It's pretty obvious the NFL will, at some point, stop testing for pot. The owners don't want to give up a good bargaining chip for the next collective bargaining round, so they are hesitant to drop the testing prior to those talks. And Goodell is opposed to dropping it for the same reason. I am about as anti-Goodell as it gets, but I understand his position. Commissioners tend to be judged by their owners, in large part, based on the quality of the collective bargaining agreement negotiated on their watch.
The NFLPA wants the testing ended but hasn't been willing, to this point, to unilaterally surrender anything substantive in exchange. Just like the owners, they want every bargaining chip available. Business decision.
Jerry Jones is swimming upstream and must convince enough owners, or the NFLPA, to give up the bargaining chip. His best hope is probably to use the capital he has gained with the owners by being a leading driver of increased revenue. He has helped to make them much richer. But that capital only goes so far. We shall see.
As to Gregory, it does seem as if he has mental health issues. I don't know that he does, but it seems that way. I certainly think -- and I said think -- he has severe anxiety issues. The catch 22 for people with such issues is that the inability to stop a behavior is part of the illness. It is often a struggle to get mentally ill people to take their medication. When they feel good (because of the medication) they reason that they don't need the pill (because they feel good). So they miss doses and once again begin to have symptoms. It is a vicious circle.
It seems to me this is similar to the behavior being exhibited by Gregory. He smokes pot because he feels better when he smokes it. When he stops smoking, his symptoms become intolerable and he smokes again. Now this is not to say that I "know" this to be the case. It's just my opinion, and an uninformed one at that. But his behavior leads me to my opinion. His symptoms are such that they inhibit his ability to make a rational decision.
I see no reason for the Cowboys to cut ties with Gregory. I see no down side to maintaining his rights. It seems Jones understands that Gregory probably can't and won't stop smoking. So the best chance to get him on the field is to have punitive measures removed. And I doubt is thinking only of Gregory. I imagine he feels that the punitive measures are unhelpful and even harmful to a subset of players. Whatever else one can say about Jones, he does seem to have a heart for people with demons. I happen to think that is one of his more positive qualities.
I also understand fans' frustration and the desire to move on. Dealing with a person upon whom you can't depend is about as frustrating as it gets. And even if it isn't Gregory's fault, he hasn't been dependable. It's perfectly natural that a significant number of people want to cut ties.
I do not understand the animosity toward Gregory. Then again, I don't understand animosity toward anyone who has a problem that is harmful mainly to them. I get frustration. I don't get animosity. I am a middle-aged man who dips snuff and eats far more than I should. My house is made of glass.
