Tatupu’s arrest proves that no team’s immune

SEATTLE – Not Lofa.

Not the finest, most trustworthy, young Seahawk.

Not the $42 million linebacker who will soon be the face of the franchise.

If Lofa Tatupu can wind up in handcuffs, it can happen to any athlete, no matter the amount of integrity in his veins. In a sports world dependent on 20-something stars, you cannot avoid embarrassing mistakes. They are inevitable, and for a Seahawks team that boasts making character-based decisions, this is a humbling reminder that it can never excuse itself from the NFL’s troubling character dilemma.

Tatupu is not a criminal. Even now, he barely registers as a concern. Despite his drunken-driving arrest last Saturday, he remains one of the most likable Seahawks, although his reputation now requires some maintenance work.

He represents everything the Seahawks preach. Tatupu is talented, dedicated, responsible, team oriented and community conscious. When he signed his new contract in March, he was celebrated as a most deserving recipient.

Still, he made a bad choice last weekend. His arrest comes a month after defensive tackle Rocky Bernard was taken into custody for allegedly punching a woman in the face.

After a couple of quiet years, the character question has crept back into Seahawks headquarters.

Two incidents do not make a problem. But while Seahawks president Tim Ruskell understands the errant ways of youth, he could not have expected to encounter unlawful acts bunched this closely together. The Seahawks seemed beyond such mischief. In reality, no 53-man roster is safe.

There are too many different personalities to manage, too many outside influences, to have a team that behaves all the time. That’s not meant as an excuse for either Tatupu or Bernard. If Tatupu is guilty of drunken driving, he deserves to be punished by both the court and the NFL. If Bernard is guilty of hitting a woman, he should receive even harsher discipline.

Nevertheless, if you’re running a football team, you must accept that not all your players will be husband material. Most teams are too accepting of this fact. They would rather have plenty of bad guys on their roster. The Seahawks are one of the few NFL franchises that truly seek as many goodie-goodies as possible.

Ruskell has been lauded for this approach. Commissioner Roger Goodell had Ruskell speak about his efforts at the owners’ meetings a year ago.

The Seahawks grade players on a scale that is weighted as much for character as it is for ability.

They look at several facets of character to try to ensure they pick good citizens and good teammates. They do an amazingly thorough job.

Still, they have issues.

No team is immune.

Last year, I asked Ruskell if he still worried about his players getting into trouble. He said no. He said he expected more from his guys. But he also added, for protection, “That’s not to say it won’t happen.”

He is passionate about his methods, but during interviews about this subject, he also tries not to sound too virtuous. But because he has taken such a strong stance, he gets that label anyway, and surely someone in the league is looking at his current situation and chuckling just a tad.