Your WeedCarriers Can't Save You This Time, Carmelo.

I knew it was Spring when I walked to the gym today at lunchtime, and saw a pasty, pudgy, middle-aged white dude sunbathing on the town square. Except for that frightening image, this is generally my favorite time of year. The lawn is lush and green, flowers are blooming, bees are buzzing, and of course it's NBA Playoff Time.

So, with his team fighting to merely make the playoffs at the end of a disappointing season, what does Denver Nuggets All-Star and perennial moron Carmelo Anthony do? Why, go out and get slizzard beyond comprehension and catch a DUI in the process, of course.

National Basketball Association star Carmelo Anthony, who was booked on alleged drink driving Monday, apologized for his arrest on Tuesday. The Denver Nuggets forward was arrested just hours after Denver's 111-94 playoff victory over Houston on Sunday. Denver has been in the process of trying to lock up the eighth and final playoff spot for the Western Conference.

"I want to apologize to my family, fans and the Denver Nuggets organization for my actions early Monday morning," he said.

"I regret putting myself in this situation. I also want to apologize to my teammates for the distraction this has caused."

The DUI in and of itself is nothing notable. It happens to athletes and entertainers all the time, and thank God Anthony didn't kill anyone in the process. No, what makes this story special is how Denver's Finest treated Melo' after his arrest.

It was early Monday morning when Anthony was pulled over on I-25 for allegedly driving drunk. Anthony became angry and began swearing and arguing with the arresting officer who immediately called for backup, sources told News2. Anthony was taken to a hospital for a blood test.

Tuesday, Denver police said, "it is not standard practice to drive people home, but it is done on occasion and doesn't violate department policy." Still, many believe Anthony did get special treatment after another officer took his car, a $130,000 silver Mercedes, and drove it to a city-owned police parking lot rather than tow it to an impound yard. Police on Tuesday called that parking lot a "safe location" and driving it there was an "option that officers exercise regularly."

There was some speculation about whether Anthony received special treatment because the police offered to drive him home after his release.

Even worse, it's reported that his permanent fiancee/baby mama, ex-MTV veejay La-La Vazquez, refused to come pick him up from the clink, which resulted in still more preferential treatment by Mile High police.

Then, when his fiance refused to pick him up, because she was angry that he was out partying, the sergeant offered to personally drive Anthony to the Ritz-Carlton hotel, according to those same police sources.

Anthony's fiancee, La-La Vazquez, released a statement that said, "I fully support my fiance, Carmelo Anthony, and stand by him through this ordeal. I will always have his back, and never refused to pick him up from the police station. In fact, they offered to bring him to me."

I suppose it's cool that Denver police root for the home team and wanted to keep their star in the game so they could watch him get ethered by Kobe and the Lakers in their first round playoff series. But what's not cool is how the judicial system as a whole gives folks (see yesterday's T.I. post) a free pass just because they're famous.

Let's not forget this is the same Carmelo Anthony that appeared on that infamous Stop Snitchin' street video, got into a raucous bar fight to protect the honor of his fiance/baby mama, got caught with the ole' "weed in a napsack" trick and subsequently had his weedcarrier take the charge, and then suckerpunched New York Knicks guard Mardy Collins in what had to be the greatest display of poor sportsmanship this side of Tomjanovich/Washington.

Yep, all that in just over a year.

But since the guy can score nearly 30 points a night and sell sneakers, he keeps getting second chances the AverageBro would never receive if they'd racked up this Grand Theft Auto-type track record. And surprise, I don't blame Anthony for one bit of this.

Nope, I blame the Denver Nuggets, his coaches, the NBA, Nike, the Denver Police, the City of Baltimore, and everybody else who gave the guy a free pass just because he has a nice mid-range jumper.

They're called Enablers.

And they need to stop enabling and start holding Anthony and his ilk responsible before somebody gets killed.

But I'm not holdin' my breath.

Question: Do you blame celebrities like Carmelo Anthony and T.I. for taking advantage of their fame when faced with adversity?

NBA Nuggets star Anthony makes apology for arrest [AP]