Ford arrested for riding moped!

[USFishin]

Can we please excuse him of his scholarship yet?

December 10, 2009

USF's Ford arrested for driving without license

Driving infractions have caught up with USF running back Mike Ford again, as the junior was arrested on campus early Thursday morning and booked on a misdemeanor charge of driving without a valid license.

Ford was arrested by University police at 12:42 a.m. and was released from the Orient Road jail on $250 bond at 5:58 a.m., notable because this happened in the middle of final exam week for USF's fall semester.

Ford, who rushed for a season-high 74 yards and a touchdown Saturday in USF's loss at Connecticut, has gotten in similar trouble before. He turned himself in to Sarasota police in 2007 on an outstanding warrant issued after he missed a court date for driving without a valid license or registration. This is at least the fourth time Ford has been cited for driving without a valid license of registration.

Ford, 23, was suspended for the first two games of the season for an unspecified violation of team rules. He has rushed for 243 yards and five touchdowns, and with senior Mo Plancher having recent problems with fumbles, he could have a larger role in USF's next game, against Northern Illinois on Jan. 2 in the International Bowl in Toronto.

Here is more information on Ford's arrest from mugshots.tampabay.com. USF coach Jim Leavitt could not be immediately reached for comment, but the Bulls are expected to return to practice Thursday afternoon.

Posted by Greg Auman at 10:46:19 AM on December 10, 2009

Did everyone just read over this and not think anything of it?  I highly doubt he was leaving campus from a long study session.  That guy needs to hit the books more than any other player on the team and he's out at 1 in the morning screwing around during finals week.   ???

Did he have a final set for this morning. I went out during finals week too when I was in school, unless I had an 8 or 9am final.

How do you know he wasnt studying? All it says was he was arrested on campus, doesnt say he was out. I had been out that late plenty of times studying on campus during finals week.

Yes, I am making an assumption that he was not out studying (which he could have been).  Based on his academic track record I would probably put money on it that he wasn't out studying.  I have spent many many long nights on campus for some late night studying.

[Guest Sunburned]

How do you know he wasnt studying? All it says was he was arrested on campus, doesnt say he was out. I had been out that late plenty of times studying on campus during finals week.

Which years were were you on the USF football team? 

[Orlando Bull]

How do you know he wasnt studying? All it says was he was arrested on campus, doesnt say he was out. I had been out that late plenty of times studying on campus during finals week.

Which years were were you on the USF football team? 

The point was...students sometimes do have to study very late.

I don't see this as a big deal. Yes, it's stupid. He got in a car when he shouldn't...I have done the same (probably drinking a little too much). He got caught. He was probably doing something stupid that made UP pull him over and check his license, that would be the bigger issue.

I bet it would surprise a lot of people how many people drive around without a license, or no insurance, etc. It's not like he was passed out drunk in the middle of an intersection the week of the biggest game of the season. That is excessive and warrants being kicked off of the team. This is more of a personal issue that doesn't really effect the team, and IMHO, doesn't make the program look bad. Sure, it will show up in the Fulmer Cup standings, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not that bad.

Have to agree with 83 on this as well...Unless MF was drunk and UP went with the lesser charge, they should have given him a very stern warning and followed him to his dorm and booted his car (if it is his). No reason to arrest any student, much less notable athletes over a trivial matter like this.

I too have never been close to arrested...I have had a speeding ticket though...is it worse to drive fast/unsafe with a license, or drive safe without a license?

[cptkid570]

Are you guys saying that the university policy shouldn't arrest athletes (in that athletes should get preferential treatment??).. I don't agree with this.  But, I do think that the police should be cool sometimes.

Yesterday, on my lunch break, I saw a lady pulled over.  Cop appeared to be writing a ticket, the lady was crying... the lady was in a real piece of crap car (you could tell she had no money and was probably crying because she couldn't spare the money the ticket was going to cost).  I felt bad for her and I hope the police officer let her off with a warning.

Then again, I was going down I275 on July 4th one time and the police had a huge speed trap set up (one of those assembly line types with like 20 police cars)... So much for Independence! 

[Orlando Bull]

I said any student, not just athletes...

...for the "he must have been out partying it up" crowd...

GA says in the comments portion of his blog that Ford was on a Mo-ped...seriously a MO-PED. He should be arrested for having a mo-ped, but seriously UP?

GA also says that Ford was stopped earlier in the year and only give a citation, so if it was the same cop, I can see why he took it to the next level.

EDIT----

OH... it happened because he was driving on the sidewalk. Do you have to have a license to drive something on a sidewalk? Maybe he was staying out of the road because he knew he didn't have a license. You can...say...drive a golf cart on a sidewalk in a golf community without a license (I see younger kids doing it all the time). Appeal this Mike.

[jfcohio]

Anyone happen to notice it was 12:42 am on final's week? Thought the football players had a curfew?

[Orlando Bull]

Anyone happen to notice it was 12:42 am on final's week? Thought the football players had a curfew?

The mo-ped makes studying look more likely than out doing something that he wasn't supposed to be doing. Maybe times have changed since I was in college, do chicks dig the Vespa these days?

[E.T.]

Always wonder why some posters mainly post on things negative.

:nope :rainy

[Sitting_BULL]

"......why wasn't he studying?"............"how do you know he wasn't....?"

Who cares!  He screwing up a chance to make more $$$$$$$$$ in the NFL in a couple of years than most people see in a lifetime.  Maybe he can start a Meth lab & make a living that way.  

[Greg Auman]

I asked UPD about this, and here's the delineation: Had Ford been pedaling the moped on the sidewalk, he would not have been stopped, but since it was motorized on the sidewalk, he gets stopped, and that leads to him not having a license.