Arrest records show he lives in Valrico and is unemployed.

He's taken that whole Operation Shutdown thing really seriously, hasn't he?

He's taken that whole Operation Shutdown thing really seriously, hasn't he?

The government is going to put him on Operation Shutdown here, soon.

Wow, he's been out of the league for seven years, AND he's six years younger than Jamie Moyer.

Does Operation Shutdown extend to the Prison softball team?

Does Operation Shutdown extend to the Prison softball team?

Yeah, but it's called Operation Lockdown.

Were you around for Operation Shutdown, Gamingboy? That was an early running gag here.

I wasn't around (at least, not as a active BTFer, maybe as a lurker), but I remember laughing at the fact he had a whole codename for basically being a selfish ass.

Arrest records show he lives in Valrico and is unemployed.

What an odd remark. Has any other retired professional athlete been referred to as unemployed? It makes him sound like a vagrant. Is the writer not aware that the arrestee in question has the financial wherewithall to live the life he has chosen for himself?

Is the writer not aware that the arrestee in question has the financial wherewithall to live the life he has chosen for himself?

Are we sure that he has the financial wherewithall to live the life he has chosen for himself? He wouldn't be the first pro athlete to blow all his cash.

Arrest records show he lives in Valrico and is unemployed.

So that's what they're calling independently wealthy retirees in Tampa nowadays.

Operation Comedown.

Are we sure that he has the financial wherewithall to live the life he has chosen for himself? He wouldn't be the first pro athlete to blow all his cash.

Good point, especially considering what he's arrested for. Cocaine's a hell of a drug.

According to B-Ref, he made 26.9 million in his career. Assume 10 mil for taxes, an extravagant lifestyle spending 500K per year for the last 15, and you'd still have over 9 million left, though I have no idea how he may have invested his money, or if he's done anything to earn money since operation shutdown commenced.

If he's got a serious coke habit and invested his money in Florida real estate, then Derek Bell could indeed be broke and unemployed.

Would the writer know that Bell was broke? If so, would he intentionally cite Bell's employement status as a further source of misery in his life, as if a job at the local Piggly Wiggly would be his salvation?

"Would the writer know that Bell was broke?"

He might - it's a local paper. Maybe Bell hits him up for change at the parking lot every day.

Also, I didn't love Bell's performance as a Pirate, but it's sad to see him end up like this.

Would the writer know that Bell was broke? If so, would he intentionally cite Bell's employement status as a further source of misery in his life, as if a job at the local Piggly Wiggly would be his salvation?

Or perhaps the paper routinely lists the employment status of those who are arrested, though having worked the police beat, I've never seen this information available on arrest reports.

He might - it's a local paper. Maybe Bell hits him up for change at the parking lot every day.

Maybe he pushes around a shopping cart full of whiteys, condoms and potato chips?

Does he still live on a houseboat?

I have no idea how he may have invested his money, or if he's done anything to earn money since operation shutdown commenced.

I'm pretty sure the jetski dealership he opened up has since folded. Couldn't find any info on it online, at least. Continuing my watch on Operation: Shutdown is kind of a pet project of mine.

I saw this guy in Walgreen's. He was wearing full length plaid pajamas, very cheap nylon ones. This was probably 4 pm. He got in line, and in his hands he had two new packages of the exact same pajamas as he was wearing. When he got to the register he fumbled with his cash, realized he was short, and bought only one pair of pajamas.

What constitutes "drug paraphernalia", anyway? Can I be busted for having a hand mirror and a rolled-up $20 bill on me?

"...or if he's done anything to earn money since operation shutdown commenced."

FWIW, BA said a while back that he was coaching Michael Burgess pre-draft in '07. A few of us Pirate wags joked at the time that Bell's teachings were what pushed Burgess out of the first round.

"What constitutes "drug paraphernalia", anyway?"

Crack pipe, bong, syringe and cooking spoon, stuff like that.

According to the local Fox affiliate, the information about him being unemployed came from jail records.

According to the local Fox affiliate, the information about him being unemployed came from jail records.

Our jails never provided employment information on the folks who were arrested. Obviously Florida is different. I'd presume the news outlet in question always lists the employment status of those jailed, so that Bell's listing as unemployed is standard procedure and not meant to be seen as a judgment of his life.

an extravagant lifestyle spending 500K per year for the last 15

You clearly do not know how to live extravagantly. Your membership to BTF Platinum has been denied.

What constitutes "drug paraphernalia", anyway? Can I be busted for having a hand mirror and a rolled-up $20 bill on me?

What Vlad said, but if you're in a high crime area depending on the DA they might toss it on as something they'll drop during a plea deal or the judge will throw out at a preliminary hearing.

One of the articles I saw on this said that he was in jail and that bail was set at $2500. If he had that, doesn't he just pay it on the spot? Unless this article was filed in the few minutes between bail was set and Bell could pay it . . .

He's moved on to Operation Snortdown.

This article says he's being held on $2,500 bail. I'd say the fact that he can't post $2,500 to get out of jail is further evidence that he's broke... and also that he has no friends or family.

Has he gotten his eyes circumcised yet?

Does he still live on a houseboat?

Doubtful. Valrico doesn't appear to have any ocean or bayfront property.

Has he gotten his eyes circumcised yet?

the bags didn't look so bad in his mug shot. maybe he got them done before he burned through his $$$.

COP: (filling out arrest report) Where do you work?
BELL: (agitated) I ain't go no job.
COP: Okay (writes "unemployed" in arrest report).