Arenas Bummed By the Beach

I know this first-hand because I was in Miami on Saturday night for the Heat-Pistons playoff game and ventured over to Miami Beach afterward.

And while I did not witness Arenas and Storey being arrested that night, I did witness the interaction between officers and motorists on the unthinkably packed streets.

Let's just say it was tense. And I absolutely believe Arenas and not for one second the police report.

At one point late that night, the primary causeway from downtown Miami to Miami Beach was closed off by officers.

You might, as I did, ask how to get across to the beach. While usually you get a polite explanation, you also might get a "GET BACK IN YOUR CAR!" as I've seen happen. The Miami Herald carried a story one day last weekend that reported nearly 600 people had already been arrested, and there was Monday still to go.

"There were three cells I remember in the place I was taken," Arenas said. "There were two with 30 to 35 people in each cell and one huge cell with, like, 300 people. I've been to Miami Beach on Memorial Day. I've got a condo there. I pretty much go jet-skiing and to dinner. I just don't hang out much."

He doesn't. Arenas is notorious for not hanging out. His big plan last weekend was to see "X-Men" a second time. I'm 47 years old and I hang out more than Arenas, which must come as a shock to people who think every single NBA player parties his brains out every single night. The only reason I went to the beach Saturday was because my alleged friend and colleague Dan Le Batard of the Miami Herald insisted. He lives on Miami Beach and knew shortcuts to avoid the traffic (which carried us right around Arenas and Storey). I told Le Batard if we got arrested or shot I'd kill him, and his exact reply was, "If we do, it'll make for a great column."

Okay, so nothing happened to us. But Arenas didn't have access to Le Batard's shortcuts. And Arenas, while he's in very good humor about it, says he won't be needing any shortcuts anymore. "I'm going to sell my condo," he said. "I'm done with the Miami scene. They can have their nice beach. They've convinced me I do not belong."