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Chiefs superfan 'ChiefsAholic' sentenced to 32 years in Oklahoma prison

Chiefs superfan 'ChiefsAholic' sentenced to 32 years in Oklahoma prison

Fox Sports12-05-2025
A Kansas City Chiefs superfan known as "ChiefsAholic" was sentenced Monday in an Oklahoma courtroom to serve 32 years in state prison for robbing a Tulsa-area bank, a sentence that will be carried out after he finishes serving time in federal prison.
Xaviar Babudar, 30, appeared in a Tulsa courtroom and apologized to the court and to the victims of the December 2022 robbery of the Tulsa Teachers Credit Union in Bixby, Oklahoma, said Babudar's attorney, Jay-Michael Swab.
"He expressed sincere remorse and took full responsibility for his actions," Swab said.
Babudar already was serving more than 17 years in federal prison for a string of 11 bank robberies across seven states where he stole nearly $850,000 to finance his social media stardom. Swab said the robberies also were the result of a gambling addiction.
Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler had sought life in prison for Babudar.
"He is a serial robber who traumatized these victims and numerous other victims across this country," Kunzweiler said in a statement.
Tulsa County District Judge Michelle Keely ordered Babudar's 32-year sentence to run concurrently to his federal sentence, which means after he is released from federal prison he will be transferred to state custody to serve his remaining 14 years.
Babudar developed a following on his @ChiefsAholic account on the social platform X after attending games dressed as a wolf in Chiefs gear. His avid support of the Chiefs became well known on social media.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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The Rashee Rice case creates bad optics for the league
The Rashee Rice case creates bad optics for the league

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The Rashee Rice case creates bad optics for the league

In sports, like in politics, people have their favorite teams. In sports, like in politics, people will apply double standards and embrace hypocrisies, all in the name of circling the wagons around their biases and rooting interests. That's absolutely happening in the Rashee Rice case. Fans of the Chiefs are quick to attack the notion that Rice and the Chiefs have received favorable treatment from the league office via the delayed resolution of his Personal Conduct Policy case. And those same people would be saying something very different if Rice played for another team. But here's the basic reality. Rice engaged in a dangerous street race in late March of 2024. The incident was captured on video. In the months since then, the handling of Rice has seemed odd, to say the least. Various media members have asked, for months, why the league hadn't done anything. The reason is clear. The NFL's standard practice is to wait for the resolution of the underlying criminal case before imposing discipline under the Personal Conduct Policy. Here, Rice was charged with eight felonies. He was not placed on paid leave. That part is easily explained, too; the NFL, despite having the express ability to place a player charged with only one felony on paid leave, typically uses this P.R. tool only when the charge relates to domestic violence. The situation changed after Rice pleaded guilty to two felonies, resulting in 30 days of jail time (which can be served at any point over the next five years) and five years of probation. The guilty plea was entered on July 17. The next step was to evaluate his case for discipline under the Personal Conduct Policy. At least one reporter employed by the media outlet of which the NFL will eventually acquire a 10-percent stake has suggested there's nothing to see here. The league and Rice's representatives tried to work out an agreed suspension. After they reached an impasse, it was time to schedule a hearing. The disciplinary officer under the Personal Conduct Policy, retired judge Sue L. Robinson, wasn't available until September 30. As a result, Rice will be eligible to play until the hearing is held, the punishment is decided, and any appeal (by the NFL and/or by Rice) to the Commissioner or his designee is resolved. And what of the apples-to-apples comparison to Vikings receiver Jordan Addison, who pleaded guilty on the same day to a misdemeanor with no jail time? He has already been suspended for the first three games of the regular season. Obviously, his suspension arose under a different policy. He didn't fight it. It was automatic: Three games for a guilty plea in any case that involves a DUI charge. The procedure under the Personal Conduct Policy takes more time to unfold, especially when the proposed punishment is contested by the player, his representation, and the NFL Players Association. But there was no reason to delay the process. Although I do not (and never will) believe that the league consciously rigs games for the Chiefs, it's impossible to rule out a partial erosion of the supposed firewall between the 'integrity of the game' and the NFL's business objectives. The Chiefs quite possibly get more 'jump balls' than other teams, either through the exercise of in-game discretion by officials who are aware of the ratings muscle of the Chiefs or, in this case, from the urgency (or lack thereof) displayed by the bureaucrats responsible for the implementation of the league's in-house justice system. Just as the league's standard practice is to delay imposing discipline until the criminal charges have been resolved, the league has a standard practice of finalizing potential suspensions before the start of a given season. As to Rice, the NFL has deviated from that standard practice. Other teams are looking at the handling of Rice and wondering why the deviation has happened. Why wasn't the league ready to mobilize immediately upon Rice pleading guilty to multiple felonies? Why didn't the league insist on the scheduling of a hearing in, for example, early August, so that the case would have been resolved before Week 1? The league has a well-earned reputation, in matters of player discipline, of getting what it wants, when it wants it. In this case, the league undoubtedly didn't say, 'Let's slow this down so that Rice is available to the Chiefs for an early-season slate that features six straight games on big platforms.' 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If anything, the unfounded perception that the league deliberately favors the Chiefs should have compelled the league to ensure that Rice's case was resolved ASAFP. And it doesn't matter, as some have suggested, whether the Chiefs would prefer to have Rice for those early-season games, or whether they'd like to have him serve his suspension and return without the reality of a future absence hanging over the team. The league knows the schedule. Six games, on major platforms. The Chiefs will be at full strength for at least four, if not five. (And, if there's an appeal, definitely all six.) That's the heart of the concern. By not insisting that a clear, undeniable violation of the Personal Conduct Policy that happened in plain sight nearly 17 months ago resulted in a suspension commencing as of Week 1, the league has allowed skeptics (including people employed by other teams) to wonder why the league has departed from its standard practice. Standard practice. It was followed regarding the decision not to punish Rice until he entered a guilty plea. It was followed regarding the decision not to put him on paid leave. It was not followed regarding the decision to let the disciplinary case linger into the regular season. The overriding point is this. The league ordinarily gets these cases resolved before the season starts. By not doing it as to Rice, the league has given people a reason to say, 'That's peculiar.' Look at it this way. If the league had announced Rice's suspension on Thursday, no one could have raised a credible question about it. It's standard practice to resolve these suspensions before Week 1. The fact that the incident happened nearly a year and a half ago would have made it even more appropriate for the situation to be resolved before the Chiefs face the Chargers three weeks from tonight in Brazil. The fact that it wasn't is odd, because it represents a deviation from standard practice. Which necessarily creates bad optics for the league.

Why is Rashee Rice's case being delayed?
Why is Rashee Rice's case being delayed?

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Why is Rashee Rice's case being delayed?

On July 17, Vikings receiver Jordan Addison resolved a DUI citation by pleading guilty to a lesser misdemeanor charge, with no jail time. He'll miss the first three games of the regular season. On July 17, Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice pleaded guilty to a pair of felonies arising from a street racing crash that was caught on video, and that caused multiple injuries. He'll serve 30 days and spend five years on probation. And he'll be on the field for at least the first four games of the season, because his disciplinary hearing won't happen until September 30. It makes no sense. And it's making some wonder whether someone wants Rice to be available for a quartet of high-profile Kansas City games to start the season. From Week 1 against the Chargers in Brazil on YouTube to Week 2 against the Eagles at 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox to Week 3 against the Giants on NBC's Sunday Night Football to Week 4 against the Ravens at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS, Rice is now good to go. Given that his hearing will happen on Tuesday, September 30, he'll most likely be available for Week 5, a Monday night visit to Jacksonville on ESPN and ABC. As one league source observed, it usually doesn't work this way. With the player pleading guilty in the offseason, there's usually an urgency to finalize his discipline and have it begin before Week 1. 'Maybe I'm a conspiracy theorist,' the source said, 'but this is odd.' Added the source, 'You hardly ever see players get suspended in season unless they did something in season like a drug test or something.' Here, there's no dispute. Rice pleaded guilty. The question is only the extent of the punishment. Why didn't the league expedite the case? If all else fails, put him on paid leave until the case is resolved, and give him credit for the games he misses after the final punishment is issued. At a time when many think the league favors the Chiefs, situations like this will not become evidence to the contrary. If anything, it looks like the dominos have fallen in a way to ensure that Rice will be available for four, and likely five, high-profile games to be played on YouTube, CBS, NBC, Fox, and ESPN/ABC.

Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice's disciplinary hearing set for Sept. 30, AP source says
Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice's disciplinary hearing set for Sept. 30, AP source says

Washington Post

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Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice's disciplinary hearing set for Sept. 30, AP source says

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice will have a disciplinary hearing with the NFL on Sept. 30 in New York, a person with knowledge of the schedule told The Associated Press on Thursday. The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the details haven't been announced, said Sue L. Robinson is scheduled to hear Rice's case. Robinson is a former U.S. district judge who serves as the disciplinary officer jointly appointed by the NFL and NFL Players Association.

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