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Geraldo's Smart Take

‘You can take the kid out of the hood, but you can't take the hood out of the kid’

GERALDO RIVERA: It's not surprising at this stage. I was at sea for four days and got no news. One of the first things as soon as I got back to Manhattan, there was this event, this kind of political event. I went to it. The guy introduced himself as an NFL sports agent and he said Tim Tebow is -- the seas have parted for him. I said what do you mean? The famously religious former jet, former Denver Bronco has been picked up by the Pats. He’s a quarterback. But he also can play tight end. And suddenly here you have a vacancy. Aaron Hernandez, all pro, Brian knows the sports stats better than I do. A great player, three years, but troubled throughout his career. Haunted by a background that goes back to Bristol, Connecticut, where he had gang affiliations. He’s another example, like Ray Lewis, like Michael Vick. Some say like O. J. Simpson, you can take the kid out of the hood, but you can't take the hood out of the kid. Another one of these young minority youngsters who signed big contracts to become pro ball players, whether basketball or football. In this case, he went to the University of Florida, the number within tight end in the country, but drafted fourth round. Why? Because he had failed drug tests, because he had this troubled background, because he had other run-ins with the law and guns and now he hangs out with a semi pro player, Odin Lloyd on Sunday night. They’re at house. Lloyd disappears. His body found a mile away, about 40 miles north of Boston. They go to Hernandez' house. They find that his surveillance system has been intentionally trashed and rendered inoperable. He hands over a cell phone similarly destroyed by Aaron Hernandez. So here you have this kid, terrific ball player, haunted by his background. Something happens to this kid and now as expected, he is going to be arrested today.