As this malfeasance becomes clearer (Harrison admitted Wednesday that the shell casings are in fact from bullets loaded in his glock) the Colt now joins a laundry-list of NFL players whose rap sheets overshadow their stats. Harrison's story, as brutal and vindictive as it may have seemed, was not even the biggest law-breaking story to land in NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's lap last weekend. Cedric Benson put on a solo version of the Love Boat on Saturday, making fans pine for the days when only the Minnesota Vikings' aquatic adventures went above and beyond the law. (Although after hearing numerous stories about Benson's collegiate partying career, I'd be lying if I said I was taken aback by the news.)

These days, many NFL fans regard the words "violence" and "shooting" with an air of apathy. The saturation of irresponsibility and obvious disdain for the law has pervaded the game the way cocaine did to baseball in the 1980s or the way short shorts did to the ABA in the 1960s. As these court cases pile up, the outrage felt by fans ebbs and the consumers' obvious willingness to overlook these transgressions become obvious. It's easy to claim that many of these athletes get off scot-free based solely on their fame. Pacman Jones, Leonard Little, and Ray Lewis still walk the streets, after all. (DA Bronny-Bron could help out?) Apparently, the only way to enrage the public is through some sort of animal cruelty. Does anyone remember Michael Vick?

Of course, those who often commit the crimes have previous stigmas. Maybe their predilection for violence isn't obvious, but how many of us sat with mouths agape when we heard that Nate Newton was busted with, oh, over 150 lbs. of pot? For the second time?

Harrison was not this type of man. He was a good man, a kind man, a man with whom we would let our daughters mingle - if only because we could get an autographed football out of it. He held our trust, that fickle intangible, but he shot it down as soon as he pulled that Belgian-made trigger. Perhaps Harrison will have an easier route in gaining our trust back, a la Ray Lewis and his Madden 2005 cover. But when all the dust has settled, we might have seen another athlete tainted, and another gullible audience exposed. If we can't believe in Harrison, then who can we believe in?