News: Demarcus Lawrence To Be Suspended For Failed Drug Test

[superonyx]

I doubt you'd find anyone who's taken adderall that would say that. The very fact that players are using adderall when they could choose caffeine should tell you that the effects are nowhere near the same.



Just because it has a medical application doesn't mean that it can't be abused, or that it's use doesn't impart benefits. Testosterone is commonly prescribed and human growth hormone is prescribed for certain conditions. Should these also be reexamined? Of course not because we know that their use undoubtedly yields benefits that otherwise could not be gained.

For adderall, the benefit is a heightened alertness, improved concentration, and decreased mental fatigue. If you can't see how being more attentive and alert while also being less fatigued in the 4th quarter might yield improved performance then I don't know what to tell you.

The players association doesn't need to do anything on this front for it's players because they've already secured a process by which players can use banned substances so long as the player has a legitimate medical need. What more is needed?

I can find someone who has taken Adderrall and will tell you the benefits in regards to performance enhancement is not any greater than the old ephedrine caffeine aspirin stack. That someone is me. I was prescribed a combination of Adderrall and Vyvanse for a few years.

You feel that anabolic steroids should not be allowed even with a prescription and growth hormones as well due to the clear advantages these drugs give the athlete. Yet Adderrall is allowed with a doctors prescription. Does this not tell you that the performance enhancement effects are not so significant otherwise they would totally ban the substance.

 

[Nightman]

He is going with OScan's "popping Mollys" defense

 

[thisiscowboyscountry]

if we start 0-4 maybe we can get GHardy on the cheap

better learn how to spell Benson May-something's last name

If we start 0 and 4 we should start prepping for the 2017 draft and not sign Hardy... If you sign Hardy you bring him in before there is a hole.

 

[Hoofbite]

I can find someone who has taken Adderrall and will tell you the benefits in regards to performance enhancement is not any greater than the old ephedrine caffeine aspirin stack. That someone is me. I was prescribed a combination of Adderrall and Vyvanse for a few years.

Ephedrine is a banned substance...because it's a stimulant like adderall. So you took caffeine with a different stimulant that is also banned by the NFL and yet you've arrived at the conclusion that caffeine is more or less the same as adderall when it comes to the benefits that I described? This is like saying bananas are not any worse than percocet when it comes to relieving pain because you once ate a banana that was rolled in crushed up oxycodone.

You feel that anabolic steroids should not be allowed even with a prescription and growth hormones as well due to the clear advantages these drugs give the athlete. Yet Adderrall is allowed with a doctors prescription. Does this not tell you that the performance enhancement effects are not so significant otherwise they would totally ban the substance.

I never said that. I said they have medical uses and was asking if we should reexamine them as you suggested we reexamine adderall. If someone has a medically established reason for their use, I don't see why any of the drugs should be banned for that player.

 

[gmoney112]

Ephedrine is a banned substance...because it's a stimulant like adderall. So you took caffeine with a different stimulant that is also banned by the NFL and yet you've arrived at the conclusion that caffeine is more or less the same as adderall when it comes to the benefits that I described? This is like saying bananas are not any worse than percocet when it comes to relieving pain because you once ate a banana that was rolled in crushed up oxycodone.



I never said that. I said they have medical uses and was asking if we should reexamine them as you suggested we reexamine adderall. If someone has a medically established reason for their use, I don't see why any of the drugs should be banned for that player.

I couldn't possibly comment on Adderall. Cough. But some buddies I went to school with and took it rarely during finals said it is much, much stronger than caffeine. Saying it's similar in the fact that it stimulates your CNS is like saying alcohol and Prozac are the same because they both affect seratonin.

And I think HRT should follow the same protocol as adderall does, which is supposedly a lengthy process. An age limit/blood test, etc. Growth Hormone in particular could be a great benefit to the sport. Setting an age floor around 33-35 could not only help prevent injury (depending on Dr evaluation), but extend the playing time of the games best players.

 

[Beast_from_East]

I knew some guys at UT that would pop Aderrol like skittles during finals week

It's prescription only so I never asked how they got it.

They said it was like drinking a dozen Red Bulls, you could stay up for days

 

[superonyx]

Ephedrine is a banned substance...because it's a stimulant like adderall. So you took caffeine with a different stimulant that is also banned by the NFL and yet you've arrived at the conclusion that caffeine is more or less the same as adderall when it comes to the benefits that I described? This is like saying bananas are not any worse than percocet when it comes to relieving pain because you once ate a banana that was rolled in crushed up oxycodone.



I never said that. I said they have medical uses and was asking if we should reexamine them as you suggested we reexamine adderall. If someone has a medically established reason for their use, I don't see why any of the drugs should be banned for that player.

No I actually took caffeine and then arrived at the conclusion that the effects on actual performance was not any better than while taking Adderrall. I didn't say the 2 were more or less the same. However from a sports performance enhancing effect they were about the same. In fact the strong diuretic effect of Adderall made cramping a much bigger issue than with caffeine. Additionally the dry mouth and appetite suppressing side effect of Adderall made it harder to keep muscle mass up. So overall this isn't a performance enhancing drug like anabolic steroids.

The reason a drug like anabolic steroids should remain banned is obvious. It's easy to find a doctor to justify a medical use for pharmaceuticals. Opening steroids to this would result in players abusing the drugs and claiming they are only using therapudic doses. Look at Vitor Belfort from the UFC and his TRT claims and it's easy to see how it could be abused.

I stand by my point that the league is reaching too far by claiming a player is cheating by using a stimulant. A player who gets a stuffy nose in March has to be careful they only use Sudafed given by the team doctor and doesn't take Bronkaid from their local Walmart out of fear the ephedrine may cause them to be labeled a cheater in the same way a guy taking dianabol, sustanon 250, deca, or straight testosterone would.

 

[coult44]

He is going with OScan's "popping Mollys" defense

I forgot about OS and the Molly. How many druggies does JG currently have on this RKG squad?

 

[superonyx]

I couldn't possibly comment on Adderall. Cough. But some buddies I went to school with and took it rarely during finals said it is much, much stronger than caffeine. Saying it's similar in the fact that it stimulates your CNS is like saying alcohol and Prozac are the same because they both affect seratonin.

And I think HRT should follow the same protocol as adderall does, which is supposedly a lengthy process. An age limit/blood test, etc. Growth Hormone in particular could be a great benefit to the sport. Setting an age floor around 33-35 could not only help prevent injury (depending on Dr evaluation), but extend the playing time of the games best players.

You missed the point slightly. From a performance enhancing standpoint the user is not gaining a serious or unfair advantage by taking something to stimulate their central nervous system...especially in the offseason. So from a performance enhancing...or performance reducing standpoint alcohol and Prozac are similar.


Here is another way to look at it...you are about to get some people together for a game of pick up football. You only have 1 spot left on your team and you can choose between 2 guys to play with you...1 is heavy into Meth (no teeth and all), the other is into Steroids....which guy are you picking?

 

[gmoney112]

You missed the point slightly. From a performance enhancing standpoint the user is not gaining a serious or unfair advantage by taking something to stimulate their central nervous system...especially in the offseason. So from a performance enhancing...or performance reducing standpoint alcohol and Prozac are similar.


Here is another way to look at it...you are about to get some people together for a game of pick up football. You only have 1 spot left on your team and you can choose between 2 guys to play with you...1 is heavy into Meth (no teeth and all), the other is into Steroids....which guy are you picking?

No I agree with you as far as it being a "PED". I think they just classified it that way to punish a guy for taking an illegal pharmaceutical without a scrip.

As far as DLaw, a point that goes missing I think is the fact that he was taking adderall to be better. Whether personally, athletically, whatever. Opposed to Gregory who was just looking to get high.

 

[Jstopper]

As has been said before it takes a 4th failed test to get suspended, so there is no excuse that can be made for any of these players. I would warn both Gregory and Lawrence the next one and you are gone. Missing games due to injury will happen in this sport and not much you can do about it but there is something you can do about using weed or other banned substance and that is stop.

Stop spreading that false information. Lawrence DID NOT fail 4 tests. His was for amphetamines which is an auto suspension

 

[Nightman]

No I agree with you as far as it being a "PED". I think they just classified it that way to punish a guy for taking an illegal pharmaceutical without a scrip.

As far as DLaw, a point that goes missing I think is the fact that he was taking adderall to be better. Whether personally, athletically, whatever. Opposed to Gregory who was just looking to get high.

Scandrick and Welker were caught after they took Molly or Xtasy or MDMA recreationally. It is often cut with amphetamines and that triggered a positive PED test. They changed the rules to count off-season tests for stimulants to substance abuse fails and not PED fails.

But Adderall was always considered a PED without a prescription and several Seahawks were suspended for using it.

 

[Hoofbite]

No I actually took caffeine and then arrived at the conclusion that the effects on actual performance was not any better than while taking Adderrall. I didn't say the 2 were more or less the same. However from a sports performance enhancing effect they were about the same. In fact the strong diuretic effect of Adderall made cramping a much bigger issue than with caffeine. Additionally the dry mouth and appetite suppressing side effect of Adderall made it harder to keep muscle mass up. So overall this isn't a performance enhancing drug like anabolic steroids.

Nobody would take adderall in an attempt to achieve the same outcome as anabolic steroids. I'd wager most players who take adderall aren't taking it every day, and may only take it on Sundays. Just because it doesn't make a player bulkier, stronger, or faster doesn't mean there isn't an advantage.

If the advantage could be had through caffeine, the players wouldn't risk suspension by taking a banned substance.

 

[superonyx]

Nobody would take adderall in an attempt to achieve the same outcome as anabolic steroids. I'd wager most players who take adderall aren't taking it every day, and may only take it on Sundays. Just because it doesn't make a player bulkier, stronger, or faster doesn't mean there isn't an advantage.

If the advantage could be had through caffeine, the players wouldn't risk suspension by taking a banned substance.

Unless you play defensive end for the Cowboys...then you take it during the offseason when you will get no significant advantage, get caught, suspended, and us fans have do spend the next few weeks scared we may draft Joey Bosa.

 

[plasticman]

You missed the point slightly. From a performance enhancing standpoint the user is not gaining a serious or unfair advantage by taking something to stimulate their central nervous system...especially in the offseason. So from a performance enhancing...or performance reducing standpoint alcohol and Prozac are similar.


Here is another way to look at it...you are about to get some people together for a game of pick up football. You only have 1 spot left on your team and you can choose between 2 guys to play with you...1 is heavy into Meth (no teeth and all), the other is into Steroids....which guy are you picking?

Please allow me to respond despite the fact that I have read absolutely nothing else in this debate. In fact, I dont even know what the debate is about. But these analogies are too entertaining to pass up.

Anyway, from somebody who is jumping into an issue totally clueless:

i gotta take the guy on steroids. The meth head might be good for one
jaunt down the field before his body shuts down and he takes a 17 minute nap.

Meanwhile, my steroid enchanced teammate is wreaking havoc, I just constantly have to remind him who the bad guys are.

Does being toothless enhance performance? For guys? Playing football?

What are we talking about anyway?

Im pretty sure these guys were given some kind of rule book or guide that specifically stated the nature of each infraction. They knew they were breaking rules. They knew what was at stake.

They knew how it would effect their team's success, their financial status, their marketability, their careers.

They knew how many people depend on them to contribute their share.

They did it anyway.

This is not a drug problem or a fair competition problem or a health problem or an image problem. This is an attitude problem. They flat didnt care.

And i can tell you this. I dont care if the substance is chocolate pudding. If you are willing to break rulea and damage everything that means something to you like family, football and your future than you have a very serious problem that I would describe as selfish, stupid, and uncaring.

I'm so tired of the edgy, troubled and misunderstood bad boy anti-heroes. Im tired of the perception that we are willing to overlook their destructive behaviour because their talent and skill level is worth a few unfortunate incidents. Since they slide in the draft we get great talent at a bargain price.

But there is one problem. Their talent is only relevent when they are on the FREAKIN' FIELD!!!

A player with a little less talent playing in 16 games is preferable to better talent that plays in 12 games.

Get rid of them. Get back to the right kind of players, these guys are only waiting for a more critical time to break our hearts.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Scandrick and Welker were caught after they took Molly or Xtasy or MDMA recreationally. It is often cut with amphetamines and that triggered a positive PED test. They changed the rules to count off-season tests for stimulants to substance abuse fails and not PED fails.

But Adderall was always considered a PED without a prescription and several Seahawks were suspended for using it.

The A in MDMA stands for amphetamine.

 

[Hoofbite]

The A in MDMA stands for amphetamine.

That MDMA got ya feeling like a champion....

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

We can only hope that this is true. Having two DEs suspended for substance issues would be a complete embarrassment.

 

[robjay04]

I'm so tired of the edgy, troubled and misunderstood bad boy anti-heroes. Im tired of the perception that we are willing to overlook their destructive behaviour because their talent and skill level is worth a few unfortunate incidents. Since they slide in the draft we get great talent at a bargain price.

But there is one problem. Their talent is only relevent when they are on the FREAKIN' FIELD!!!

A player with a little less talent playing in 16 games is preferable to better talent that plays in 12 games.

Get rid of them. Get back to the right kind of players, these guys are only waiting for a more critical time to break our hearts.

I believe you need a mix but you need a coach and FO that holds players accountable which we don't have. After the Irvin fiasco, we went years targeting players for being good guys, we had zero suspensions during that time, zero arrests but also zero playoff appearances, not saying we are much better today.

If you don't take chances on troubled players, you don't have the 90s Cowboys. You don't have Von Miller, Brett Favre, LT, La'Veon Bell etc. At this point, Demarcus Lawrence(maybe) and Randy Gregory have a career starting off down a similar path as Von Miller. The question is now, will they turn it around and learn from it or will they follow in the shoes of troubled players that just keep making the same mistakes(Josh Gordon, Justin Blackmon).

 

[Denim Chicken]

We can only hope that this is true. Having two DEs suspended for substance issues would be a complete embarrassment.

From what I have been reading, there is speculation that the the positive test is due to some medicine prescribed resulting from his back surgery and the FO is confident in a successful appeal.