Rey Maualuga to enter the Betty Ford Center

by Josh Kirkendall on Feb 8, 2010 9:27 AM EST in Legal/Off Field Issues

Rey Maualuga will reportedly enter the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California to combat alcoholism, ESPN's Adam Schefter initially reported. Maualuga, Schefter tweets, will stay "for at least 30 days." Joe Reedy writes that Maualuga could "miss the beginning of the team’s offseason conditioning program, which will begin in late March." However, Geoff Hobson writes that it is "believed he’ll be back to Cincinnati in time for the March 29 start of the offseason conditioning program."

Maualuga is currently in American Samoa for a week with teammates Domata Peko and Jonathan Fanene.

Among the plans for the trip with fellow Samoan teammates Domata Peko and Jonathan Fanene are visiting areas devastated by last year’s tsunami and talking to the children in the high schools in the capital of Pago Pago. But for Maualuga it is also a trip to immerse himself in his family. His father died early in 2006 after a battle with cancer and he hasn’t seen his brother Rodney since the funeral.

Maualuga was arrested the morning of January 29 for a DUI, which he pled guilty to the following week.

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definitely a good PR move, but is it really necessary???

he must have some problems if he thinks this is what he needs to do.

Sonny my pitched my wild

by GrooveLeg on Feb 8, 2010 9:40 AM EST reply actions

RE:

I thought the same thing.

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Feb 8, 2010 12:04 PM EST up reply actions

we knew he was a party animal

so maybe hes dosnt want to embarass himself anymore

I think this is a good move

www.fantasydaddy.com

by Joe Goodberry on Feb 8, 2010 1:18 PM EST up reply actions

The thing that makes all the difference is when did he decide to go to rehab? If it was before going home first then it is likely a PR thing. if it was while home and he decided along with his family he needed some help, then this could change him for the better in a great way. God bless him for trying eithe way.

by whodeydoc on Feb 8, 2010 10:13 AM EST reply actions

Thanks for posting this

I think it’s important for everyone to realize that he’s going through some tough things mentally. First year in the NFL, Father recently died, hometown devistated by mother nature, and he’s still just in his early 20’s.

Give him some time to help sort things out, and get his head on straight. He’ll make it through and make us all proud.

by UpStateMike on Feb 8, 2010 11:19 AM EST reply actions

RE:

Excellent points.

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Feb 8, 2010 12:04 PM EST up reply actions

Hey Josh how come you cant get press passes to games?

dude from Canal Street Chronicles got to go all over the Super Bowl, locker room, Down on the field, on the trophy stage, etc.. whats up with that?

(sorry it wouldn’t let me reply earlier)

CB85......Collaros for Heisman

by TennBengalfan on Feb 8, 2010 2:00 PM EST up reply actions

More importantly...

Why can’t you get us press passes to games?

by Todd G on Feb 8, 2010 3:17 PM EST up reply actions

SBNation only got press passes to the Super Bowl, not regular games. And they had to get them from the NFL directly, which usually doesn’t get involved in regular-season games (with rare exceptions of course).

by FriarBob on Feb 8, 2010 7:48 PM EST up reply actions

So if we by some act of god end up in the SuperBowl

Josh would be able to go?

CB85......Collaros for Heisman

by TennBengalfan on Feb 8, 2010 9:49 PM EST up reply actions

Assuming he wanted to. If he didn’t, he could probably ask them to credential one of his associate contributers instead…. :)

by FriarBob on Feb 8, 2010 9:52 PM EST up reply actions

yea me and you!!!!

CB85......Collaros for Heisman

by TennBengalfan on Feb 8, 2010 9:53 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, if the Bengals ever get in, I'm going ANYWAY are you kidding?

by TheWalrus1971 on Feb 8, 2010 10:55 PM EST up reply actions

yea me too

my dad said if we ever made it we would fly down, we should all go down together

CB85......Collaros for Heisman

by TennBengalfan on Feb 8, 2010 11:00 PM EST up reply actions

I thought the league mandated that he go thru a substance abuse program?

could this be it? because it is supposed to be annonymous? Either way I still love ya Rey Rey

CB85......Collaros for Heisman

by TennBengalfan on Feb 8, 2010 1:47 PM EST reply actions

Hey Josh how come you cant get press passes to games?

dude from Canal Street Chronicles got to go all over the Super Bowl, locker room, Down on the field, on the trophy stage, etc.. whats up with that?

CB85......Collaros for Heisman

by TennBengalfan on Feb 8, 2010 1:57 PM EST reply actions

I have to give him a lot of respect for going into rehab either way. It seems like a mature decision considering that he wasn’t forced to do it.

by The Dealio on Feb 8, 2010 5:05 PM EST reply actions

I think it was mandatory

CB85......Collaros for Heisman

by TennBengalfan on Feb 8, 2010 9:53 PM EST up reply actions

I haven’t read anything that said it was mandatory, and I don’t know of any precedent where a first time offender like this has to go to the Betty Ford Center.

by The Dealio on Feb 9, 2010 10:17 AM EST up reply actions

Good Move Rey

Alcohol can hang around your life like a bad loan, he made the smart move and he’s thinking of the team’s personnel past and his own future.

I’ll pray for ya kid!

Minister of Great Legs

by Drofintellact on Feb 8, 2010 5:45 PM EST reply actions

I just hope the guy can realize that he's got a golden opportunity

He has maybe 10 years in the league, like anyone else. When your career is over you can party it up, and do whatever you want, but until then, keep it under control and for God’s sake, HIRE A DRIVER. It always amazes me that a pro athlete doesn’t just let someone else drive. Hell, who here wouldn’t like to be his chauffer for a night on the town?

by UpStateMike on Feb 9, 2010 10:28 AM EST reply actions

I've worked in the

addiction treatment field for years and this is an amazing step that Rey is taking. Great news for all of us Bengal’s fans as Betty Ford is a top notch facility, if he works the program it will turn his life around.

by Tommyboy45 on Feb 9, 2010 1:56 PM EST reply actions

He had a problem adapting.

Hes a good kid , he just needs to have strong leaders around him to show him how to be a pro. You can youtube a peice on him from espn with Ken Norton Jr , quite intresting.

by S N L on Feb 11, 2010 11:23 PM EST reply actions