Larry Brown Sports

There were a lot of questions about how the Baltimore Ravens would handle Rolando McClain following the troubled linebacker’s latest arrest. Looks like Rolando just went ahead and fixed that glitch.

Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome announced on Wednesday that he placed McClain on the reserve/retired list.

McClain, a former first-round pick of the Oakland Raiders in 2010, was signed by the Ravens on April 12 after being released by Oakland. He was arrested in his hometown of Decatur, Ala., 10 days later.

McClain’s past includes a 180-day jail sentence for a 2011 event in which he allegedly fired a gun by the head of another man. He was also arrested in January and reportedly blamed the “corrupt” police for it.

Maybe McClain decided to retire because he thinks he’s going to jail.

I wouldn’t completely discount the possibility of him one day returning to the league.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Rolando McClain was arrested in his hometown of Decatur, Ala, and was giving police a hard time.

According to AL.com, McClain was arrested Sunday and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest — both misdemeanors. He was released from jail after posting $1,000 bond.

This is the third time in two years we have reported on McClain getting arrested in his hometown. I’m beginning to think Decatur is not a good place for him.

You know how some athletes complain when they get in trouble that they are unfairly targeted by police? That’s kind of what McClain said after being arrested in January. Yeah, well, after three arrests, I’m starting to think that McClain’s whole, “It’s not me, it’s them” excuse doesn’t add up too well.

It’s not them, Rolando, it is you.

It’s crazy how steady McClain’s off-field production is becoming. Think about it: this dude has more arrests this offseason than he had sacks last season.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Rolando McClain was arrested in his hometown of Decatur, Ala.

The Decatur Daily reports that the Oakland Raiders linebacker was pulled over Tuesday afternoon for driving with tinted windows. He reportedly gave a false name to the police officer, which is a misdemeanor charge. McClain was booked at the city’s jail and bonded out.

You may recall that McClain was arrested in Nov. 2011 for allegedly firing a gun by a former friend’s ear and threatening to kill the man. McClain was convicted on all charges and received a 180-day jail sentence, but the case was dismissed in November after the alleged victim decided to drop the charges.

Combining the two incidents makes McClain think he is being targeted by “corrupt” police.

“I’m falsely accused of everything,” McClain told The Decatur Daily as he was leaving city hall. “It’s corrupt. It’s terrible.”

When McClain was asked if he believes police are out to get him, he reportedly said, “Yes. You said it. I answered it.”

You got that? Rolando allegedly fires a gun by a guy’s head, threatens to kill him, gets pulled over for tinted windows, and HE is the one falsely accused of everything. Damn those corrupt police officers for trying to protect society from someone who fires a gun at a person’s head!

Perhaps the most appropriate comment of all comes from Rolando’s cousin, Le’Ron, who plays for the Chargers. When asked for his thoughts on Rolando blaming everyone else for his arrest, he called his cousin crazy:

He Crazy RT @austinchannell: @leron_mcclain33 your cousin got arrested again.. Blames everyone but himself.

— Le’Ron McClain (@LeRon_McClain33) January 9, 2013

Rolando McClain appears to be on his way out with the Oakland Raiders, and he reportedly isn’t hiding his disdain for the organization.

The third-year linebacker did not practice with the team on Wednesday for what coach Dennis Allen described as “team-related issues.” CBS Sports’ Jason LaCanfora later reported that McClain and Allen had a heated exchange early in practice, leading to McClain being kicked out. The former No. 8 overall draft pick then apparently ripped the team over social media.

According to Kyle Burger of WVTM-TV in Birmingham, McClain wrote “I’m gonna weigh my options. Looking forward to playing for an actual ‘team.’”

Burger also says McClain wrote on his Facebook page “Officially no longer an Oakland Raider!!” and “I’d like to be anywhere besides here” before later wiping out those posts.

Though I was unable to see those posts (you likely have to be friends with him on Facebook to see them), this is his Facebook profile and it looks authentic.

The Raiders are saying that McClain is still on the roster, though it’s possible they have told him he will be waived.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Allen said, “I don’t know that,” when asked if McClain would be back at practice on Thursday.

McClain had two pretty good seasons with the Raiders prior to this year. He was replaced in the team’s nickel defense package and has seen his playing time cut. He was recently cleared by a judge after initially being sentenced to 180 days in jail for allegedly threatening to kill a man and then firing a gun by his head.

We’re eager to see which team picks up this gem of a man when he becomes available.

H/T Ian Rapoport

It’s not often that the legal system comes down hard on a professional athlete, but that’s what happened to Rolando McClain — at least for now.

The Raiders linebacker was found guilty of third-degree assault, reckless endangerment and menacing and wrongful discharge of a firearm, and he was sentenced to 180 days in jail on Thursday — 60 days for each crime.

The conviction stems from an incident that took place last November in Decatur, Alabama where McClain allegedly beat up 30-year-old Rishard Tapscott. McClain supposedly punched and kicked him, leaving Tapscott with a broken nose, mild concussion and cracked ribs. He also held a gun to his head, threatened to kill him, and allegedly fired beside the man’s head.

McClain’s lawyer is appealing and seeking a jury trial.

McClain was an All-American linebacker at Alabama and drafted eighth overall by the Raiders in 2010. He’s known for being a productive linebacker who’s very quiet with the media. Sometimes it’s the quiet ones you have to worry about.

Below is video of McClain leaving the courthouse Thursday:

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Rolando McClain doesn’t speak with the media much, but when he does, he usually gives them something good. The Raiders linebacker broke from his usual pattern of silence to answer some questions Monday. We’re guessing his remarks won’t make him many friends in the New England-area, but they’ll likely create headlines this week.

Asked if the Patriots (whom the Raiders play Sunday) are different from the physical Jets (whom the Raiders beat in week three), McClain concurred.

“This is just a finesse team,” McClain said of the Pats. “I mean, Tom Brady’s a smart guy, has many weapons around him, with his receivers as well as his tight ends. His tight ends are playing great right now.”

McClain’s comments will no doubt be blown out of proportion and become bulletin board material, but they’re accurate. The Patriots are the second-highest scoring team in the league and they lead the NFL in yards per game. However, it’s important to note that 81% of their offense yardage has come through the air. 11 of their 13 offensive touchdowns have been passing. The Patriots are spreading out their offense and throwing the ball the way they did in 2007. They’re able to outscore many opponents, but physical teams like the Giants and Jets have been able to beat them in the past. Maybe the Raiders will be able to do the same.

We do know one thing: after getting called out for being a “finesse team,” the Patriots will have a lot to prove next Sunday. Perhaps incorporating Stevan Ridley into the offense more will help change that perception.