Blackwater offers arms training for pro athletes

[ensho]

http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/news/state/blackwater-offers-arms-training-for-pro-athletes-416878.html


Blackwater Worldwide, best known for protecting American diplomats in Iraq, is opening up its firearm training ranges and safety workshops to a new class of customer: professional athletes.

The first weekend class at the company's compound in North Carolina is set for April, about six months after New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress shot himself in the thigh inside a nightclub. The company cites that case, along with the shooting death by an intruder of Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor, as examples of why pro athletes need to have a handle on firearms safety.

"They're high-profile personnel, and high-profile people need to be able to protect themselves and their families," said Jim Sierawski, Blackwater's vice president of training. "A lot of times gun handling and gun safety is a big part of that protection package."

No athletes have signed up yet for the weekend course, which the company only began advertising this week.
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puke on Blackwater

[SidDithers]

1. Lesson #1...

don't wear your handgun in the waistband of your sweat pants.

Sid

[undeterred]

2. Lets make sure everyone with excess testosterone has a gun.

Just in case they need to kill someone. Because professional athletes, especially in the NFL, never ever get into trouble.

:sarcasm:

[LiberalFighter]

3. Wouldn't it be better if such high profile athletes used body guards?

Otherwise, as in the case of a dumb ass like Plaxico he could spend more time enjoying himself. Hopefully legally. A body guard would better able to focus on preventing or minimizing problems with other people. Then the client wouldn't have to multi-task.

Also, I doubt that training would do much good considering that Plaxico was probably trying to show off.

[laststeamtrain]

4. Ripped on 'roids & packin' pistols. Sounds really, really good. What could go wrong? n/t

[msongs]

5. cancer seeks any opportunity to spread itself nt

[Mrs. Ted Nancy]

6. ESPN Outside the Lines

ESPN did a story about pro athletes and firearms a couple of months ago.

Many incidents indicate that athletes rely on firearms for self-protection or as a means to resolve an altercation. But estimates on how many professional athletes carry guns, legally or illegally, vary. By Scott's estimation, as many as 20 percent of Major League Baseball players carry concealed weapons, and more than 50 percent own some type of gun.

Roger Renrick is familiar with the prevalence of guns among professional athletes. A former Boston police officer, Renrick is now a bodyguard who has worked for Paul Pierce, Antoine Walker and Jalen Rose. Renrick describes gun ownership among NBA players as "very common." Karl Malone is a proponent of the right to bear arms and was a spokesman for the NRA. "I would probably say close to 60 percent," he said.

New England Patriots wide receiver Jabar Gaffney, a gun owner himself, said he thinks 90 percent of NFL players have firearms.

"Lots of guys I know have weapons either in their house or, in places where you can carry it, they have a permit to carry it," Gaffney said. Some athletes own guns for hunting, but most athletes who carry guns do so for self-protection.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?id=2691043

[Jack_DeLeon]

7. Almost any private citizen can go get training at blackwater...

IIRC they offer their classes to anyone who wants the training and isnt a convicted felon, the only real barrier and it would be for most people is the cost of classes and the travel.

Its stupid that there are people who are against this kind of training though. They say average citizens shouldnt be able to have guns because they dont have the proper training, yet some will also say why are they letting normal people get that kind of training they dont need it.

I wish I could get professional training to better use my long guns and handguns, I just dont have several hundred dollars laying around for that kind of training though.