Rhonda Adams Commentary on OJ Simpson “Not Welcome” in Florida

Many athletes fall from grace. They inspire legions of fans, then mess up and destroy that carefully constructed legacy. Pete Rose, Dwight Gooden, Mike Tyson… Some of these men come back from the brink. They redeem themselves and their brand, turning around tragedy and ridicule to, once again, live in the fans’ good graces. Most people already think OJ Simpson will not be one of them.Once lovingly and reverently referred to as “The Juice,” OJ was a perennial football powerhouse, a running back the likes of which the NFL had not seen very much, if ever. After football, he moved on to commercials, then acting, showing a surprising gift for comic timing while playing the straight man in a string of comedies.Then came that tragic day in 1994. The slow-speed chase and the murder trial that some have called America’s first reality TV program. The trial riveted the nation, and the verdict split it right down the middle.For years, the former fan favorite was reviled. Sure, he had been acquitted, but that meant nothing. More than half the country was convinced he “did it” and they were not about to let him go.Then, in 2008, Simpson was in the news again, this time for an armed robbery and kidnapping charge stemming from a dispute over sports memorabilia. That conviction earned Simpson a 33-year prison sentence. He was released after serving nine years.Simpson, now 70, doesn’t have much time to rebuild his legacy if he has any chance at all. All reports say he wants to relocate to Florida, a place he hopes will allow him to begin again, essentially, where he left off.But, according to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, Orenthal James Simpson is not welcome in the Sunshine State. Bondi wrote a letter to the Las Vegas Department of Corrections, demanding that the state Department of Corrections, “immediately notify all appropriate authorities” that the state is not going to permit his return.In the letter, Bondi said: “Floridians are well aware of Mr. Simpson’s background, his wanton disregard for the lives of others, and of his scofflaw attitude with respect to the heinous acts for which he has been found civilly liable… The specter of his residing in comfort in Florida should not be an option.”While the letter from Florida’s AG has no binding veto power, she can influence the decision of the Nevada parole board as to how Simpson is monitored during his parole. In this case, those stipulations could include close monitoring, regular drug tests and being forced to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet.These conditions may mollify Bondi, but they won’t help the Juice squeeze back into the good graces of even his most forgiving fans. About the Author: Rhonda Adams is a NYC based entrepreneur.