Report: two USC LB test positive for Steroids (unconfirmed)

[apple strudel]

He has said that no one from the NLF office has been informed of anyone testing positive for roids. I think that is very clear.

Maybe the Combine will inform the nfldraftbible before informing the NFL?

Have they received all of the test results? If the report is coming from the lab before the NFL gets everything then it's a meaningless statement. He didnt' say there were no positive results, he said they haven't received them. Yet?

 

[BPF]

So long NFL Draft Bible.

Here's the link: ProFootballTalk.com - Report of Matthews Drug Test Refuted

 

[BradyManny]

I also have been informed by an attorney at the NFL League Office that they have not received notification from the Independent Administrator of any Draft-eligible players testing positive for steroids during the pre-employment drug testing conducted at this year’s Combine, and likewise, that they have not informed the member NFL clubs of any drug testing results

I guess the Combine would inform teh nfldraftbible and not the NFL office?

Yes, because an agent would always tell the truth. I was working under the presumption the agent was lying/bluffing because he has the ability to do so. I don't think it's a stretch.

If the baseball era taught us anything its that if they look like a roid user, its that "guilty until proven innocent" is right 99% of the time when it comes to steroids. I'm sorry, but if Matthews weren't your binky, you probably wouldn't be giving him the benefit of the doubt.

I'll happily be wrong. It is in the Patriots benefit that this report is wrong. But I'm going to hear it from a less biased source than Matthews' agent.

 

[BPF]

Yes, because an agent would always tell the truth. I was working under the presumption the agent was lying/bluffing because he has the ability to do so. I don't think it's a stretch.

If the baseball era taught us anything its that if they look like a roid user, its that "guilty until proven innocent" is right 99% of the time when it comes to steroids. I'm sorry, but if Matthews weren't your binky, you probably wouldn't be giving him the benefit of the doubt.

I'll happily be wrong. It is in the Patriots benefit that this report is wrong. But I'm going to hear it from a less biased source than Matthews' agent.

I don't think an agent would deny this rumor if he was advised of the positive test results, that would an utterly stupid way to go. I'm quite certain that Cushing did test positive but I'm not so sure Matthews did. In Matthews case I think it's something more along the lines of a team creating an erroneous story based on the fact that it would seem believeable since another USC player tested positive so that Matthews would slide to them. Stuff like this happens a lot around this time of year.

 

[apple strudel]

Listening to a guy's agent is like listening to his mother.

 

[apple strudel]

Re: Two USC LB test positive for Steroids

I don't think an agent would deny this rumor if he was advised of the positive test results, that would an utterly stupid way to go. I'm quite certain that Cushing did test positive but I'm not so sure Matthews did. In Matthews case I think it's something more along the lines of a team creating an erroneous story based on the fact that it would seem believeable since another USC player tested positive so that Matthews would slide to them.

He didn't deny, really, he said he hasn't been notified of a positive result. What does that mean, exactly?

 

[patchick]

Re: Two USC LB test positive for Steroids

He didn't deny, really, he said he hasn't been notified of a positive result. What does that mean, exactly?

I have absolutely no idea. We don't know if he would have been notified by now; we don't know much of anything. They're strange denials that have nothing to do with the behavior in question, just with the league reporting. Nonetheless, I've changed the thread title to emphasize the unconfirmed status.

 

[apple strudel]

Re: Two USC LB test positive for Steroids

I have absolutely no idea. We don't know if he would have been notified by now; we don't know much of anything. They're strange denials that have nothing to do with the behavior in question, just with the league reporting. Nonetheless, I've changed the thread title to emphasize the unconfirmed status.

It is absolutely 100% unconfirmed, and unfortunately we don't know much of anything.

Let me say that if I were an agent and my client had in fact passed the test while it was reported that he did not, I would have issued a much, much stronger statement that this one. IANAL, however.

 

[stevedogc]

Cush looks a bit like Lattimer from the movie The Program in the pic on the right. He was on steriods in the movie. hhhmmmmm!

 

[BPF]

Re: Two USC LB test positive for Steroids

I have absolutely no idea. We don't know if he would have been notified by now; we don't know much of anything. They're strange denials that have nothing to do with the behavior in question, just with the league reporting. Nonetheless, I've changed the thread title to emphasize the unconfirmed status.

You're right but typically the time from the beginning of April till around the 14th or 15th is when these type of "rumors" start coming out. One thing is clear though, because of the NFL confidentiality guidelines league and team officials cannot discuss the results of drug tests. So this will never be confirmed by any league official on the record. Another thing we know is that players who test positive at the combine enter the NFL in the first phase of the NFL's substance abuse policy. Under that policy, those players will be subject to random testing for cause and might undergo two screenings per month, with the possibility of counseling. I don't know if anyone saw this but NFLDraftBible.com also reported that, in addition to Raji, Florida WR Percy Harvin, Illinois CB Vontae Davis, UTEP K Jose Martinez also tested positive for marijuana at the Combine.

As mentioned, information like this is sometimes "leaked" by teams in hopes of dropping certain players' stock, keep in mind this is the exact time when teams finalize their draft boards.

 

[patchick]

Re: Two USC LB test positive for Steroids

Another thing we know is that players who test positive at the combine enter the NFL in the first phase of the NFL's substance abuse policy. Under that policy, those players will be subject to random testing for cause and might undergo two screenings per month, with the possibility of counseling.

Just to clarify, I believe that the "program" applies to use of illicit recreational pharmaceuticals, not to performance enhancers. There are no free strikes for steroids or HGH -- once you're in the league. Pre-draft, though, I think the only punishment comes in the form of where you're drafted.

 

[BadMoFo]

I can't believe that some people are obviously believing this because they read a one sentence posting on a site they never even heard of. I guess in the end, though, they got what John Thomase got, someone to notice them. By the way, still no other sites confirming "these reports" and Pete Carroll has come to the defensive of his boys.

Carroll: Cushing, Matthews rumors false
By Ben Malcolmson on April 3, 2009 1:10 PM

Coach Carroll has come to set the record straight.

Rumors have been circulating around the Internet today that USC linebackers Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews tested positive for steroids at the NFL Combine in February. Thing is, the report is fallacious, and Carroll is fighting back with the truth.

"These rumors are absolutely false," Carroll said this afternoon. "If they were found positive, Clay and Cush would have been notified three weeks ago, which they weren't, and all of the NFL teams would have been notified too, which they weren't."

Carroll said he spoke with the NFL testing service this morning and verified that both Cushing and Matthews are clean.

"They're both men of outstanding character and they never tested positive for anything here," Carroll said. "This is an major example of irresponsible reporting, and the site that published this report should be ashamed of themselves."

 

[apple strudel]

I can't believe that some people are obviously believing this because they read a one sentence posting on a site they never even heard of. I guess in the end, though, they got what John Thomase got, someone to notice them. By the way, still no other sites confirming "these reports" and Pete Carroll has come to the defensive of his boys.

Thanks, that helps fill in some of the time frame. Of course, it doesn't mean that they didn't just cycle properly.

 

[BadMoFo]

A photo of him as a freshman and a recent photo of him flexing after pumping iron. I hope he would look different.

 

[apple strudel]

A photo of him as a freshman and a recent photo of him flexing after pumping iron. I hope he would look different.

To be honest, in the photo on the left he looks like he has serious gyno. His face in both of the photos reminds me of Arnold Schwarzenegger: big jaw and chin with smaller features.

 

[BPF]

I can't believe that some people are obviously believing this because they read a one sentence posting on a site they never even heard of. I guess in the end, though, they got what John Thomase got, someone to notice them. By the way, still no other sites confirming "these reports" and Pete Carroll has come to the defensive of his boys.

Charley Casserly just said on NFLN that he did his homework as he would when he was a GM in the league and confirmed that both Matthews and Cushing DID NOT test positive at the combine for steroids and PEDs. He said the way it works is this, the players would be notified if 1st if they failed a test, called sample A. If they then dispute it they are tested again, sample B, then the teams are notified 1 week before the draft if they test positive. He said the only person who would know at this point in time is Dr. Lombardo and his mouth is like a "vault," so any rumors out there are just that. He also said he dispises this type of internet reports because these people running those sites are responsible to no one, unlike himself who has to answer to his boss over at CBS. So, they have nothing to lose by putting out these rumours and everything to gain. IMO, they are also used by certain NFL people to create false reports about players so teams have to go back and do more work on a player, re-interview him, people around the player, etc.

 

[TripleOption]

I'm not necessarily going to argue that, but I do have to point out that Michael Phelps, the greatest swimmer to ever walk the planet, use(s) marijuana, and apparently somewhere between 30-70% of NBA players use marijuana.

Swimming ain't NFL football, and the NBA isn't even in the same universe. There's a reason the NFL is so popular.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Charley Casserly just said on NFLN that he did his homework as he would when he was a GM in the league and confirmed that both Matthews and Cushing DID NOT test positive at the combine for steroids and PEDs. He said the way it works is this, the players would be notified if 1st if they failed a test, called sample A. If they then dispute it they are tested again, sample B, then the teams are notified 1 week before the draft if they test positive. He said the only person who would know at this point in time is Dr. Lombardo and his mouth is like a "vault," so any rumors out there are just that. He also said he dispises this type of internet reports because these people running those sites are responsible to no one, unlike himself who has to answer to his boss over at CBS. So, they have nothing to lose by putting out these rumours and everything to gain. IMO, they are also used by certain NFL people to create false reports about players so teams have to go back and do more work on a player, re-interview him, people around the player, etc.

So technically, the NFL isn't informed until one week before the draft and the most likely "source" behind this is another team trying to upset PATSNUTMe's apple cart? And, Charlie Casserly's due diligence on this is knowing the timeline, he's such a hard worker on the fan's behalf.

 

[TriplecHamp]

Yeah Rumuors....squashed!

 

[jeffbiologist]

History of positive drug tests for first round picks before the draft has had NO affect on production or their careers. I can think of Warren Sapp, Randy Moss, Castillo just to name a few...and all of those guys fell in the draft and were productive pros if not model citizens. The same cant be said of those arrested for domestic incidents (cecil collins, that nebraska/rams rb) show behavior flaws. Isnt that what its all about after all? I assure you BB worries little about what these guys do off the field, only that they are intelligent enough to understand the consequences of their actions.