Richard Sherman wins appeal

[holyredeemer]

The Seahawks are a good team but I don't get the hype. The furthest they'll go is the 2nd round, if that. Wouldn't be suprised if they lose on WC weekend.

Don't get the hype? They have the potential on Offense and Defense to turn it on and stay hot all throughout the playoffs. Is there any team in the NFL right now that you wouldn't be surprised if they had a one a done performance in the playoffs? Only team out there that looks consistent is Denver, but who have they played lately?

The only thing that makes me feel good about the Pats chances this yr. is that everyone else is as inconsistent as they are. It's just too bad our D seems to be regressing. Cross those fingers. We are gonna need it.

 

[lamafist]

According to Sherman. I don't doubt there's some truth to that. I used to conduct urine testing and certain percentage of the tests collected will get thrown out on procedures. Labels break, initials smudge, there could be a lot of technical reasons. But the truth is neither I, nor anyone I've ever met could make a sample test positive. The tests are looking for what steroids look like after they've been metabolized. How could anyone short of a chemist with a laboratory really know how to fake that and then put it in a sample cup without the subject noticing. It's absurd really. Then the test goes to the lab where every positive test was retested 3 times from the same sample to confirm the results.
I've heard of all kinds of things people do to pass the tests. Putting toilet water in, putting soap in. People claim the tester sprinkled cocaine in a sample. But these labs can tell what they're testing. A sample with cocaine sprinkled in would look like just that, not like a positive sample.
Anyway, it all comes down to this. Do you believe somebody somehow found a way to spike his sample or not?

Why would it come down to that? Sherman hasn't accused anybody of intentionally spiking his sample. All he alleged was that the NFL did not adequately adhere to its own urine collection and testing procedure, and thus cannot act upon any of the results. The judge agreed.

Both Sherman and Mark Cook, the sample collector, testified that Sherman's original sample cup was leaking, and was eventually transferred into a second cup. Per Sherman, the seal on the second cup was already broken, and Cook was unable to assert otherwise. Both men said that there were several other sample cups in the area.

The biggest problem, according to the judge's ruling, was Cook's failure to document any of the testing irregularities and/or report them to his superiors, until after Sherman appealed his suspension. Had he done so, the league could have gone about obtaining a B sample using a different collecting technician, as its collection policy mandates.

If the NFL wants to suspend players for failing drug tests, it needs to start adhering to its own testing procedure.

 

[lamafist]

According to Sherman. I don't doubt there's some truth to that. I used to conduct urine testing and certain percentage of the tests collected will get thrown out on procedures. Labels break, initials smudge, there could be a lot of technical reasons. But the truth is neither I, nor anyone I've ever met could make a sample test positive. The tests are looking for what steroids look like after they've been metabolized. How could anyone short of a chemist with a laboratory really know how to fake that and then put it in a sample cup without the subject noticing. It's absurd really. Then the test goes to the lab where every positive test was retested 3 times from the same sample to confirm the results.
I've heard of all kinds of things people do to pass the tests. Putting toilet water in, putting soap in. People claim the tester sprinkled cocaine in a sample. But these labs can tell what they're testing. A sample with cocaine sprinkled in would look like just that, not like a positive sample.
Anyway, it all comes down to this. Do you believe somebody somehow found a way to spike his sample or not?

Also, I find it odd that you'd still be talking about steroids. Although the NFL hasn't (and can't) make any official statement about the nature of the substance Sherman tested positive for, multiple media sources have obtained various documents from the appeals process, and verified that the substance in question is, in fact, amphetamine.

Amphetamine is a metabolite of a number of drugs (such as Adderall) as well as a substance that is excreted in urine unchanged, so you could, indeed, spike a sample with the actual drug. Actually, now that you mention it, cocaine is also detectable in its original form in a user's urine for ~72 hrs after use, so yes, you could spike a sample with even a tiny amount of cocaine. Also, cocaine's primary metabolite, benzoylecgonine, is the main active ingredient in certain prescription drugs.

Actually, now that you mention it, many of the main metabolites of commonly abused steroids are used in other drugs or supplements, so it wouldn't take a chemist to acquire and spike a sample with these. And of course the easiest way to spike a sample would be with known contaminated urine, something a sample collector would certainly have access to.

Again, however, nobody's accused anybody of spiking a sample.

 

[JMC00]

It's just too bad our D seems to be regressing. Cross those fingers. We are gonna need it.

You're kidding right? You can't put that 49ers game all on the D.

Then last week their #1 (well played 8 snaps) & #2 corners and #2 LB didn't play. Chung played 61 snaps. Arrington was moved from the nickle (which he has played well) to the #2 outside corner. Ninkovich was switching from DE to LB at times. This was the most Marquice Cole had played since the Bills game in Nov. There was a decent amount of rotation with guys like Tracy White & Tavon Wilson playing 30 snaps of the 80. Justin Francis played a season high 47 snaps.

While they struggled and gave up 10 points in the first quarter they held them to 6 the rest of the game.

The D has not regressed. Because I recall them showing up against the Texans and holding them to 7 points. (Ya I know they scored 14)

Do you honestly believe last year's defense or the defense earlier in the season would have held the Texans to 7 points?

 

[ausbacker]

Don't get the hype? They have the potential on Offense and Defense to turn it on and stay hot all throughout the playoffs. Is there any team in the NFL right now that you wouldn't be surprised if they had a one a done performance in the playoffs? Only team out there that looks consistent is Denver, but who have they played lately?

The only thing that makes me feel good about the Pats chances this yr. is that everyone else is as inconsistent as they are. It's just too bad our D seems to be regressing. Cross those fingers. We are gonna need it.

The Seahawks are probably playing to the most complete level of performance across O/D/ST in the NFL right now. Anyone writing them off as a serious threat hasn't been watching their games.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Don't get the hype? They have the potential on Offense and Defense to turn it on and stay hot all throughout the playoffs. Is there any team in the NFL right now that you wouldn't be surprised if they had a one a done performance in the playoffs? Only team out there that looks consistent is Denver, but who have they played lately?

The only thing that makes me feel good about the Pats chances this yr. is that everyone else is as inconsistent as they are. It's just too bad our D seems to be regressing. Cross those fingers. We are gonna need it.

They're playing with a rookie QB and Pete Carroll is still their HC. I've got a feeling each will be exposed in the playoffs. They're playing good football but I still don't buy them as serious a threat as teams like GB/SF. They are what they are right now, a team that's solid all around but at the same time, they are a 10-5* wild card team with a rookie HC and Pete Carroll.

*Should be 9-6 if not for an inexplicably bad TD ruling

 

[Whorod]

I would be giddy if we got another shot at Seattle in the Superbowl. That was THE game this year where the Pats played like crap, gave up sure points in the Red Zone, and still had to give it away at the end to lose it. I would think the Pats would be heavily favored in such a match-up.

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

Why would it come down to that? Sherman hasn't accused anybody of intentionally spiking his sample. All he alleged was that the NFL did not adequately adhere to its own urine collection and testing procedure, and thus cannot act upon any of the results. The judge agreed.

Both Sherman and Mark Cook, the sample collector, testified that Sherman's original sample cup was leaking, and was eventually transferred into a second cup. Per Sherman, the seal on the second cup was already broken, and Cook was unable to assert otherwise. Both men said that there were several other sample cups in the area.

The biggest problem, according to the judge's ruling, was Cook's failure to document any of the testing irregularities and/or report them to his superiors, until after Sherman appealed his suspension. Had he done so, the league could have gone about obtaining a B sample using a different collecting technician, as its collection policy mandates.

If the NFL wants to suspend players for failing drug tests, it needs to start adhering to its own testing procedure.

Believe what you want. The test still came up positive in a way consistent with someone who has taken a drug. It could be because someone intentionally or unitentionally put a drug metabolite in his cup but any story that explains that would be quite fantastic. There is a burden of proof that is dependant on it being nearly impossible for someone to contaminate his sample, the fact that Sherman argued successfully that it is possible for someone to contaminate his sample doesn't make it likely. There's still no means or motive for anyone to do so. I'm not arguing the NFL needs to change their burden of proof, but I certainly don't need to concede he innocence based on some highly unlikely fantasy. Maybe Mark Fuhrman stepping in a pool of blood caused somebody else's DNA to exactly match OJ's, and maybe transferring urine from one leaking sterile cup to another caused a false positive.

 

[PatriotSeven]

Sherman is quite the villain. He and he alone is the only reason I root against Seattle in general. He seems destined to end up with the Jets or Ravens later in his career.

I agree. He is becoming a great villain to hate and feel all warm and fuzzy inside when something bad happens to him. Will be cheering hard anytime a receiver burns him

 

[Skeeter712]

All this Super Bowl talk is a little premature. But I'd take any team from the NFC, because frankly the whole conference is weak.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

People really can't be mad at him. If Brady really said what was mentioned by Sherman, then he deserved it. Its competitveness and nothing more. So what because he said a little something to Brady after proving him wrong. Patriots fans jumped all over the guy for telling his story.

No, sherman is the one who started trash talking to brady all game because brady kept throwing in his direction...brady simply responded by saying I'll see you after the game.

 

[New England Seahawks]

I'd take any team from the NFC, because frankly the whole conference is weak.

Most people would disagree with you.

For starters, just look at the interconference games between playoff clinching teams this year:

NFC wins:
GB > HOU
SF > NE
ATL > DEN
SEA > NE

AFC wins:
IND > GB

 

[New England Seahawks]

No, sherman is the one who started trash talking to brady all game because brady kept throwing in his direction...brady simply responded by saying I'll see you after the game.

I'm sorry, were you on the field? Did you hear their conversations?

The only people who knows what was said are Brady and Sherman, and you're going to get two different stories.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I'm sorry, were you on the field? Did you hear their conversations?

The only people who knows what was said are Brady and Sherman, and you're going to get two different stories.

Agreed with both your posts. I don't know how anyone here can draw conclusions about the Sherman-Brady conflict.

And as I said in the other thread, I think there's at least 2 or 3 NFC teams that easily worry me more than our toughest potential AFC opponent. I'm not saying we'll sleepwalk through the AFC or anything but if I were to choose an easier road to the SB, I think I'd easily want to be in the AFC this year. Very similar to the situation last year except the AFC isn't AS weak this year.

 

[mayoclinic]

Green Bay's the best team in the NFL.

Not hardly, as I've said all along. Crappy defense and no running game. They're the 2010 Pats at best, and not as good. SF is destroying them in all phases of the game, a much more complete and physical team. Green Bay's a one dimensional fraud.