Gordon?s appeal focuses on disparity between ?A? and ?B? bottle tests

Unfortunately, I think he needs a good long suspension. Maybe not a whole year but a good portion of one. Gordon has a problem. Instead of a slap on the wrist and basically telling him no big deal, he needs a good slap of reality and to realize that he's got some gawd given talents and he needs to straighten out before he flushes his opportunity to make millions and millions down the old crapper.

 

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like a lot of the sentiment against revolves around behavioral issue that simply aren't a part of any basis for suspension.
OK he's stupid to continue to keep company with people who aren't good for him. So what? Is that illegal, or against the rules?

OK he has twice been "caught" by the NFL: once for Codeine (really? for cough medecine? I gotta wonder how many of any of us checks every ingredient in the prescribed medecines we get from our doctor). That oversight then followed by a test reading that obviously most testing agencies recognize can be assumed to be attained by being in the company of a pot smoker (again not illegal, stupid maybe, but not banned or illegal).

On top of all of that the rule itself seems way out of step with anything that the NFL should even be concerced about. It isn't a performance ehanncing substance, with the possible exception of Jimi Hendrix, and no other sports agency of note would consider his reading a positive, so what is the point?

He broke the rule! Yep. He did. So if that's it, then the NFL will suspend him for a year, cause that's what the rule says. The two infractions would have to stretched to be interpreted as he is cavalierly ignoring the rules, as opposed to being "not too bright" about making better decisions about how and with whom he spends his time with. And that while frustrating to his teammates and i'm sure his family, isn't what the rules are for.

So the "it's the rule argument", in order to be supported, has to go through without regard to the individual circumstances, or intent, and come with a full year away from football, and quite possibly ending his career forever. He's no angel, he's no genius, but neither is he a constant offender, if the prescribed testing is to be believed, and by rule we must accept that they are. So why are so many anxious to see him punished?

 

He's a professional athlete. His body and athletic gifts are how he makes money. Ultimately, it's Josh Gordon's responsibility to know what's being put into his body. Football isn't a forever career, why wouldn't you maximize that time by taking care of yourself the best you can. That means the have resources that the rest of us don't readily have access to. Team doctors and trainers are just a call away to let you know what it is you're putting in your body. It's easy.

 

I can agree with this Duff..
I already stated he should be suspended...make it 6-8 weeks, or even 10. Give him goals that will encourage his growth and maturity. If he is suspended indefinitely, tomorrow he will have NO contact with any entity of the NFL except the possibility of the league office. No access to any programs or anything that could help him to grow as a person. He has shown willingness to get better, he checked and into a substance abuse clinic after his DWI. What he NEEDS is, a) be with his teammates until the season starts so that he realizes he has something to return to and work towards, goals outside of football - 1) rehab during at least half of his suspension that would include therapy of the mind, 2) to be tested for drugs and alcohol twice a week during his suspension, 3) meeting with a league official every other week to discuss his progress, 4) consequences of a mandatory 1 year suspension without an option for appeal if he messes up for any reason with the substance abuse program, the performance enhancing drug program or an arrest for anything that is proven.

Then maybe he will FINALLY understand the opportunities he is waving goodbye to.

 

Apparently I woke up today on the cynical side of the bed . . .

What do all of the "regular" people do to get help once they've determined they have a problem? Work out, train and land a spot on an NFL team? The NFL is not the sole source for providing help.

I got another 12 longnecks that says his lawyer told him to check into this clinic BEFORE his scheduled court date.

Ahem . . . what he NEEDS is a swift kick in the ass and a constant reminder that his current lot in life is a direct result of decisions he has made. MULTIPLE TIMES !!! What he NEEDS is to have the $$$$ taken away and let him learn how much his home boyz will contribute for him to continue to live the life he now enjoys.

Agree with all four points except for the underlined part. Should he get off with anything less than a 1 year suspension this time, he needs to agree that ANY future test discrepancy will automatically result in a lifetime ban.

 

I read its either 16 games or 0 games...now the DWI is another case so who knows on how many games that wuld b

 

Though I?ve been rather quiet on this subject, I have thought about it. Here?s where I?m at.

I, like most every other Browns fan, would love to see Gordon win his appeal and get a ?slap on the wrist? type suspension. Though with his past history and previous suspension, I doubt that it will be less than 8 games and the attached fine may be as much as all 16 game checks. His behavior since it was announced that he failed a drug test and faced a 1-year suspension, will not aid his case at all. Even if the reports are true that he ?barely? failed the test in question and would not have failed if the samples were labeled differently, it still doesn?t excuse the fact that he still is associating with people who still use. The fact that he was arrested for speeding and the passenger in his car was arrested for possession does not bode well at all for Josh, guilty by association so to speak. The DUI arrest also doesn?t shed a positive light on the subject at all. In fact it could lead to a future suspension once that case makes its way through the legal system.

I agree that Gordon needs counseling. As in so many cases of drug and alcohol abuse there is some underlying issue that the person needs to confront and learn how to deal with. And that is not a road so easily travelled, and one that he will need to address for the rest of his natural life. It?s not like going to the Dr. and getting a shot and then it goes away.

Hopefully Josh can get the help he needs turn his life around and come back and help the Browns win a few Lombardi trophy?s.

 

I still say he is being punished for #1 being uninformed (taking a codeine medication and not checking to be sure it didn't put him at risk) and #2 being foolish (being around burners).

Just focusing on the offenses that are covered in the discipline prescribed. The rest of it is basically just re-iterating those two points, but you aren't subjected to punishment for either stupidity or being poorly educated.

There are many things about Gordon I don't like, and his apparent inability to grow up lies at the heart of it, but taking away the man's livliehood based on two arguable viiolations seems unfair. I sincerely want him to grow up, but beyond that I want to see him given the benefit of a doubt on this. A guy who I think we all agree is immature, and foolhardy in his choices, needs discipline, and he'll get more of that as part of the team than he will being on the outside, with too much free time to burn (pun intended).

In any event, I hope the NFL will revise it's rules relative to Pot, to reflect the more enlightened view that most of the world has already adopted. I hope the league exercises some judgement and not simply throw the rule at him, and put him out of work for a full year.

Yeah it's a homer position, but it's also a case that illustrates how antiquated the NFL's rules around this subject are.