TJ Duckett had to fight for his life.

[ATLien_]

This is a story of 3 true thugs.

Kalamazoo, Mich. -- Falcons first-round draft choice T.J. Duckett was fighting for

his life when he was attacked by three men last week, members of his family said.

Duckett was leaving a rap concert at the Ionia Fair on Tuesday night when three

young men talked about throwing him off a footbridge over the Grand River, relatives

said.

"He was basically kind of fighting for his life," said Kenya Smith, one of Duckett's

cousins, in Grand Rapids. "It's like a 40-foot drop over the bridge."

The men used a racial slur to refer to Duckett, who is black, Smith told the

Kalamazoo Gazette. Ionia is about 30 miles east of Grand Rapids, in central

Michigan.

Duckett starred at Michigan State before the Falcons took him with the 18th overall

pick in the NFL draft. He has yet to sign.

The Ionia County Sheriff's Department said three white men struck Duckett in the

face with a bottle. He lost a tooth and received several stitches.

Sheriff Dwain Dennis said his department is investigating the possibility the incident

was racially motivated. No charges have yet been filed, and messages left with the

Ionia County Prosecutor Gail Benda on Sunday night were not immediately

returned.

Duckett's aunt, June Smith of Grand Rapids, said Duckett will recover from the

attack, but the emotional scars will linger.

"You'd have thought this was Mississippi," Smith said. "In this day and age, most

young people seem to get along. This is just going to crush his ego, because he's

liked by everyone."

She said it would be out of character for the 254-pound running back to pick a fight.

The sheriff's department said Duckett "sufficiently" ended the fight by defending

himself and using a cellphone to call 911 for help.

Duckett has yet to make a public statement about the incident. Joel Segal,

Duckett's agent, said his client wasn't seriously injured during the altercation.

[Blunt91]

Okay I am not following how Duckett got to the bridge. If he had just left the fairgrounds how did he get to the bridge?Is the bridge right next to the fairgrounds?

[Blunt91]

I would also like to say that this goes to show you racism isn't just in the deep south,but it is prevalent in the north as well.

[Guest]

I can't believe he didnt fight back, LaVar Arrington woulda kicked all three of there asses. But I guess thats the difference between Redskin and Falcon players.

[ATLien_]

The sheriff's department said Duckett "sufficiently" ended the fight by defending himself and using a cellphone to call 911 for help.

He sufficiently handled three Drunk grown men then called the police. If he called the police that leads me to believe he knocked them out. It's hard to call the police while still fighting. What are you talking about he didn't defend himself? I would love to see Lavar Arington mess with this 6 foot 250 lb running back that benches 500 pounds.

Sissy Skins suck.

[Guest]

First off, LaVar Arrington would kill TJ Duckett. I didnt really read it the way you did, I thought it said he ended the fight by calling 911. rather than, ending it and then calling 911. Either way, LaVar Arrington would kill TJ Duckett

[Guest]

Just in case anyone wanted to know, i just read this at KFFL:

13:05 PT: As an update to previous reports, Len Pasquarelli for ESPN.com reports the Atlanta Falcons are concerned about the health of rookie RB T.J. Duckett. The team has been lead to believe the injuries he suffered while at a rap concert last Tuesday may be more serious than originally believed. The team has sent a scout to Michigan to be present when a team-assigned doctor checks Duckett out. The Falcons have broken off contract negotiations with their first-round pick until the doctor gives them a clean bill of health.

[DJ_Money]

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Atlanta Falcons have taken action to investigate injuries suffered by their unsigned first-round pick, T.J. Duckett, in a July 23 assault.

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Falcons officials told SportsLine.com that they have dispatched personnel to East Lansing, Mich., to investigate the condition of Duckett, who was injured when assaulted by three men at a concert.

Falcons executive vice president Ray Anderson said the team sent personnel man Mike Hagen and a medical official associated with the team to meet with Duckett and doctors.

"Given the fact that his condition has not been made clear by T.J. nor his agent, we felt we needed to investigate. We felt we needed to determine his physical situation," Anderson said. "The information from his agent was that he just lost a tooth and that was it. Subsequently, we saw different information that said he required hospital attention. Then we saw people in his family describe (Duckett) as, 'Hanging for his life.'"

The Falcons have become suspicious, as they say neither Duckett nor his agent Joel Segal have accelerated attempts to get Duckett to camp. Knowing the nature of street fights, Anderson says the concern is that Duckett suffered more injuries than a facial laceration and a lost tooth in the assault.

"They have not been very anxious to get a deal done recently," Anderson said.

Segal could not be reached for comment.

While Duckett, the 18th pick overall remains unsigned, the 16th, 17th and 19th picks of the NFL Draft have all signed.

Some Falcons officials have been questioning whether Duckett is too banged up to even suit up, but one person close to Duckett told SportsLine.com the running back is not injured and is doing very well, but that he simply does not like the team's latest contract offer.

The Falcons had been waiting to hear from Segal after initially offering a $3.2 million signing bonus, along with some other salary guarantees. Duckett, who played at Michigan State, did take part in the team's summer workouts.

Ionia County (Mich.) sheriff's deputies said three men started a fight with Duckett on July 23 after a concert by the rapper Nelly. Duckett, a personal guest of Nelly, was hit with a bottle. Police reports said the three men were intoxicated. One was interviewed, but no arrests were made.

Duckett is the first No. 1 pick to miss the start of training camp since coach Dan Reeves came to Atlanta in 1997. The Falcons also signed free agent running back Warrick Dunn in the offseason.

[Guest]

This is exactally what happens when 3 white fools try to make

themselfs famous.If I was TJ,I would have made sure everyone

knew who these three guys were so the whole world knows=)

People like this need to be embarassed on TV and everywhere.

[ATLien_]

Levar Arrington would get his cornbread ate by Duckett. LOL

Anyways, I wish he would have went on ahead and signed his dang contract and none of this would of happened. He would have been at training camp and not at the concert. Every body hates his damn agent. He held out every single one of his players last year and hear we go again. The 17th pick and 19th pick have signed. There should be no discussion left he is slotted somewhere between the two.

By no means am I blaming this on Duckett, but isn't funny how things happen when you aren't where you are supposed to be. It happens to me all the time.

[Traceman]

TJ is a BIG guy. Correction, TJ is a HUGE guy. Why did these idiots decide to go after him (unless they recognized him)? I wonder if these 3 knuckleheads caught him by himself as he was going back to his car or what? All I know is that I hope he's okay. And by the way, LA is a big, strong, fast guy but TJ will give him all he wants and a whole lot more!

[ATLien_]

Man you should here the the guys on the falcons site. They are making up all kinds of elaborate stories.LOL

It now went from Duckett getting jumped to this by progression.

1. Something is fishy about this story, why was he alone at a concert.

2. He was the special guest of Nelly he should of had people around.

3.There has to be something else to this story. This is his home town why would he be alone.

4.Maybe it was a drug deal gone bad.

WTF?

I really don't understand people. The report says he was jumped by 3 drunk guys. He handled them then called the police. Why would you call the police if it was a drug deal gone bad? I swear some people just live to see people fail.

If it was George W nobody would say I bet it was a drug deal gone bad. Even though that probably would be what it really was.

Duckett has a great background and look what these fools come up with. It really makes me sad.

I may have to post on falconsroost.com just to shut these scrubs up.

[cyman3]

"Maybe it was a drug deal gone bad."

Cuz why would anyone mess with a BIG NFL FOOTBALL player?

And if hes in his hometown, hes GOT to have boys that would help him... maybe they were in it to???

is it an argument turned into violence?

who knows...

[ATLien_]

Because they were drunk thats why they would mess with him. How many times have you been at a party and a drunk dude tries to pick a fight with you for bumping in to him?

Let me tell you I go to UGA and it happens all the time. Guys get with their friends, get a little alcohol in them and they think they can take anyone. I don't understand why this is so suspicious to everyone.

I have been to quite a few concerts and there are always fights during and afterwords. With all the weed and alcohol going around at these events no altercations shocks me.

Also I don't know if Duckett is from there or not the article never said that, thats was part of their made up logic from what I know.

[Traceman]

conclusions. Drunk people don't need a legitimate reason to start a fight. If Duckett was recognized by the group, that is enough for a few drunk a-holes to start picking a fight with him. I have no idea what happened but for people to start suspecting a drug deal gone bad or anything like that when NO information has been released that would suggest that is absurd!

[BlackHawkDown]

How in the hell did Lavar Arrinton get into the middle of this post?

[Guest]

CUZ HES DA MAN

[Snaggle]

I found this in a Kalamazoo Michigan newspaper. It explains how he got to the bridge.

» More From The Kalamazoo Gazette

Top Stories

Ionia buzzing with talk of Duckett incident

Wednesday, July 31, 2002

BY RYAN MOLONEY

KALAMAZOO GAZETTE

IONIA -- Despite rumors circulating about the assault of Atlanta Falcons' first-round draft pick T.J. Duckett at the Ionia County Fairgrounds last week, Ionia County Sheriff Dwain Dennis is sticking to the facts his department uncovered in the days following the incident.

As he was leaving a rap concert featuring Cornell "Nelly" Haynes Jr. at around 11:30 p.m. July 23, Duckett was attacked on the footbridge that links the fairgrounds to a parking lot in a large, tree-encapsulated field. Three intoxicated white men in their early 20s allegedly blocked Duckett's path on the bridge, used a racial slur and struck Duckett on the mouth with a bottle. Duckett fought off the men and called police.

"This is our best information about what happened," Dennis said.

Dennis and Ionia County Prosecutor Gail Benda met with Duckett on Tuesday in Kalamazoo -- where Duckett was a football star at Loy Norrix High School -- to get an official statement about the incident. Duckett's account matched the accounts of two other witnesses that the department interviewed in the days after the incident. Duckett has yet to make a public statement about the incident. Efforts to reach Duckett in Kalamazoo were unsuccessful.

According to Dennis, all three suspects live in the city of Ionia. Dennis wouldn't say whether the men have records but did say "we're familiar with them."

Last week, Duckett's aunt June Smith told the Gazette that one of the suspects yelled, "Let's throw the n----- from the bridge." Witnesses confirmed hearing the remark.

"That comment is consistent with what we've heard," Dennis said.

Smith also said that Duckett was struck from behind with a bottle. Dennis said the suspect who hit Duckett with the bottle attacked him from the front.

A small city tucked away seven miles from I-96 and the halfway point between Grand Rapids and Lansing, Ionia doesn't receive much in the way of the media attention like that currently surrounding the incident. It is known for the correctional facilities that surround the downtown area.

Whispers of what happened July 23 continue to course around the modest business facades and residential porches of the town's main street.

Molly Montgomery, 25, didn't see the fight involving Duckett, but she said there was a lot of rowdy activity in the stands that night during the rap concert.

"There were lots of fights, and cops were arresting people," Montgomery said, "Nelly came on about an hour-and-a-half late, and people were upset."

Montgomery described the hostile situations at the concert as a trademark of a group of adults in their early 20s who live in the town.

"The bars always have fights in this town," she said. "There are always a lot of fights."

After separating from three of his friends to go find his parents, James Purkey, 13, found himself waiting to get on the footbridge to see whether they were looking for him in the parking lot across the water. Suddenly word of a fight spread through the crowd.

"People were ... and running across the bridge to see it," James said.

When he ran over the bridge to check out the scene, James said, there were almost 100 people standing around, some trying to get past the crowd to their cars, some watching a fight that had streamed into the field parking lot.

"It was like a mosh pit," he said. "Everybody was fighting everybody."

After what he estimates as "five or 10 minutes," James left the scene.

"I didn't want to get hurt," James said, "people were pulling each other apart and trying to get at each other" in the lot.

Cherie Van Houten, an employee at the liquor store down the street from the parking lot, said the concert itself attracted many unsavory elements to the area.

"I heard there were a lot of drugs and marijuana brought into the concert," she said.

One woman who declined to use her name said she knew the three suspects and that one had been arrested in connection with the fight. She also said two of three suspects are African-American.

Dennis said that no arrests been made. A sheriff's deputy questioned one of the suspects in the days following the incident, but decided not to arrest him.

"The deputy decided to confer with the prosecuting attorney," Dennis said.

In response to the rumor about two of the suspects being African-American, Dennis said: "I don't know where that came from."

At this point, no warrants have been issued to arrest the three suspects. Dennis said he is hoping to interview a few more witnesses and would like to make arrests by the end of the week.

"We want to be thorough," Dennis said, adding that many assault cases take more than a week of investigation before an arrest is made.

Duckett plans to press charges, according to his brother Tico. T.J. Duckett has assured Dennis that if and when he signs with the Falcons, he will schedule a way through the NFL to attend court hearings.

Duckett and the Falcons have yet to settle on a contract.

Meanwhile, as the town awaits to see three of its own handcuffed, the rumors persist.

"When it first happened I heard that the fight had gone on for an hour," Dennis said, "I doubt even Muhammad Ali could have fought for an hour."

[Traceman]

Dallas is getting tired of kickin' dat @$$! When is the last time they beat the Cowboys again? Instead of worrying about TJ Duckett, you need to be worrying about how the Skins are going to stop Emmitt Smith! The Cowboys might be 2-14 but those 2 wins will be against the Skins! Funny how we didn't seem to have a problem beating the Cowboys last year. Hmmmmm?

[Guest]

These type of things is what you from small towns.But if I were

him I would have embarassed them more.Their faces need to be

shown on TV.