Saturday

More proof that Redskins RB Larry Johnson just doesn’t get it

Larry Johnson had his probation reinstated on Friday by a Kansas City judge who admonished the Washington Redskins running back for his “absurd” effort at community service.

Instead of playing sports with children at the Kansas City Police Athletic League for 40 hours, the 30-year-old Johnson insisted on starting an art program. But the class drew little interest and was quickly cancelled. Johnson received credit for 9 hours of community service.

“Children who go to PAL don’t go there for art class,” Judge Joseph Locascio said at the hearing. “The idea that you would draw pictures with kids who want to participate in athletics is absurd.

“If I knew you didn’t want to do sports with kids, I would have assigned you to pick up trash on the highway. That’s what we typically have defendants do.”

The former Chiefs runner is on probation for two disturbing the peace convictions at Kansas City nightclubs in 2008. Both charges were downgraded from assaults as part of a plea agreement in 2009.

Johnson’s attorney, J.R. Hobbs, noted that Johnson paid for a Thanksgiving dinner for 100 people at the Police Athletic League center, bought turkeys for an additional 100 families and $2,500 worth of Christmas presents for the kids.

Locascio acknowledged the effort but insisted that Johnson missed the point.

“For a young kid playing sports, the opportunity to have contact with an NFL player is once in a lifetime,” Locascio said. “That’s why I’m so disappointed here. I thought you were going to spend time with the kids, and apparently you’re not capable or interested in doing that.”

Johnson’s other probation violations include not sending a monthly form to his probation officer, failure to complete an anger management program and failing to report to his probation officer that he had been cited in Virginia for driving without a valid driver’s license.