News: Randy Gregory Suspended Four Games

MikeT22

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Shocking. A player that fell into the 2nd round due to a failed drug test and character issues now fails a drug test and gets suspended.

Brilliant Jerry. Another wasted 2nd round pick trying to outsmart everyone.
 

MichaelWinicki

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Shocking. A player that fell into the 2nd round due to a failed drug test and character issues now fails a drug test and gets suspended.

Brilliant Jerry. Another wasted 2nd round pick trying to outsmart everyone.

In all fairness there were many folks in both the media and here that applauded the move.

And it still may turn out fine.
 

BigStar

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Exactly.

Right now it's estimated that 1 out of 10 people in this country have an addiction of what kind or another (drugs, alcohol, ect.)

Since 1998 the use of cocaine and marijuana has increased by 50%... Things like opiates and pains killers have climbed three-fold.

It's a huge problem that isn't solved by throwing folks in jail or "cutting them".

As a matter of fact the whole "cutting them to make an example" is so incredibly naïve based on the rampant spread of the problem across all demographics.

Great post!
 

MikeT22

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In all fairness there were many folks in both the media and here that applauded the move.

And it still may turn out fine.

He still fell for a reason. We just need to stop taking so many chances on injured players or character issues.

Hopefully it'll be a wake up call for him and it'll turn out fine in the long run. But doesn't look good that after one year he's already getting suspended.
 

MichaelWinicki

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He still fell for a reason. We just need to stop taking so many chances on injured players or character issues.

Hopefully it'll be a wake up call for him and it'll turn out fine in the long run. But doesn't look good that after one year he's already getting suspended.

It's not good, but it's not yet devastating.

We hope for the best.
 

Dodger12

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If "staying clean" included a zero tolerance ban on alcohol, the policy would not be deemed outdated as it currently is . You mean the establishment (Big Pharma) wouldn't suggest marijuana over highly addictive benzos like Xanax? Get outta town;):D

You may not agree with it but one is legal and the other is not. Outdated or not. If his issue is anxiety, then there is certainly medical help he can receive outside of weed. The kid has a drug problem and needs help.
 

KJJ

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Gregory's suspension has created a distraction for the Cowboys heading into the 2016 season which is the last thing they needed coming off a 4-12 campaign. Instead of talking about Gregory improving as a player the organization will be bombarded by questions about his suspension and drug dependency.
 

BigStar

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You may not agree with it but one is legal and the other is not. Outdated or not. If his issue is anxiety, then there is certainly medical help he can receive outside of weed. The kid has a drug problem and needs help.

I agree with your post but think the highlighted portion is where we simply disagree. He is an immature pothead who doesn't understand life priorities but agree he needs counseling until the policy takes a common sense approach to the subject, etc. There are plenty of work out warriors that smoke erb...NCAA, NBA, NFL, etc.?
 

Dodger12

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I agree with your post but think the highlighted portion is where we simply disagree. He is an immature pothead who doesn't understand life priorities but agree he needs counseling until the policy takes a common sense approach to the subject, etc. There are plenty of work out warriors that smoke erb...NBA, NFL, etc.?

When faced with the prospects of making millions of dollars and all you have to do is not smoke weed and you do it right before the combine when you know 100% you'll be tested, you've got a problem. When you couple another 3 failed drug tests when you know 100% that you're going to be tested, you've got a problem. He's not an immature kid. He can't stop even though he knows he's throwing his life away.

Really, it's folks like you that excuse this kind of behavior that hurt guys like Gregory because they're enablers and I mean that in a very respectful way. Gregory has a drug problem. He told everyone at the combine that he had it under control and he continues to throw his life away. That's not normal and that's not a lack of maturity. And the answer, for Gregory at least, is not to "update" the policy because that won't help Dallas or Randy. He needs help, not changing the policies to allow the type of conduct that has brought him to the brink of career suicide.
 

BigStar

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When faced with the prospects of making millions of dollars and all you have to do is not smoke weed and you do it right before the combine when you know 100% you'll be tested, you've got a problem. When you couple another 3 failed drug tests when you know 100% that you're going to be tested, you've got a problem. He's not an immature kid. He can't stop even though he knows he's throwing his life away.

Really, it's folks like you that excuse this kind of behavior that hurt guys like Gregory because they're enablers and I mean that in a very respectful way. Gregory has a drug problem. He told everyone at the combine that he had it under control and he continues to throw his life away. That's not normal and that's not a lack of maturity. And the answer, for Gregory at least, is not to "update" the policy because that won't help Dallas or Randy. He needs help, not changing the policies to allow the type of conduct that has brought him to the brink of career suicide.

He needs help and is psychologically addicted/and probably physically to a very lesser degree. He does need help, but think his problem is minuscule when compared to alcohol related problems in the US; DUIs, Assaults, Domestic Abuse in many times, of NFL player misconduct that makes it to the press (Hardy).. It's hypocritical to call him an addict when the US promotes alcohol and determine alcoholic "partiers or at worst, heavy drinkers" as if it is not a drug.

He is an immature 23 year old pothead who is used to smoking whenever he wants; aka the . He does need to mature out of that assumption in life aka as the "don't give a..." attitude that is common with young men predominately (especially an athletic freaks lime himself).

Ideally, he would have figured that out last season. He did not; no reason to cut bait yet.

Mark Stepnoski (one of the hardest working athletes and smartest player to play the C position technique wise) admitted to smoking weed heavily throughout his college and NFL career. He only bypassed suspensions due to "anonymous" phone calls to allow him to prepare.
 
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BigStar

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Just to lighten things up a bit:D

ESPN

http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=gallo/040802
One Smokin Team!
By DJ Gallo

Special to Page 2

What if testing positive for marijuana wasn't a violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy? In fact, what if possessing marijuana wasn't even against the law in the United States? I found myself pondering these issues last week, after both Ricky Williams and Bam Morris made cannabis-related news.



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Ricky Williams has told the Miami Herald he has no plans to return to the Dolphins anytime soon.
Would Williams have retired if he could keep smoking marijuana? Would Morris, who just completed a five-year prison sentence, have played on if six pounds of marijuana hadn't been found in his trunk back in 1996?

And would a team of potheads -- led by the backfield of Williams and Morris -- be able to beat any team in football?

I found myself asking all of these questions.

And, no, I wasn't high at the time.

I see this All-Weed Team defeating all comers. Instead of boring old plays like the "Pro 34 Dive" or the "24 Slant Tight Left," they'd run things called the "Smoked Screen," the "Hail Mary-Jane," or maybe the "Bong Pass." They'd wear uniforms made from hemp and refuse to work out or watch film. They'd get endorsement contracts not with Nike and Gatorade, but with companies that produce liquid masking agents. The locker room would be filled with homemade arts and crafts like water-bottle bongs. And the trainer's room would be stocked with medical marijuana to be used for the treatment of all injuries.

With a little research, I put together a fantasy team so . . . umm, loaded -- 11 current or former All-Pros and Pro Bowl players -- that Bam Morris didn't even make the final cut. So without further ado, let's take a look -- even if it is with bloodshot eyes -- at the All-Weed Team. (No sense stalling any further; some pot smokers might be reading this, and their concentration can go pretty quickly.)

OFFENSE
Running back: Ricky Williams, formerly of the Miami Dolphins. Led NFL in rushing in 2002 with 1,853 yards.

The All-Weed Team starts with Williams. With three failures of league drug tests on his record, the former All-Pro even admitted to the Miami Herald last week that his desire to continue smoking pot contributed to his decision to retire. That's some serious dedication to weed. And considering that long-term marijuana might lead to motivational problems, impaired judgment and loss of ambition, it's no wonder Williams thought it wise to give up the millions of dollars remaining on his contract for a life of joblessness and bong hits. He'll get the bulk of the carries on the All-Weed Team.

Running back: Jamal Lewis, Baltimore Ravens. Led NFL in rushing in 2003 with 2,066 yards.

Lewis was suspended in 2001 for violation of the league's substance abuse policy. (The details of Lewis's two positive tests weren't released by the league, so we can't be absolutely certain about his substance of choice.) But that -- and his current federal indictment in relation to a drug ring -- are enough to put Lewis in our backfield with Williams. It's a backfield that any coach would want to have between the hashish ... er, hashes.



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What's that saying about a rolling Moss and getting stoned again?
Wide receiver: Randy Moss, Minnesota Vikings. All-Pro with 8,375 receiving yards in just six seasons.

Moss tested positive for marijuana at Florida State and was kicked off the team before he enrolled at Marshall. He was also charged with possessing a small amount of marijuana in 2002 in relation to a traffic accident, but the charge was dropped after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of careless driving and a petty misdemeanor charge of obstructing justice. Like the old saying goes: "A rolling Moss always gets stoned." Or something like that.

Wide receiver: Muhsin Muhammad, Carolina Panthers.Former Pro Bowler and eight-year veteran went for 140 yards and a touchdown in last year's Super Bowl.

Muhammad pleaded guilty in 2002 to misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana and carrying a concealed weapon. He also served jail time in 1993 while at Michigan State for violating a probation he was given for possession of marijuana. Muhammad gets the starting nod over other candidates because of his multiple transgressions -- a dedication to ganja that is not taken lightly on this team.

Quarterback: Todd Marinovich, formerly of the Raiders. Played two seasons in the NFL after being a first round pick of the Raiders in 1991.

Marinovich, now 35, has a long track record with marijuana, including a conviction for cultivation of the plant in 1998. That history earned him a well-deserved nickname: Todd Marijuanavich. The All-Weed Team provides him with his last, best chance to achieve the football stardom he was seemingly destined for since early childhood. Even the world's biggest pothead wouldn't blow an opportunity like this. Probably. His backup? Virginia Tech sophomore Marcus Vick, who threw for 475 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman last season but is currently suspended indefinitely in the wake of charges of marijuana possession and reckless driving.

Tight end: O.J. Santiago, Denver Broncos.. Has started 60 games in his seven-year career with four separate organizations.

Santiago was charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession in 2001 as a member of the Cleveland Browns. His hold on the All-Weed Team's starting tight end spot will be tightened if he agrees to change his initials to M.J.



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Mark Stepnoski is the most NORML member of our All-Weed Team.
Center: Mark Stepnoski, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys and Oilers organizations. Five-time Pro Bowl center retired after the 2001 season.

Stepnoski has served as president of the Texas chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws since his retirement from the game. His presence is needed both on the field and in the locker room so All-Weed Team members can learn how he managed to avoid a single positive drug test during his 13-year career.

Offensive line: Nate Newton, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers. Six-time Pro Bowl guard retired after the 1999 season.

Despite being 42-years old and out of the game for four years, Newton receives an All-Weed Team spot. In fact, we'll name him a co-captain, along with Ricky Williams, since he was once busted driving around with 213 pounds of marijuana in his van. That's right -- pounds, not ounces. While his No. 1 job on the All-Weed Team will be clearing holes for Williams and Lewis, a close second will be supplying his teammates with some of his primo product.

Offensive line: Khiawatha Downey, San Francisco 49ers. Rookie tackle earned Division II All-American honors at Indiana University of PA after 2003 season.

Downey twice tested positive for marijuana while in college.

Offensive line: Marvel Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers. Fifth-year pro was a second-round draft pick in 2000.

Smith was arrested and charged with marijuana possession in 2002. He also tested positive for marijuana while at Arizona State. And you thought the Pittsburgh drug culture died with the Pirates of the late '70s and early '80s.

Offensive line: Tra Thomas, Philadelphia Eagles. Two-time Pro Bowler has started every game he has played since joining the Eagles in 1998.

Thomas tested positive for marijuana before the 1998 NFL Draft. He claimed it was from second-hand smoke, something he should be breathing a lot of in the All-Weed Team's locker room.

DEFENSE



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A dance with Mary Jane during college cost Warren Sapp on draft day.
Defensive line: Warren Sapp, Oakland Raiders. Perennial Pro Bowler has 77 sacks in his nine-year career.

Sapp admitted to a positive test for marijuana while at the University of Miami. He provides the All-Weed Team with bulk in the middle of the defensive line.

Defensive line: Keith Hamilton, formerly of the New York Giants. Former All-Pro had 63 sacks over 12-year career that ended after the 2003 season.

Hamilton was charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana -- among other drug-related charges -- during a 2003 traffic stop. He'll easily be lured out of his short retirement once he is made aware that there plenty of food available at our postgame spread.

Defensive line: Anthony Maddox, Jacksonville Jaguars Rookie from Delta State was the Gulf South Conference's defensive player of the year in 2003, and a fourth-round pick.

Originally a Florida State recruit, Maddox was arrested in 1999 for possession of marijuana. He gets named to the All-Weed Team not only for his potential on the defensive line, but also for the valuable connections he has to Florida's fertile, hash-friendly college programs.

Defensive line: Cletidus Hunt, Green Bay Packers Has 15 sacks over his five-year career.

Hunt tested positive for marijuana at the 1999 NFL scouting combine and twice more after joining the Packers, resulting in a four-game suspension without pay in 2001. His current contract mandates that he must return a portion of his signing bonus if he is suspended again. His All-Weed Team contract mandates no such thing.

Linebacker: Ahmad Brooks, University of Virginia. Sophomore is expected to be a top-10 pick if he comes out of school early in 2005.

The selection of Brooks is based solely on potential -- both on the field and on the pipe. He pled no contest to marijuana possession in the summer of 2003.

Linebacker: Darren Hambrick, free agent. Has been out of the game since 2002 after playing with the Cowboys, Panthers and Browns.

Hambrick was charged with fleeing a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer in 2001, after the arresting deputy smelled marijuana wafting from his vehicle during a traffic stop. Hambrick is reunited on the All-Weed Team with former Dallas teammates Stepnoski and Newton, a different kind of "Big Three" to go with the Cowboys' Aikman-Emmitt-Irvin troika in the 1990s.

Linebacker: Cornell Brown, Baltimore Ravens. Originally a sixth-round pick, Brown has played in 96 games during his six-year career, recording seven sacks.

Brown was arrested for marijuana possession in 2001, but the charge was dropped before trial. Despite the dismissal, no crime-related squad such as the All-Weed Team can go wrong by adding an extra Baltimore Ravens player or two.

Defensive back: Chris McAlister, Baltimore Ravens. Pro Bowl cornerback has 14 interceptions and 224 tackles in five-year career.

McAlister was charged with possession of marijuana after police found the drug while investigating a burglary at his house. McAlister is currently a holdout with the Ravens, meaning he and Brown will have to smoke apart until an agreement is reached.

Defensive back: Rashard Anderson, Carolina Panthers. A first-round selection in the 2000 draft.

Anderson has been suspended the last two seasons for violating the league's substance abuse policy. He could be reinstated before the start of the season, but he'll always have an active roster spot on the All-Weed Team.

Defensive back: Rodney Artmore, formerly of the Packers. Made Green Bay's team as a rookie free agent in 1999.

Artmore was charged with possession of marijuana in 2000 and hasn't played in the NFL since. He makes a triumphant return to football now, though, on the All-Weed Team.

Defensive back: Juran Bolden, Jacksonville Jaguars. Recorded seven interceptions over the last two years as a member of the Atlanta Falcons.

Bolden was charged in 2003 with marijuana possession and driving a stolen car, which Jacksonville apparently thought was worth a five-year, $13.4 million contract this offseason. The All-Weed Team would definitely match or exceed that offer for his services. Plus, we'd throw in some rolling papers.

So there you have it: a team of cannabis aficionados that can hang with anybody in the NFL.

And just wait 'til we put together our All-Weed NBA Team.

Now pass the pretzels. I've got the munchies.


D.J. Gallo is a regular contributor to ESPN The Magazine, as well as the founder and sole writer of the award-winning sports satire site SportsPickle.com.
 
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BigStar

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"How about for pain? Did you smoke pot for that?

Well, I never wanted to take painkillers if I could help it. They’d give them after surgery, and I had six surgeries on my knee. But I knew that painkillers were very powerful drugs and they’re potentially addictive, so as soon as the pain was bearable without them, I stopped using them. I just don’t like that stuff in my body if I don’t have to.

Pot would make me feel better, but I’m not going to say I was smoking it medicinally. We’re talking 10-12 years ago, and for most of the public marijuana wasn’t even on the radar as medicine yet. But after games, it definitely made me feel better."

- Mark Stepnoski

This is why you don't stigmatize Gregory yet (socially and for the immaturity perspective; 23 years old). Stepnoski's above paragraphs can easily be applied to Gregory very quickly if the league gets off it's ace;).
 

Dodger12

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He needs help and is psychologically addicted/and probably physically to a very lesser degree. He does need help, but think his problem is minuscule when compared to alcohol related problems in the US; DUIs, Assaults, Domestic Abuse in many times, of NFL player misconduct that makes it to the press (Hardy).. It's hypocritical to call him an addict when the US promotes alcohol and determine alcoholic "partiers or at worst, heavy drinkers" as if it is not a drug.

He is an immature 23 year old pothead who is used to smoking whenever he wants; aka the . He does need to mature out of that assumption in life aka as the "don't give a..." attitude that is common with young men predominately (especially an athletic freaks lime himself).

Ideally, he would have figured that out last season. He did not; no reason to cut bait yet.

Mark Stepnoski (one of the hardest working athletes and smartest player to play the C position technique wise) admitted to smoking weed heavily throughout his college and NFL career. He only bypassed suspensions due to "anonymous" phone calls to allow him to prepare.

Sorry BigStar but this is all hog wash. If you can't stop drinking, you're an alcoholic and not just some young immature kid; you need help. And I don't buy the strawman you're building either. It's not minuscule just because it's marijuana and you view it less serious than those other offenses. It will lead to a young man's demise, just like alcoholism would as well if not treated.

There's really nothing hypocritical about it. All those issues you mentioned lead down the same career ending path.
 

BigStar

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Sorry BigStar but this is all hog wash. If you can't stop drinking, you're an alcoholic and not just some young immature kid; you need help. And I don't buy the strawman you're building either. It's not minuscule just because it's marijuana and you view it less serious than those other offenses. It will lead to a young man's demise, just like alcoholism would as well if not treated.

There's really nothing hypocritical about it. All those issues you mentioned lead down the same career ending path.

Alcohol is MUCH more addictive when compared to marijuana (nearly non existent)? You can die from alcohol withdrawal and not heroin to let you know just how strong of a drug it is and really has become just part of the culture tbh over the course of history. It used to be a socially accepted way of life (functioning heavy alcoholics)? It's wide acceptance exempts it from being labeled a drug and the stigma attached with that:rolleyes:
 
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