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Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.Home > Blogs > Chick Ludwig At Large > Archives > 2008 > May > 09
Friday, May 9, 2008
Can Bengals ‘Purify’ Maurice?
PROMISING PRO HAS TROUBLED PAST
The Maurice Purify Story reads like a Chris Henry novel — only worse.
Here’s the four-step Cliffs Notes version:
Purify’s best friend at City College of San Francisco was shot and killed in 2005; Purify’s brother was shot and killed in 2007; Purify’s girlfriend died in a car crash in 2007; Purify was arrested twice in 2007 — for assault and resisting arrest, and later for suspicion of DUI.
The Cincinnati Bengals couldn’t save Henry. LUDWIG AT LARGE wonders if the Bengals can save Purify, who signed a two-year contract on May 8.
From Steven M. Sipple, Lincoln Journal Star:
What Purify would do to erase his well-documented off-the-field issues. “I talked to every single team after the draft,” said Gary Glick, Purify’s agent. “I don’t want to say it’s off-the-field problems, because it’s more like off-the-field perceptions. Each individual thing that’s happened, in itself, is really minor. But I think people have added it all up and taken it in totality. I had four teams tell me they took him off their (draft) board altogether.” I talked to Purify on Monday. Although he appears set to sign a free-agent deal (he’s headed to Cincinnati’s mini-camp this week), he was feeling hurt. He recalled that November day in Kansas, when he kept beating KU cornerback Aqib Talib, a first-round pick. “If he’s first-round, what am I?” Purify asked in a stern voice that hammered home the draft’s harsh reality.
A portion of Purify’s bio, courtesy of NFLDraftScout.com:
Never one to embrace academics, Purify failed to qualify for a major college scholarship coming out of Eureka High School, enrolling at the City College of San Francisco in 2004. He became a two-sport star, excelling in football and basketball.
As a sophomore, Purify received a call the day after Christmas, informing him that his basketball teammate and best friend, Terrell Anderson, the team’s best player, was shot and killed outside a San Francisco night club. Purify was promoted to the starting lineup, replacing his fallen friend who had persuaded him to play basketball for the Rams.
Arriving at Nebraska, all went well for Purify during the 2006, but after his first year with the Huskers, he went through a bit of a tailspin that led to two arrests and an eventual team suspension. In May 2007, he was charged with two counts of assaulting a man and woman at a bar in downtown Lincoln. The media reported that Purify assaulted a doorman of a bar after the doorman had denied him and acquaintance admittance into the bar.
Police say Purify threw a punch at the man and also assaulted the man’s girlfriend when she intervened. When police arrived, they say Purify didn’t comply with their orders. Purify was taken to jail and was let out on bond. He was also authorized to participate in a pre-trial diversion program.
Five weeks later, Purify was again arrested in early June on suspicion of drunken driving. A State Patrol trooper stopped Purify after midnight, at the intersection of Cornhusker Highway and North First Street in Lincoln. Purify was observed driving 53 mph in a 40 mph zone and failing to use his turn signal, patrol spokeswoman Deb Collins said. The 21-year-old Purify was taken to the Lincoln Detoxification Center after being ticketed on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
Purify was suspended from the team for the 2007 season opener, but his off-field issues continued. While in August camp, his 29-year-old brother was shot and killed in Oakland, California. Purify left the team to travel home, returning after the funeral. In early October, just before the Missouri game, Purify’s girlfriend, Reja Shapiro, died in an automobile wreck.
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