGI Friday’s. How did the conversation for this night begin?

Lynch’s Buddy: Man I am starving and wanna creep on girls let’s go out.

Lynch: Sounds like it’s a TGI Friday’s night.

It also must be mentioned that when confronted by the woman Lynch’s response was “do you know who I am? There’s going to be consequences.” Who does this idiot think he is? He shares time with Fred Jackson and plays for the Buffalo Bills. Outside the guys on the team there are probably only 576 people in America that would recognize this man and some random chick at a TGI Friday’s inside a mall isn’t one of them.

There may be two sides to this story, of course, and we'll have to wait for Lynch to comment. But really, twenty dollars? One more time, just for the hell of it: Lynch's contract is worth $18.975 MILLION.

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