Josh Gordon Failed yet another drug test

Can't fix stupid. I remember there was a thread last year where someone wanted to sign him. I don't think he'd even find a job in Arena Football.

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FlyHawksFly":23u2hmez said:

To be fair, his sample was diluted. Not the same as a failed test, technically, though some employers treat it that way. The NFL has had previous cases of diluted samples, and has fallen on both sides of the decision (fail/not fail). FWIW, I highly doubt they give Gordon another shot.

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Actually to be fair, it was both diluted AND positive for marijuana

Citing a source with knowledge of test results, the report said a sample collected from Gordon in early March tested positive for marijuana and dilute.

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I believe the finding of "dilute" means he likely tried to flush his system with water or another substance prior to the test. Unfortunately for him, most drug tests these days are performed by a mass spectrometer and are pretty difficult to cheat.

SmokinHawk":335a0myy said:

I believe the finding of "dilute" means he likely tried to flush his system with water or another substance prior to the test. Unfortunately for him, most drug tests these days are performed by a mass spectrometer and are pretty difficult to cheat.

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I believe that's correct. And it must be extra difficult for an athlete to do that considering how much water they go through.

Reserving judgment though for now. Hawk fans have had a little experience in this area and the NFL's procedures are not the best.

Geez, he might just need a change of scenery and I still want him. If he's not banned for life i'd still give something for him. Looks like Justin Blackmon part 2 and Johnny Football as your roommate can't be good either.

Dummy.

Athletes should not be penalized for smoking pot.

People in general should not be penalized for smoking pot.

Pretty sure a sample that bears evidence of being intentionally diluted, be it through exploiting physiology or otherwise, is considered to be a failure. Von Miller was popped for the exact same thing, wasn't he?

LULZ for all the people talking about false positives and such.

I rebut all your arguments with two words. Josh Gordon.

bjornanderson21":15eefz2x said:

Athletes should not be penalized for smoking pot.

People in general should not be penalized for smoking pot.

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Agreed. It's dumb. It's not a performance enhancing drug by the classic definition and is legal for medical use in more than half the country, plus legal for recreational use in two states where the NFL is an employer.

I doubt it would be terribly detrimental to the NFL's image if they were to just turn their backs on the issue. It's not their fight and it hurts their product when guys like Josh Gordon can't play due to their draconian stance on the matter.

career over

You have to ask yourself just what a kid goes through, that he would put all this on the line for that.

As a former musician, I've seen plenty of people that self-medicated because of existing problems. A lot of musicians get into music for that, then they self-medicate other ways.

You can have ask yourself if punishing people for it, especially in a country where it is legal in multiple states, and when the drug is proven to have pain management benefits - (key considering how important pain management can be to an NFL player), if any of this makes sense to punish people for.

If someone gives up millions for a drug, are they bad? Or is it a sign there is an issue? Is the goal to root out people to find the best untainted? or to provide the stage where people can create the greatest value for themselves & others?

Not sure why the NFL is deciding that denying opportunities to a kid that to my knowledge has hurt nobody with his habit, helps. Especially when we all know the reason the NFL is deciding to enforce the ban is more political than anything.

Just as much, if not more, damage to performance can be attributed to alcohol.

It also could be asked, at some point, just how much of the substance abuse out there is the RESULT of collisions from football and not something people do as a separate habit.

The kid is a fantastic football player, clearly needs help but really it sucks seeing so much potential being peed away because of both sides. Yuck.

Le Batard was saying this morning that the NFL shouldn't penalize for positive tests on pot, but he's jumping the gun.It's only legal in some states, so they aren't going to change the law until it's legal in all states.

I agree, people should not be penalized, I've had my issues with drugs and alcohol, and my best friend smokes pot, yet I have zero issue with it. But it's the legal issue whether anyone agrees with it or not. It comes down to following the law.

I sincerely hope that once it is completely legalized, that the NFL will come off their "high horse" and stop testing for it. But until then, they are like the Federal Government, glacial in change.

As far as penalizing people for using, it's the only thing people with an alcohol or drug issue understand. Until we take several hay makers to the face, we just don't understand that we need to change. The sad thing is that some never get that wake up moment, but instead the legal system keeps putting them back out on the street until they become a corpse.

If you're interested in one or two movies that demonstrate what addiction is like, watch Basketball Diaries and/or Traffic. Both are very well done. I had trouble watching Traffic, it took me several tries.

As far as Josh Gordon goes, he reminds me of JaMarcus Russell, all world talent, small world brain. Things came so easily to them that they had no discipline, and in the NFL circle, there are plenty of people who will hop on that gravy train and drag you down.

But there may also be some historical issues with people like them, something that happened to them when they were young, or something they did that weighs on them, and like TwistedHusky mentioned above, they're self-medicating, trying to pretend there's nothing wrong, and that they are happy. And fortunately for them, their drug of choice (weed or purple drank) isn't necessarily a lethal one.

I hope Josh Gordon gets his life together, whether he makes it back to football is not as important as dealing with his demons. But if the rumors about him hanging out with Manziel are true, he's already screwed.