OT: Steelers WR Martavis Bryant facing a year-long suspension

[Froob]

It's extremely dumb anyone is being busted for weed but, he's an idiot for getting caught. Also, why did Captain Integrity bypass 10 games and go straight for a year?

 

[Froob]

The thing I don't understand is this---if it's not effecting your work, who cares? If it is making you bad at playing football, you'll be cut and replaced by someone who isn't. The NBA, MLB and NHL have no weed policy. Because it isn't necessary.

The NBA does. It's super easy to avoid getting busted because I believe you get a heads up and after the test they don't bug you for the rest of the season. And....NBA won't punish good players especially superstars.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

The only substances that should allow for a year-long suspension are performance-enhancing stuff.

I'm also OK with including illicit drugs that pose a significant risk of harm (e.g., cocaine and PCP), though I agree that THC should be excluded.

 

[Mack Herron]

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

How is Sheldon Richardson these days?

 

[VectorPrime]

No two ways about it, this is a massive loss.

 

[lillloyd]

I think the league's disciplinary policy on weed is pretty draconian, and frankly they look silly every time they hand down a sentence like this. It just underscores how out of whack their priorities have been, when guys get benched for a year for weed and Ray Rice initially got a game for knocking his wife out cold (on video).

But the fact that the NFL's disciplinary policy is a mess is hardly news. The rules are still the rules, no matter how bass-ackwards....And this one is particularly easy to get right. IIRC, the league only tests certain months of the year.

Bryant's failed this test *6* times now. He doesn't appear to be a bad kid (no history of violence or anything like that), but apparently he loves weed more than playing football and making what could be a huge amount of money. The fact that the league policy is a mess doesn't make his actions any less stupid.

The shame of it is that Bryant is truly a world-class physical talent. He has tremendous speed, but it's his unreal *quickness* for a man of his build and size that make him so unusual and lethal. I would never say that he is a top receiver (not now anyway), but I believe he is a top 10 talent at the position--arguably top 5--just in terms of sheer physical ability. He's probably the most physically talented guy on the Steelers. I always think it's a terrible shame when a talented young guy is unable to reach his potential, but he really has only himself to blame here.

In any event, this makes the signing of Green this week (and frankly, the drafting of Coates last year in the 3rd when they appeared stocked at receiver) more understandable. The team had to know in both cases that a suspension was imminent. The cupboard isn't bare for Pittsburgh -- not with AB, Ben, Bell/Pouncey coming back, etc -- but it's still a significant blow that makes the offense less explosive.

 

[Froob]

I'm also OK with including illicit drugs that pose a significant risk of harm (e.g., cocaine and PCP), though I agree that THC should be excluded.

I don't know, I don't think they should really be illegal to begin with (maybe just hit the dealer's?). As far as the NFL is concerned, if you want to shoot up PCP go for it, it's not helping yourself out. I feel like the drug testing should be to catch cheaters. Not someone trying to get high.

 

[102 Pat]

It's extremely dumb anyone is being busted for weed but, he's an idiot for getting caught. Also, why did Captain Integrity bypass 10 games and go straight for a year?

Because they played the Patriots last year, it's like six degress of Bacon for Godell

 

[TBR]

Call it arrogance, but barring big injuries this makes the AFC a 1 team race. What a huge loss.

Broncos, Steelers, Bengals all getting worse.

Yup. The only thing stopping the Pats from winning it all is injuries.

Which seemed to be the case 4 of the last 5 years.

 

[DaBruinz]

Drug testing, in general (not always), is a vile and reprehensible thing that should be against the law, not encouraged by the government.

Clearly you've never worked in a manufacturing environment where not paying attention or having your senses dulled could cost you or someone else their life.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Drug testing, in general (not always), is a vile and reprehensible thing that should be against the law, not encouraged by the government.

I prefer that the pilot flying the plane that I'm on, not to be high, call me silly, but that's just me.

 

[Tony2046]

I prefer that the pilot flying the plane that I'm on, not to be high, call me silly, but that's just me.

How about a pilot hooked on pain meds?

 

[Deus Irae]

I prefer that the pilot flying the plane that I'm on, not to be high, call me silly, but that's just me.

I'm just curious...


Did you actually read my post before you decided to play the "but what about this job?" game? Given that I specifically wrote "in general", and added "not always" in parentheses, I'm not sure you did.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Drug testing, in general (not always), is a vile and reprehensible thing that should be against the law, not encouraged by the government.

Only if you are on welfare.

 

[jah]

Yep.

How hard is it not to smoke weed?

really hard

 

[sambam94]

people are idiots..don't do drugs, get paid millions. Little sympathy for idiots

 

[lurker1965]

It's extremely dumb anyone is being busted for weed but, he's an idiot for getting caught. Also, why did Captain Integrity bypass 10 games and go straight for a year?

I'm guessing he failed his fifth test and while it was being confirmed or whatever he failed his sixth.

 

[1960Pats]

This baloney is getting to me. It's all about the arrogance of the owners and, as with the nonsense of defame-gate, having control over the players. It's actually making my decision to dump the NFL a little easier when Brady retires.

I was under a drug policy myself, and because of the danger of the job we were in I understood that, but there's no way in hell that a football player should be banned for anything other than a PED.

It's not just drugs either. Josh Gordon lost a year of his career and millions of dollars for drinking. His fans also lost a year of watching him play, and possibly the rest of his career.

Meanwhile, owners like Irsay and Jones can get as drunk and as doped up as they want and they get to sit on their asses and make decisions that affect players lives.

I used to pay to watch football players (like Gordon and Bryant) play football. The reason is because they're special. I never once paid to see an owner own. Any schmuck with a buck can do that.

 

[Wordsmyth]

What a dope.