No player has ever won a case against the NFL on the grounds he failed a drug test due to "second-hand smoke."
This is Josh Gordon's claim, and the NFL is pushing back. "A cornerstone of both of our drug testing programs has always been that you are responsible for what is in your body," stated NFL VP of communications Greg Aiello. "It is stated that way in the policies." Aiello also confirmed the NFL has suspended several players in the past for "not being responsible for what is in your body." Gordon remains at serious risk of a lengthy suspension.
Second hand smoke won't keep me from getting fired if I tested positive for marijuana. Should be no different here. Gordon had already been suspended for testing positive so he should have left as soon as the blunt was fired up. No excuses.
Better grounds yes, but it still doesn't justify having the drug in his system. They proven time and time again that second hand smoke will not result in a positive drug test result. Josh's priorities are all messed up and he deserves the suspension.... a very long one at that.
The 15/ ng/ml fail threshold is so low for NFL drug policy (Olympics/MLB/Federal Goverment/Military all use 50 ng/ml as threshold to eliminate the second hand smoke defense), agree w/ Don though, better argument would be inconsistencies between the sample and the 70+ he has passed
I don't care what grounds of the case he uses, he passed 70+ tests and fails one test that had they tested the other sample first he would have no punishment at all...they need to throw this out of the window
I think we are discussing a young man that will either have a complete reversal of life choices or he won't be long for the league anyways. It's only a matter of time before the next DUI, positive drug test, etc. etc. If you're always around bad people doing bad things you will ultimately lower yourself to their standards. I truly hope I'm wrong here because I fully enjoy watching Josh play ball, but it is what it is.
The testing regimen as in frequency and fail threshold is draconian, at the least. The fact that the NFL is currently reviewing this very policy should also be considered. As to his future? Well I remember when Chris Carter was the NFL bad boy. He turned out OK! And he's not alone. Passing over 70 tests is some indication of application. I just don't believe the punishment fits the 'crime'. Dare I suggest that this is being enforced by some very rich old white guys such as Robert Irsay. HE has an addiction illness. A young black guy like Gordon has a PROBLEM! A double standard?
Way to go Douche bag.. lets bring race into it.. people are dumbasses based on their choices.. not by the skin pigment they were born with.. Black White Latino Asian.. it doesnt matter stupid is stupid. Your a idiot. . Irsay is the guy who left the team to his son who now acts like a spoiled brat. Josh is the guy without a positive role model in his life.. sounds like you need one..
Got my Irsay's confused. It's Jim of course! My generation showing there. The 'choices' that both have made are being treated differently. Both are addictive behaviours though. No call to be angered by my comment. I'm hardly the only person to have made the point and you're entitled to disagree with it.
DonQuixote, no call to be angered by your comment? Come on. That was WAY out of line. Throwing the race card into the picture is ridiculous. So you're basically saying white guys get off easier than black guys in the NFL? Whatever dude. This is year 2014, we have a black President, it's time to move on to the future and quit dwelling on the past.
eliminate the race card all together & there still is a double standard. Irsay was charged with multiple felony possession accounts, a DWI, and had nearly 30K in cash on him. Irsay has a very long history and relatively well known history of substance abuse. 2 weeks before Irsay's arrest, a Colts employee died of an overdose (and her body was found in her townhouse, which Irsay had given her).
"The league's policy, which explicitly states that the rules apply to owners, says employees should be held to a "higher standard" than merely avoiding criminal conviction."
Goodell hasn't addressed the Irsay issue. That story has taken the back burner.
Fact is the NFLPA & the NFL have been renegotiating the NFL drug policy since 2011. HGH testing, reduced penalties for marijuana use, higher threshold for fails being hot button topics. The hang up supposedly has something to do with disciplinary actions & who hands those out.
The DEA is in the process of investing the NFL regarding painkilling medicine use, abuse, and distribution (through team employed doctors and trainers). So there is another double standard... I suppose the "you're responsible for what's in your body" doesn't apply to that.
Outside of recreational use of marijuana, there are also the potential medical benefits (which Goodell briefly addressed prior to the Super Bowl) that are believed to be far less addictive & damaging to the human body than the vast majority of pain killing medicine that the NFL routinely hands out to it's players.
the owners pay them bloated salaries so who cares if the players receiver harsher treatments. without the owners there wouldn't be an NFL and without you going to and watching the games on tv the owners wouldn't have the money for their bloated salaries. ADAM quit watching/going to the games if you don't like it
totally, if the fricking retard doesn't like making millions its cool smoke away.......otherwise shut the hell up and follow the rules and regulations that control your contracts. Gordon is obviously some sort of "special" definition of STUPID even if he did attend college!
? What the hell does a piece od garbage like barak bin'ladden have to do with this post anyways?
Comments
smellmineWed 7/30/14 3:11 PM
Second hand smoke won't keep me from getting fired if I tested positive for marijuana. Should be no different here. Gordon had already been suspended for testing positive so he should have left as soon as the blunt was fired up. No excuses.
DonQuixoteWed 7/30/14 3:05 PM
The vagaries of the testing procedure and the random nature of the A & B samples labeling strikes me as better grounds.
RP65Wed 7/30/14 3:15 PM
Better grounds yes, but it still doesn't justify having the drug in his system. They proven time and time again that second hand smoke will not result in a positive drug test result. Josh's priorities are all messed up and he deserves the suspension.... a very long one at that.
Adam1977Wed 7/30/14 3:51 PM
The 15/ ng/ml fail threshold is so low for NFL drug policy (Olympics/MLB/Federal Goverment/Military all use 50 ng/ml as threshold to eliminate the second hand smoke defense), agree w/ Don though, better argument would be inconsistencies between the sample and the 70+ he has passed
Adam1977Wed 7/30/14 4:08 PM
cleveland.com take 20 minutes and listen to the podcast
PapaDickChickenWed 7/30/14 4:31 PM
I don't care what grounds of the case he uses, he passed 70+ tests and fails one test that had they tested the other sample first he would have no punishment at all...they need to throw this out of the window
RP65Wed 7/30/14 4:43 PM
I think we are discussing a young man that will either have a complete reversal of life choices or he won't be long for the league anyways. It's only a matter of time before the next DUI, positive drug test, etc. etc. If you're always around bad people doing bad things you will ultimately lower yourself to their standards. I truly hope I'm wrong here because I fully enjoy watching Josh play ball, but it is what it is.
DonQuixoteWed 7/30/14 4:58 PM
The testing regimen as in frequency and fail threshold is draconian, at the least. The fact that the NFL is currently reviewing this very policy should also be considered. As to his future? Well I remember when Chris Carter was the NFL bad boy. He turned out OK! And he's not alone. Passing over 70 tests is some indication of application. I just don't believe the punishment fits the 'crime'. Dare I suggest that this is being enforced by some very rich old white guys such as Robert Irsay. HE has an addiction illness. A young black guy like Gordon has a PROBLEM! A double standard?
[Deleted User]Wed 7/30/14 5:42 PM
Way to go Douche bag.. lets bring race into it.. people are dumbasses based on their choices.. not by the skin pigment they were born with.. Black White Latino Asian.. it doesnt matter stupid is stupid. Your a idiot. . Irsay is the guy who left the team to his son who now acts like a spoiled brat. Josh is the guy without a positive role model in his life.. sounds like you need one..
bigBIRD86Wed 7/30/14 7:51 PM
I love white guys
Adam1977Wed 7/30/14 10:16 PM
lol @ "your a idiot"... if you're going to call someone an idiot, use proper grammar
DonQuixoteWed 7/30/14 10:26 PM
Got my Irsay's confused. It's Jim of course! My generation showing there. The 'choices' that both have made are being treated differently. Both are addictive behaviours though. No call to be angered by my comment. I'm hardly the only person to have made the point and you're entitled to disagree with it.
RP65Wed 7/30/14 11:05 PM
DonQuixote, no call to be angered by your comment? Come on. That was WAY out of line. Throwing the race card into the picture is ridiculous. So you're basically saying white guys get off easier than black guys in the NFL? Whatever dude. This is year 2014, we have a black President, it's time to move on to the future and quit dwelling on the past.
Adam1977Thu 7/31/14 9:43 AM
eliminate the race card all together & there still is a double standard. Irsay was charged with multiple felony possession accounts, a DWI, and had nearly 30K in cash on him. Irsay has a very long history and relatively well known history of substance abuse. 2 weeks before Irsay's arrest, a Colts employee died of an overdose (and her body was found in her townhouse, which Irsay had given her).
"The league's policy, which explicitly states that the rules apply to owners, says employees should be held to a "higher standard" than merely avoiding criminal conviction."
usatoday.com
Goodell hasn't addressed the Irsay issue. That story has taken the back burner.
Fact is the NFLPA & the NFL have been renegotiating the NFL drug policy since 2011. HGH testing, reduced penalties for marijuana use, higher threshold for fails being hot button topics. The hang up supposedly has something to do with disciplinary actions & who hands those out.
The DEA is in the process of investing the NFL regarding painkilling medicine use, abuse, and distribution (through team employed doctors and trainers). So there is another double standard... I suppose the "you're responsible for what's in your body" doesn't apply to that.
nydailynews.com
Outside of recreational use of marijuana, there are also the potential medical benefits (which Goodell briefly addressed prior to the Super Bowl) that are believed to be far less addictive & damaging to the human body than the vast majority of pain killing medicine that the NFL routinely hands out to it's players.
si.com
Ex-players have gone on the record saying how wide spread marijuana use in the NFL is - 50% - 80%
nfl.com
washingtonpost.com
Then there's the whole "end prohibition" or "legalize it" movement that has been (and will continue to) gain traction.
wikipedia.org
bigBIRD86Thu 7/31/14 11:42 AM
the owners pay them bloated salaries so who cares if the players receiver harsher treatments. without the owners there wouldn't be an NFL and without you going to and watching the games on tv the owners wouldn't have the money for their bloated salaries. ADAM quit watching/going to the games if you don't like it
jLadubSat 8/2/14 12:39 PM
totally, if the fricking retard doesn't like making millions its cool smoke away.......otherwise shut the hell up and follow the rules and regulations that control your contracts. Gordon is obviously some sort of "special" definition of STUPID even if he did attend college!
? What the hell does a piece od garbage like barak bin'ladden have to do with this post anyways?