Britney Griner

There are people in prison in the United States for similar offenses. 

^ That is exactly what I have been thinking this whole time, as many U.S. politicians huff & puff about how outrageous this is for her. Laws vary and consequences are real......IF the charges are valid but that's another story altogether.

Never been a fan of hers, matter of fact, personally I can't fuckin stand her, but at this point now I just feel terrible for her. That last photo, she looks absolutely petrified. Yeah it was beyond stupid to bring vapes into russia at the time the war was breaking out.  But as a us sports star citizen she never should have been allowed to go back to russia. Where were those that should have been looking out for her ?  State Dept maybe ?  

Free Britney

the carts were planted and she is fucked

I guess she "needed the money" over the off-season but as a Lesbian, Black, American sports star, she was sorta fkt before even arriving there.

I am not holding my breath to see some of these blowhard U.S. politicians start fighting hard to change/equalize our own laws and for the Americans whom have had their lives derailed in places like....Kansas. 

"This American teacher also sits in a Russian jail, worried nobody cares"

https://www.yahoo.com/news/american-teacher-sits-russian-jail-170048506....

Thanks for the link, Strawbud. I'm sad for Marc Fogel's family. If only he'd been a celebrity, he'd probably have a lot more support.

Just another dumb American abroad.

No big surprise, they found Griner guilty of attempting to smuggle illegal narcotics into Russia, and she was sentenced to nine years in a penal colony.

She can channel her inner Solzhenitsyn

You know the Russians wouldn't have given two shits about a couple vape cartridges if it wasn't for America's support for Ukraine.  Otherwise, this would have all been resolved with a 2000 ruble "tip" to the customs inspector.

К черту Путина, к черту войну

Google Translate made me laugh this morning. Thanks, Ken.

KILL PUTIN ALREADY

The Adolf of our times!

>>You know the Russians wouldn't have given two shits about a couple vape cartridges if it wasn't for America's support for Ukraine

Not so sure about that. There's another American there doing 14 years for pretty much the same thing, but I guess he accidentally brought flower.  He's not part of any deals, and he'll probably die in Russian prison.  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-marc-fogel-moscow-sentenced-14-years...

Ultimately, she is now a political pawn even though this different time and set of circumstance may *maybe* offer some hope for Britney Griner and Marc Fogle.

"In 2019, New York college student Audrey Lorber spent less than two months in prison after she allegedly entered Russia carrying 19 grams of marijuana. A Russian court found Lorber guilty of attempting to import marijuana, but she was released with time served and exempted from paying a fine."

Brittney Griner delivers final plea for leniency before verdict: 'I hope that in your ruling that it doesn’t end my life here'

https://sports.yahoo.com/brittney-griner-russia-verdict-130830606.html

It looks like the dope head of the year award is now between two contestants

Britney Griner for trying to sneak weed into Russia

Iman Shupert - trying to smuggle six ounces of Texas Weed into The land of legal weed California on an airplane, boy that Texas weed must be good 

" and my brother,

he got lifetime there" ( or my sister..)

Viola Lee Blues

Good King Joe should start searching every Rooskie coming through customs.

Also, fuck Putin.

I watched the Tom Hanks' film Bridge of Spies last night. Some things never change, although we have moved from spies and pilots and students to arms dealers and stoners.

seeing some shady shit on this thread

she is going to be "exchanged"

and, yea, if the WNBA were paid equally to their brothers, there would be no need for her to have ever gone there.

fucksake

What in this thread is shady?

Let her sit in Jail... No Trades for Terrorists!!!

If her appeal fails and/or there is no deal to spring her, she'll be quite lucky to end up in a work camp where she can teach & coach basketball. That would be a last-ditch best case scenario...most women prisoners there end up getting abused and losing fingers or worse at their 17-hr/day seemstres "jobs". But, yea, the money is not the same for WNBA players (in comparison to NBA players) but whose fault is that and which entity needs to pay more, just because? The advertisers, the leagues, the fans? Who needs to simply pony up more pay to make it 'equitable', even if the demand and money really isn't there?

I do feel sorry for her in that she surely made and admitted to a very big mistake in a very crooked place but calling her detention in a foreign country which has harsh laws as "unlawful" is a big stretch too.

...keep it in mind that she'd probably be even more fkt if this happened in a place like Singapore, for example. It sucks that she had to travel in order to boost her income to whatever level she felt was sufficient or necessary but many people do that or even fully relocate for better opportunities or pay as well. I am also not convinced that she "packed in such a hurry" (over-looking the carts in her baggage) for such a long stay in a far-flung place but the situation is what it is. Hope she gets out soon without too much collateral damage.

>if the WNBA were paid equally to their brothers<

The WNBA does not generate a profit, it loses approximately $10 million per year. The WNBA wouldn't exist if not for NBA subsidies. Given this fact, why should the athletes in the WNBA receive salaries on par with the athletes in the NBA?

It's interesting that Biden is calling this an "illegal detention." Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Americans are serving time here, for exactly the same thing. Are they also being illegally detained?

She broke the law in a country with draconic laws. Count her lucky that she's famous and is going to get set free. That 60 year old dude is doing 14 years of hard labor for the same thing. Unless he's added to the swap, he'll probably die there. He's not famous, so the State Department doesn't see his as an illegal detention.

The pay equity in women's sports is an entirely different issue. Griner didn't break Russia's laws because of pay equity.

Hundreds of thousands are in jail here for bringing one vape through customs?

>>Hundreds of thousands are in jail here for bringing one vape through customs?

For small amounts of weed. Why is her detention any more illegal than theirs?

I find those who automatically assume her guilt, and some of the language around it to be on the #shadyside 

Ymmv, as the koolaid kids say

I bet the borscht ain't too bad over there.

>>I find those who automatically assume her guilt, and some of the language around it to be on the #shadyside<<

With all due respect, she never said the oil/carts were not hers while admitting that, as an AZ Canna med patient, she over-looked their presence in her bag after packing in a rush for her gig in Russia...and she pled guilty too. What else is there? Please specify what is "shady" in the discussion here. Russia, alongside the stance of many U.S. states, does not honor Canna medical cards from other "jurisdictions." 

^my assumption is that in past years  Griner has brought cannabis into Russia without issue.  The war changed things.

When I think of Britney, I think of her not being able to fit on a normal bed or mattress and her legs hanging uncomfortably off whenever she's laying on.  The whole thing fucking sucks. 

<<The pay equity in women's sports is an entirely different issue. 

This is a stupid argument. Revenue for the WNBA comes from arena attendance, tv contracts, memorabilia sold, etc. Because the men are better athletes and play much more exciting games, they get paid more because they exponentially eclipse any revenues the WNBA could ever hope to imagine. The woman make a fraction because hardly anyone watches them on tv, buys their jersey's or go to their games. 

>>>some of the language around it to be on the #shadyside 
 

A bit too much glee and "woman bad".

Men are better athletes and play more exciting games is a subjective conclusion.

<<The pay equity in women's sports is an entirely different issue. 

The fact that people use the US Women's  Soccer Team as some sort of yard stick for pay equity is ridiculous. They are the GOATS of the sport. They dominate and they bring in way more money than the Men's team. They shouldn't get paid the same as men they should get paid more. 

There are probably a few other examples like gymnastics and figure skating, but it shouldn't be complicated. You get paid based on what you bring in, and if women don't like that they can start going to WNBA games. There are plenty of tickets available. 

....

....and their playoffs just started too, with sadly little fanfare. The big business of pro (and college) sports rolls on.

Niño you're right; I was thinking women's football.

My bad.

I still maintain the belief that she had zero cannabis items intentionally in her possession. 

If I recall, when (Sir) Paul McCartney got arrested in Japan back in 1980, it sent a message to all drug using bands; "don't tour in Japan", which many, like the dead, never did!

Hopefully this war will end soon, and when (if) things go back to normal, I don't picture many people wanting to work in Russia either...

The arms dealer will likely be under surveillance and nobody will want to do business with him. He was surely replaced a long time ago. 

>>The arms dealer will likely be under surveillance and nobody will want to do business with him. He was surely replaced a long time ago.

That's pretty much what I was thinking. I'm sure he's been "neutered."

He probably doesn't want to work off the favor for free. 

I hope she enjoys a doob when she gets home.

where's snowden?

That's great!! Now what about Paul Whalen and when will they make a trade to get the United States to free everyone sitting in jail with cannabis related charges. I guess when your an athlete you get 360 million and when your a rail worker you can't even get a sick day. 

Politics. It's a remarkably uncouth and nasty game.

>>>The arms dealer will likely be under surveillance and nobody will want to do business with him. He was surely replaced a long time ago. 

Isn't this the guy that Nick Cage played in the movie. If so then his whole claim to fame was stealing Soviet weapons after the fall of the empire and selling them around the world. I don't see how he helps Putin now, since they are importing weapons from Iran and after the disaster in Ukraine no one wants Russian weapons anymore even if they did have them to spare. 

Maybe they wanted him back just so as to put an end to him (maybe he still "knows" something).?

Maybe they picked up Griner just so as to be able to trade for Bout?

I love how people on the right always say she shouldn't have brought weed into Russia. I don't know if she did or if she didn't, but I sure as hell don't trust Russia to tell me the truth about that. It's not like their labs have ever been able to detect drug use in an athlete before.

Surely she could have obtained some once there.

Who hurriedly packs for a trip to Russia

That was Paul McCartney's excuse in Japan 1980.

on the left but if true, yeah. uh don't bring drugs somewhere where you really don't want to be imprisoned.

Whalen's brother just said on PBS her release was great news.

Also, Putin did not offer either or, Britt for Arms Boy was the only offer.

For fucksake are you asshats still arguing that she DESERVED what happened to her?

Thank fuck she's free. 

Full Stop 

>>>>Also, Putin did not offer either or, Britt for Arms Boy was the only offer.

All designed to create the maximum political discord in America. 

>>>For fucksake are you asshats still arguing that she DESERVED what happened to her?
 

Particularly on a DBMB.

For fucks sake indeed.

>>>Particularly on a DBMB.

So does anyone have DBMB at their license plate?

I am glad she's outta Russia but I would still like to see some solid rationale as to why she was deemed "unlawfully detained." 

Or, conversely, have the Biden administration or DOJ out  there filing similar lawsuits in some of the remaining Canna 'prohibition states' in THIS country.

Seems like the Russkies really hosed us on this deal. I'm not saying Griner deserved what happened to her, but a bad guy international arms dealer for a pothead? C'mon.

Putin knew that Biden had a serious priority in springing Griner so he could simply make nearly any trade demand that he wanted, and likely get it, or just sit pat as she slaved away in one of his nasty work camps for years to come. Putin had no real downside in this round.

I heard Biden offered up Cody Bellinger but Putin passed.

^LOL.....da Cubs.

Seems like the Russkies really hosed us on this deal. I'm not saying Griner deserved what happened to her, but a bad guy international arms dealer for a pothead? C'mon.

The guy has long since been replaced and turning him loose will likely have no consequences and we got an innocent young lade home. Totally inconsequential IMO. Chalk another win up for Uncle Joe.

> The guy has long since been replaced and turning him loose will likely have no consequences

Okay, so Bout is out of the game moving forward, but what about his past activities that led to him being in US custody in the first place? Are those "totally inconsequential"?

No wonder Biden recently publicly absolved MBS of any wrong-doing regarding Khashoggi's murder.

"Saudi Crown Prince MBS helped negotiate Brittney Griner’s release"

https://nypost.com/2022/12/08/brittney-griners-release-brokered-by-saudi...

"US moves to shield Saudi crown prince in journalist killing"

https://news.yahoo.com/us-moves-shield-saudi-crown-030729651.html

...U.S. had apparently been trying to get Paul Whelan into the trade as well but Germany (or Israel, I am not certain) would not cough up a Russian assassin.

I am not completely up to speed on Paul Whelan but, from what I have read, Marc Fogel seems to be significantly less potentially shady.

"Who Is Marc Fogel? American Who Remains in Russia for Medical Marijuana After Griner Release"

https://time.com/6240286/marc-fogel-russia-prison-griner/

The mainstream media finally covered a WNBA trade.

~John Fugelsang~

Okay, so Bout is out of the game moving forward, but what about his past activities that led to him being in US custody in the first place? Are those "totally inconsequential"?
 

Of course not, but I don't see why Griner should forfeit her future to pay for his transgressions.

From what I've heard (and don't believe a word of it if you choose) , Whelan was a court-martialed ex-Marine who was caught exchanging a thumb drive with a Russian contact. What was he doing in Russia anyway? And after serving most of his 25 year sentence, we probably would be releasing Bout in 5 years anyway. 

From: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/was-paul-whelan-punitively-discharg...

It is in this context that the nature of Whelan's discharge from the Marines received renewed attention. Whelan received what is categorized broadly as a punitive discharge. Specifically, he received a "Bad Conduct Discharge" handed down by a special court martial. As described in a 2008 appeal that was denied, Whelan received this sentence for, among other things, attempted larceny, false statements, and dereliction of duty:

A military judge sitting as a special court martial convicted the appellant [Paul N. Whelan], consistent with his pleas, of attempted larceny, three specifications of dereliction of duty, making a false official statement, wrongfully using another's social security number, and ten specifications of making and uttering checks without having sufficient funds in his account for payment … He was sentenced to 60 days restriction, reduction to pay grade E-4, and a bad-conduct discharge. 

Such a punishment generally disqualifies a former Marine from receiving Veterans Affairs benefits. As described in a military justice fact sheet, this is "one of two types of punitive discharges that may be imposed on an enlisted person" and is "less severe than a Dishonorable Discharge." 

In December 2018, while on a trip to attend a friend's wedding in Russia, Whelan was detained by Federal Security Service (FSB) agents. Russian authorities alleged he possessed a computer flash drive containing classified information. Whelan said the drive had been given to him by a friend, as part of a sting operation, and he was under the impression it contained wedding photographs. In a trial the U.S. criticized as unfair, Whelan was convicted of spying and sentenced to 16 years in a Russian penal colony. 

Nice to hear Brittany was nice to the folks on the plane. https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/11/politics/griner-whelan-american-detainees...

“When she finally got on to the US plane, I said, ‘Brittany, you must have been through a lot over the last 10 months. Here’s your seat. Please feel free to decompress. We’ll give you your space,’” Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.”

“And she said, ‘Oh no. I’ve been in prison for 10 months now listening to Russian, I want to talk. But first of all, who are these guys?’ And she moved right past me and went to every member on that crew, looked them in the eyes, shook their hands and asked about them and got their names, making a personal connection with them. It was really amazing,” Carstens recalled. “And then later on, on an 18 hour flight, she probably spent 12 hours just talking and we talked about everything under the sun.”

Carstens, who led the mission to the UAE, provided CNN with new details about Griner’s trip home. Griner, who he described as “an intelligent, passionate, compassionate, humble, interesting person, a patriotic person, but above all, authentic,” seemed healthy and full of energy during the trip.