Thompson was once one of Chicago’s most storied football players, but bad grades kept him off the Michigan State active roster for two years. In his third year, in 1999, he had 45 tackles and was working his way up to prospect status. He entered the draft in 2000, wasn’t picked, signed as a free agent with the Saints, and was cut after a dispute with a teammate. Thompson then played with the XFL Chicago Enforcers for one year, before landing in trouble in 2001. His rap sheet includes busts for attempted armed robbery, criminal trespassing, and two domestic batteries.
This past Friday, Thompson hurled a 66-year-old neighbor over a third-floor railing in his home in Lombard, Illinois. Thompson later told police he believed the neighbor was trying to poison others in the building. He is expected to be evaluated by mental-health officials soon.
In a bizarre coincidence, Thompson is being held in the same jail as Philip Macklin, another once-promising Illinois football prospect who was slated to attend the University of Illinois as a linebacker in 1999. That is, before he got into trouble, too. Macklin is in jail for two convenience-store robberies he committed as part of an apparent gang initiation.
Ugly tales, these. I’m leaving Thompson off the board since this looks like a case of schizophrenia.
When he’s not googling “Little League lock box” and “insanity plea,” Matt Taibbi writes for Rolling Stone. He can be reached atM_Taibbi@yahoo.com.
Yearly Leader Board Top 10
LAVON CHISLEY ( PENN STATE ) | murder | 99
STEVE SWINDAL (YANKEES) | DUI | 98
RON ARTEST (KINGS) | starving Socks, domestic violence, intimidation | 95
PACMAN JONES (TITANS) | TBA | 90
MURIETTA JOCKS (MURIETTA FIGHT CLUB) | various | 75
TONE TAUPULE (U OF IDAHO) | pistol-whipping, armed robbery | 62
SIX FOOTBALL PLAYERS (GUILFORD) | assault | 50 (downgraded)
KATSUHIKO MAEKAWA (ORIX BUFFALOES) | DUI, hit/run | 47
RONNIE FIELDS (MINOT SKYROCKETS) | sex assault | 40
JERRAMY STEVENS (SEAHAWKS) | DUI, weed, throwing used condoms | 32
LIONEL SULLIVAN (BGSU) | stealing video games, being a dumbass | 31
DEXTER REID (COLTS) | weed, gun, being a Colt, sucking while a Patriot | 30
MIKE TYSON (N/A) | coke, DUI | 28
RASHAUN BROADUS (BYU HOOPS) | DUI, having Snoop Dogg’s last name | 26
GUSTAVO CHACIN (BLUE JAYS) | DUI, having cologne named after him | 26
TONY LA RUSSA (CARDINALS) | DUI | 25
RYAN KRAUSE (CHARGERS) | DUI | 25
DONTRELLE WILLIS (MARLINS) | DUI, peeing | 23
CHARLES SHARON (JAGUARS) | stolen gun | 22
DARRELL REID (COLTS) | weed in car, being a Colt | 20
RANDY FOYE (T-WOLVES) | fighting | 20
MINNY P.D. (N/A) | Tasering | 20
KRIS LUCHSINGER (OHIO) | bar fight | 18
GERALD SENSABAUGH (JAGUARS) | gun, speeding | 17
TINSLEY, DANIELS, MCLEOD (PACERS) | fighting | 15
TARELL BROWN (TEXAS) | pre-draft weed bust | 11
STEVE GARCIA ( SOUTH CAROLINA ) | keying a professor’s car, not getting away with it | 9
MOBILE P.D. (N/A) | being dicks | 5
HOWARD STIRGUS (DENTON) | bomb threats | 3
KYLE MCALARNEY (NOTRE DAME) | weed | 1
ELIJAH DUKES ( DEVIL RAYS ) | weed, being black and not giving a fuck | 0.5
