http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/sto...ets-mike-goodson-predate-drug-weapons-charges Two months ago, the New York Jets signed unheralded free-agent running back Mike Goodson to a three-year, $6.9 million contract because they fell in love with his upside: He plays fast. Turns out he lives fast, too. Goodson's legal issues didn't start with his May 17 arrest in New Jersey on drug and weapons charges, which could result in prison time. In his previous NFL stops, with the Carolina Panthers and Oakland Raiders, his personal life spilled into the courts. Goodson He was sued for paternity and child support by three women from August 2010 to May 2011, according to court documents in North Carolina and in Texas, where he grew up. He has fathered at least six children with those women, one of whom he lived with for two years, records show. One woman, who dropped her initial case, is planning to re-file a paternity action next week, according to her attorney. An investigation into Goodson's background uncovered no criminal activity prior to the May 17 arrest, but there has been a string of incidents that have led to legal action against him. Goodson didn't pay a $56,465 bill at a Houston-area jewelry store, which included the purchase of a $37,500 Breitling watch, according to court records. The store sued him, and after interest and fees, he ended up paying $84,423.44. The amount was garnished from his Raiders paychecks, according to records in Texas and California. Earlier, while with the Panthers, Goodson was sued three times by two apartment complexes in the Charlotte area, which demanded unpaid rent -- ranging from $1,413 to $2,744, records show. In the latter two suits, records show he received eviction notices. Goodson, who turned 26 on Thursday, was scooped up early in the free-agent signing period. He landed a $1 million signing bonus from the Jets, who envision him as a major contributor in their backfield. Though modest compared to high-profile free agents, it was the largest bonus doled out by the Jets. A Jets spokesman declined to comment on Goodson's past, but added the team's policy is to investigate every player. When the news of Goodson's arrest broke last week, a scout from another team, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said of the Jets, "Do these guys do background checks?" There were character questions about Goodson when he came out of Texas A&M in 2009. He was regarded by scouts as a second-round talent, but he slipped to the fourth round. By then, he had three kids with Ashlee Wilson of Houston, according to court records and her attorney. The first was born in April 2005, Goodson's senior year in high school. Their current ages are 8, 5 and 4. Wilson said she gave birth to the couple's fourth child in August 2011. On Aug. 20, 2010, as Goodson was preparing for his second season in Carolina, Wilson requested a temporary restraining order against Goodson and sued for child support, according to court documents. One month later, Goodson was served with papers at Bank of America Stadium, one day after a home loss. The case never was pursued. Wilson declined to say why she did not -- she was living with Goodson's mother at the time -- but she has reconsidered. Her attorney, Glenn Lilly, said Friday they will seek retroactive child support, a lump-sum payment and periodic child support from Goodson. Lilly said he will file the suit next week in a Harris County (Texas) Court. Wilson and the four children now live with her parents. Lilly said Goodson still owes him $7,000 in fees from the original case, as ordered by the court. By this time, Goodson was nearly two years into a relationship with Troyneshia Scott, who moved in with him in Charlotte, according to court documents. Goodson fathered a child with a third woman, Jasmine Dupont of Charlotte, per court records and a person close to Goodson. That child was born March 22, 2010. Twenty months later, Dupont sued for child support. On Dec. 1, 2012, Scott gave birth to Goodson's son. She, too, eventually sued for child support. They lived together long enough for their relationship to be considered a common-law marriage, according to court documents. They separated in February 2012, and Scott filed divorce papers on Sept. 4, 2012. Jets blog Looking for more on the green and white? ESPNNewYork.com has you covered. Blog ยป The divorce papers claim Scott "found out [Goodson] has another newborn child, which caused her to go into a depression." The name of the child isn't listed in the documents. The Dupont and Scott cases never went to court. Scott's attorney, Sonya Chandler Anderson, said her client dropped the case without giving an explanation. In 2012, Goodson played for the Raiders after he was traded there by the Panthers. His off-field issues never became public, but the Panthers organization was aware of everything, according to a source. The team believed he was distracted and lost focus, causing fumbling issues on the field. "He's not a bad kid, he just made a lot of bad decisions," a person familiar with Goodson's background said. In April 2012, he was sued for failing to make payments on a $49,000 Mercedes-Benz he purchased from a South Carolina man. Some trace Goodson's mistakes to a troubled upbringing. His father, Mike Goodson Sr., a former Pitt basketball player, orchestrated a $12 million mortgage scam and was convicted in 2007 of conspiracy, mail fraud and wire fraud. He was sentenced to a minimum of 24 years in prison. At the sentencing, he told the judge he had 12 children to support. Those close to Goodson believe he can thrive if surrounded by positive role models. They say he felt comfortable in Oakland because he developed a bond with general manager Reggie McKenzie, but Goodson became a free agent, and the Raiders opted not to re-sign him. Goodson's career took another turn May 17 on Route 80 in New Jersey, where he was the passenger in an SUV that had stopped in a center lane. According to an affidavit, a state trooper said Goodson was "incoherent, slobbering and had vomited all over himself." A small bag of marijuana was found in his pants pocket and a loaded handgun was discovered in the glove compartment, the trooper said. Goodson pleaded not guilty to all charges, including possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of a handgun. He told the Jets he doesn't own the gun, his lawyer said. If convicted of the gun charge, he could face three years in prison. Goodson, who missed the first week of organized team activities amid the arrest fallout, will return to practice next week, according to a league source. "We will support Mike," said Goodson's agent, Kennard McGuire. "I will not and cannot give up on Mike. Society does that enough. We will allow this process to play itself out and we will maintain our position of holding Mike accountable. If the past is the past, we will continue to surround him with the proper people and I have no doubt that he will mature to the level of that support."
np i usually forget there is that little news section there but every now and again it catches my eye and there are usually a bunch of articles over there. its a really nice feature on the forum, i just have to remember to look at the box, i think because in so many places there are so many ads that things outside of my interest i have just learned to not see.
I read something similar on Pro Football Talk about Goodson. The Jets should void the contract and move on. He sounds like more trouble than he's worth. New front office..same problems.
None of Goodson's past problems were criminal offenses. The Cro comparison is a good one. The difference between the two is that Goodson did not cost a 2nd round pick to acquire, just cash. He was a good gamble and the gamble went sour. Now the Jets need to let the process play out and then manage the fallout in the end. They can't release him until it has played out if they want to easily recover the bonus they paid him and I'm betting they want to recover it if they're going to be deprived of his services due to off-the-field behavior.
being stupidly irresponsible with money and a shitty husband/father doesnt make someone a criminal article is just piling on goodson. yeh he fucked up, but nothing in his past signals we should expect the guy to be a criminal. if the charges dont stick, you sit him down and let him know that he needs to clean his act up and keep his nose clean or he will be cut. hopefully something like this is the kick in the ass he needs to get his shit together and keep his head in the game. otherwise, cut him and he can mull over how he fucked his whole life up.
Hopefully, he can turn it around and make it up on the field. Hell, this is the year of 2nd chances why bust up a good theme.
just not giving a fuck about anything or having any personal responsibility is an issue to me. these type of guys tend to do stupid things and put the rest of the team in bad positions... just like he just did. its piling on but also a bit of a deeper look into the type of guy he really is. he appears to just be a simple hoodrat
oh dont get me wrong im not defending his actions, everything that hes done points to the guy being an absolute moron, and its reasonable to expect that, after an incident like this, he might put the team in a tough spot sometime in the future. so, really i think at this point its up to him. nothing he has done cannot be forgiven, but those sorts of actions need to be in his past, they cant be part of his life if he is on the jets.
You're right.... But to me, it's a maturity and character issue.... If he is bad at handling his life issues, what is he like with his career? How does he prepare? He's already known as someone who has ball security problems. Mike Goodson has reached the journeyman stage of his career. I'd would have rather had the Jets signed some unproven kid out of college than someone who can't handle the ball right or deadbeat dad. Mark it down..Mike Goodson will NEVER play a down for the Jets. I've seen this script before and this scene always plays out the same way.
Cimini is such a tool. He's written and rewritten that same aritcle about the arrest at least 4 times throughout the week and published it with different names. What an absolute clown.
Was anyone thinking about Cro's 50 kids and how bad of a decision maker be is when he was becoming one of the top CBs in the league this past year? Typical Cimini/ESPN horseshit, stirring up controversy where there is none.
