Update: Josh Gordon's suspension to go from 16 to 10 games

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

What an immature ass Deion Sanders is for posting that. Mathieu wasn't trying to be funny and make a joke, he was being serious.

 

I think seeing that Mathieu can say something like that, knowing he's still at risk, is probably the biggest thing he's said since he came into the league. That's huge. Good for Mathieu!

Edited July 8, 2014 by Rain Man

[Turry 755]

Cardinals FS Tyrann Mathieu believes no one can save Josh Gordon's career but Gordon.

This isn't the sort of item we'd typically post, but it's slow season, and notable because Mathieu went through Gordon-like lows at LSU. "Me having been through it and having a little bit of experience with that, I don’t think anybody in the world could possibly tell him anything," Mathieu said. "Hopefully he will get the message, but most of the time it takes for people to hit rock bottom for them to start believing in their self and start seeking help. ... He just has to want it for himself." Mathieu's advice is far-more constructive than Cris Carter's.

Related: Tyrann Mathieu

Source: azcardinals.com

 

 

[Bucman 891]

You guys really think getting cut is going be a wake up call? He was kicked off 2 college teams, 1 he never played a down for. NFL needs to suspend him indefinitely. Don't let him back in till he goes to rehab and stays outta trouble for at least 1 year. If he can't do that, then he doesn't deserve to be back.

[Dutch 874]

I'd feel sorry for the person who has you on jury duty.

[Dutch 874]

 

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/michael-irvin-says-cris-carter-is-wrong-on-josh-gordon--like-he-was-with-irvin-s-wife-140134851.html

 

Michael Irvin: Cris Carter wrong about Josh Gordon, like he was with my wife

 

Michael Irvin said Cris Carter is wrong about Josh Gordon, and we'll get to that in a bit. It's interesting.

Le Batard was asking Irvin thought about Carter saying the Cleveland Browns should cut the troubled Gordon, and out came a story about Carter approaching Irvin's wife. One that we've never heard before.But first we have to tackle what Irvin told the Dan Le Batard Show (via the Broward/Palm Beach New Times) about Carter and Irvin's wife. It's more interesting.

Wowzers:

To say that Irvin was upset and Irvin-ish as he told the story is understating. The story relates to Irvin's drug problems, and Carter — who has been outspoken and open about overcoming his own addiction to drinking in 1990 — reportedly overstepping his bounds in Irvin's mind.

"He said to my wife — he said to my wife, 'You know, Michael would never come out of this problem until you leave him. Till you leave him.'

"For years, I've held it. I've never shared that with anybody. I've never in my life shared that with anybody. I was so irked with Cris because he was out of line then. His ass is out of line now. He is out. Of. Line."

"For Josh, maybe it's the worst thing, and I'm going to put a little personal [spin] on this even though I love Cris to death," Irvin said. I don't know what year it was we were in the Pro Bowl. And all Cris is trying to do, he's just trying to share his experiences.

Irvin said he never approached Carter on it, and clearly there's some level of forgiveness and understanding with Carter's approach.

"I understand the difficulty of what he's trying to do," Irvin said. "That's why I'm telling you. He wants to help, and I understand that. But he has to meet with people, he has to talk with people. I meet with doctors that meet with players that have substances issues. I meet with them. I meet with these doctors, I talk to these doctors, I talk about issues these guys are going through and the worst thing you can do sometimes is to isolate them.

"I would never say on-air, given the position I'm given, that a team should cut somebody unless I get it from his professional help that separation and isolation will give him a revelation about his situation. But I get that from the doctor — not a football player, not anybody upstairs — I get it from the doctor and I don't repeat it and I don't say it. Period."

And that really was the genesis for Irvin's anger on the Gordon issue: He didn't feel he, or any other analyst, was or is qualified to make a judgment on the troubled receiver. It's the same thing with Gordon or Tanard Jackson or any other player in this league who possibly might be battling substance abuse: It's not a black and white issue, and there only are certain people who can help them.

I'll be honest ... I've never been the biggest Irvin admirer in the past, but this interview might have been a game changer. This is pretty fantastic stuff.

Wow, nice interview by Michael Irvin and a great perspective on the situation. Being cut may have worked for Cris Carter but it may not work with Josh Gordon. Isolation can be extremely detrimental for some people who have serious issues. Also, I totally agree with Irvin about Cris Carter given the position he has saying things publicly like that. If you truly want to help someone, you don't do it in the public. You go behind the scenes and work with that person personally and get them the help they may need. Knowing the influence he has, that's not something he should say on air. If he truly cares about that young mans future, talking on a television screen isn't the best way to help someone. Put in some real effort.

[Turry 755]

 

According to a source with "knowledge of the dynamics of the situation," it’s unlikely that the Browns cut Josh Gordon, but it "remains possible."

In other words, don't count on it. Gordon has more than earned his release with his off-the-field behavior, but he's simply too dynamic of a talent for the Browns to give up on. If waived, Gordon would almost certainly get claimed. Aside from negative publicity, there's little reason for the Browns to dump last year's receiving champ. They have nothing to lose by keeping him stashed.

Source: Profootballtalk on NBCSports.com

 

[Vin+ 3,121]

 

Suspended WR Josh Gordon has hired the same attorney, Maurice Suh, that helped Richard Sherman win his suspension appeal in December 2012.

Sherman was facing a four-game ban two seasons ago, but won his appeal and was available for Seattle in the playoffs. Gordon has been participating in training camp, and was even running with the starters Monday after previously working with mostly backups. Hopefully for Gordon's sake, the Browns know something we don't. If Gordon simply wins and gets his 16-game ban chopped in half, it'd be a colossal victory. We should have a resolution within a week.

Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter

 

 

 

A source informed Profootballtalk that suspended WR Josh Gordon's failed drug test barely generated a positive, and it would have been a negative had luck been on Gordon's side.

Gordon was summoned for a urine sample. Those samples are split into two bottles, one marked "A" and the other "B." It's completely random which one is marked "A" and which is labeled "B." "A" is tested first, and if it generates a positive test, then "B" is tested. The limit is 15 nanograms-per-milliliter. Gordon's "A" bottle showed a concentration of 16 ng/ml, while his "B" registered a 13.6 ng/ml. The result was a failed test. If urine sample handlers would have by chance marked the "A" bottle "B" and the "B" bottle "A," then Gordon would be free to play. Gordon is appealing the ban, and his hearing will be held on Friday. There seems to be a decent chance he wins.

Source: Profootballtalk on NBC Sports

[RazorStar 4,025]

That seems like a "piss-poor" test to me. >_> <_>

[BwareDWare94 723]

He's sighting "secondhand smoke" for his failed test

[NaTaS+ 958]

He's sighting "secondhand smoke" for his failed test

 

 

I'd say anything I needed to to get on the field. At 16nl, he may be telling the truth. 70 tests and 1 barely a fail.

[CampinWithaMissingPerson 2,025]

https://twitter.com/MikeGarafolo/status/504668596338171904

 

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/504669158756597760

 

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/504669621396717570

 

Confirmed.

Edited August 27, 2014 by CampinWithGoatSampson

[Cherry 1,302]

Should've beat his bitch instead

[BwareDWare94 723]

There's a wasted late draft pick for me. So this is definite, now? No chance at eventual reinstatement, no more appeals, whatsoever?

[FartWaffles 1,857]

There's a wasted late draft pick for me. So this is definite, now? No chance at eventual reinstatement, no more appeals, whatsoever?

No more appeals. It's a done deal.

[SteelersNation36 128]

Don't smoke a joint, just knock your girl out.

[BC 331]

Preposterous. I was sure it was going to turn into 8 games. You think that would be more than enough to fit the crime.

[Vin+ 3,121]

 

Suspended WR Josh Gordon can apply for reinstatement at the end of the 2014 season.

It's technically just a season-long ban for Gordon, not a calendar-year suspension. It's a glimmer of good news. Gordon will be away from the Browns for roughly 5-6 months, as long as he keeps his nose clean. Gordon took and passed over 70 drug tests, but failed the one that led to this suspension by 0.01 nanograms per milliliter. Gordon's agent needs to surround him with good people while he's away from the game. He has a ton of football ahead of him. Aug 27 - 1:38 PM

Source: Tom Pelissero on Twitter

[BigBen07 285]

The thing I like is how people on other sites are trying to compare this to the Rice suspension. The difference with that is Gordon's suspension is in line with the CBA in regards to drug testing, while in Rice's case it's a straight league issue as there is nothing about domestic abuse in the CBA.

 

Gordon needs to also take full responsibility. He keeps deflecting blame, and/or makes too many excuses. I hope he does wake up and gets the help he needs.

Edited August 28, 2014 by BigBen07

[Thanatos 2,847]

.01 nanograms? You fucking kidding me?

[BwareDWare94 723]

^I can't imagine the NFLPA standing for this, man. No way in hell.

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

I don't have sympathy for anyone that gets popped for pot. You know it's illegal in most places, you know it can affect your job. In Gordon's case, he knew he'd be banned for a year if he was even around it before testing after having fucked up previously.

 

He could've avoided all of this if he had just not smoked pot at all while under contract and employed by a league that prohibits its use. Maybe the system and the rules surrounding the situation are stupid, but you're even more stupid if you disregard them and get caught.

 

 

Many people believe the drinking age should be lower for whatever reason, but do you have sympathy for someone that's underage that keeps getting MIPs, knowing the rules and throwing caution to the wind?

 

I think I should be allowed to kick my boss in his junk when he's being a fat cunt. It's stupid that the law and my employer's rules would be against me in such a situation. Should I do it anyway if I want to keep working?

 

What stops you from breaking the law whenever you don't agree with it?

 

 

 

If these players feel the league needs to handle marijuana differently, instead of smoking it anyway and being reprimanded, they should get organized via the NFLPA and push change through diplomatically.

[AL_Royalty 489]

The thing I like is how people on other sites are trying to compare this to the Rice suspension. The difference with that is Gordon's suspension is in line with the CBA in regards to drug testing, while in Rice's case it's a straight league issue as there is nothing about domestic abuse in the CBA.

 

Gordon needs to also take full responsibility. He keeps deflecting blame, and/or makes too many excuses. I hope he does wake up and gets the help he needs.

You're right about the logistics of it all. From a moral standpoint though, it's ridiculous. The scales aren't even. Not even close. I don't care if you smoke weed every day for the rest of your life. If you beat a woman unconscious—especially if you're built like a fucking brick shit house—fuck you. End of story. 2 games is not only insulting personally as a cash spending supporter of the NFL, but it's a slap in the face (no pun intended, serisously) to every woman who's ever been punched out by a man, regardless of anything. This might not be a legit defense for Gordon, but it most certainly is a legit talking point and something that needs to be addressed sooner than later.

 

The fact that the NFL's cave-man approach to domestic violence isn't the issue here though, regardless of how broken the system may be, and Gordon is taking full responsibility, regardless of how you think his statement came off. He's shut down. One year, 16 games at least, done deal.

 

I don't have sympathy for anyone that gets popped for pot. You know it's illegal in most places, you know it can affect your job. In Gordon's case, he knew he'd be banned for a year if he was even around it before testing after having fucked up previously.

 

He could've avoided all of this if he had just not smoked pot at all while under contract and employed by a league that prohibits its use. Maybe the system and the rules surrounding the situation are stupid, but you're even more stupid if you disregard them and get caught.

 

 

Many people believe the drinking age should be lower for whatever reason, but do you have sympathy for someone that's underage that keeps getting MIPs, knowing the rules and throwing caution to the wind?

 

I think I should be allowed to kick my boss in his junk when he's being a fat cunt. It's stupid that the law and my employer's rules would be against me in such a situation. Should I do it anyway if I want to keep working?

 

What stops you from breaking the law whenever you don't agree with it?

 

 

 

If these players feel the league needs to handle marijuana differently, instead of smoking it anyway and being reprimanded, they should get organized via the NFLPA and push change through diplomatically.

I was actually looking forward to reading your post on this topic when I saw you posted, and I must say that I was not disappointed. The players/NFLPA are/is organized and focused on getting the rules changed to better suit the crime. That being said, you're 100% correct Zack. He knew what he was doing when he made the choices that he made, and now he's paying the mandated consequences.

 

Look guys: there's a calculated risk that any NFL player takes when making the INFORMED DECISION to smoke weed while seeking or continuing employment in the NFL. Weed is a banned substance, and for players with past history of "drug abuse," no matter how trivial or insignificant you or I might think said drug is, according to the contract that every last one of them signs, weed is a no go.

 

For a player like Gordon, who has been caught with his hand in the cookie jar before, the risk is that much greater.

It doesn't change the fact that the scales of justice are completely unbalanced in relation to woman beating and weed, but just as proportionally, the fact that the scales are all fucked up doesn't change the fact that Gordon knew the risk he was taking—yet again—and completely disregarded the possibility of a negative outcome for not only himself, but for the fans that spent good money to come see him catch TD passes, not to mention his teammates (QBs) who were depending on him to be on the field.

 

Bottom line: the Browns' fans got fucked. Josh Gordon got exactly what he was supposed to.

[oochymp 2,393]

The thing about bringing up Rice is that while he probably should have been suspended longer, that's entirely irrelevant when you're talking about a suspension that's expressly stipulated in the CBA and specially scaled for repeat offenders, people keep saying "he should have just beaten his wife" but that misses the point, he could have done anything that didn't have a stipulated penalty and gotten less than a year

[BigBen07 285]

You're right about the logistics of it all. From a moral standpoint though, it's ridiculous. The scales aren't even. Not even close. I don't care if you smoke weed every day for the rest of your life. If you beat a woman unconscious—especially if you're built like a fucking brick shit house—fuck you. End of story. 2 games is not only insulting personally as a cash spending supporter of the NFL, but it's a slap in the face (no pun intended, serisously) to every woman who's ever been punched out by a man, regardless of anything. This might not be a legit defense for Gordon, but it most certainly is a legit talking point and something that needs to be addressed sooner than later.

 

The fact that the NFL's cave-man approach to domestic violence isn't the issue here though, regardless of how broken the system may be, and Gordon is taking full responsibility, regardless of how you think his statement came off. He's shut down. One year, 16 games at least, done deal.

I agree with this. Domestic violence is a far worse thing. The NFL, fortunately, bowed to media pressure and introduced a new policy.

 

As for Gordon, that ban prevents him from going to the CFL as well. Apparently Gordon would not be eligible to play because teams are prohibited from signing a suspended player of any league who is under contract with his league. Although this is the first I've heard of it.

[Dutch 874]

This sucks so bad. I was really hoping they'd take it easy on him even though he foolish to jeopardize his career yet again. I hate seeing star caliber players injured or suspended. Just one more exciting player I don't get to see play the game I love