Running down the Cleveland Browns and the rest of the AFC North with @SteelersDepot – WFNY Podcast – 2014-07-29
July 29, 2014Art Modell’s grave waterer to be charged
July 29, 2014We found out recently that Josh Gordon hired Richard Sherman’s lawyer to help handle his appeal with the NFL. In that case Maurice Suh called into question the specimen collection process and created doubt around the “he-said, he-said” case between the player and the collector. Now, Pro Football Talk is reporting what Josh Gordon’s strategy heading into the appeal on August 1. No surprise, the argument will once again center on the sample.
In the NFL, drug tests are split into two samples. They test one and then depending on the result test the second to double check. Here’s what PFT has to say.
For Gordon, the “A” bottle showed a concentration of 16 ng/ml, only one nanogram per milliliter above the limits of 15. The “B” bottle showed a concentration of 13.6 ng/ml — less than the threshold.
But because the “A” bottle was labeled “A” and not “B” and because the “B” bottle was labeled “B” and not “A”, the end result is a positive and a minimum one-year banishment from the NFL. Flip the bottles when it’s time to apply the labels, and Gordon isn’t facing a suspension.
The really interesting thing to me was what PFT stated before these details: Josh Gordon has passed at least 70 drug tests according to PFT’s source and was really close to passing this test as well. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Gordon’s legal team is hinging their argument on the stated inconsistencies in addition to the potential for the test being skewed by second-hand smoke.
We will see how effective these defenses are. For Gordon, the stakes are high as he faces the road that Justin Blackmon has traveled with an indefinite ban requiring application for reinstatement. Josh Gordon and the Browns would rather see him win a fight over the sample collection process (and the potential cause) regardless of how minute the technicality might be.
Then again, even as Josh Gordon has passed over 70 tests, he’s always one test away from finding himself out.
[Also see: A look at Kyle Shanahan’s Zone Run Game, Part I: Cleveland Browns Film Room]
(Photo: Scott Sargent/WFNY)
76 Comments
http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/030/8/6/i_was_hiding_under_your_porch_because_i_love_you_by_truebluejay-d5t8pyj.jpg
I think we’re starting to see why Marvin Miller was completely against drug testing. Arbitrary, vague, intrusions into privacy (70 tests? really?)… Considering that the commissioner in all sports is just an advocate for the owners, I am amazed how much power the PAs have given them. As it is, Goddell can do wtf he wants. (MLBPA isn’t as bad, but is getting there.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpcEietIoxk
Gordon called in Jackie Chiles!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpcEietIoxk
i think we are talking about entitlement. Gordon knew that even with a positive test someone else would give him a second chance.
I feel like, based on the small numbers of his positive test, he is weaning himself away from doing these things. Last time it was illegal prescriptions, this time, though, he may have just been present when his friends toked up. I feel that next time he will make a better decision – maybe still not a GOOD decision, mind you, but a better one.
And I don’t understand why it would necessarily be a good thing for the Browns to suspend the guy for a year. It would be awful for the Browns, and it could lead to rebellious and destructive behavior from Gordon. Those penalties haven’t worked in the past, so maybe they need to keep him around but just hold his hand the whole time.
Secret WFNY Ninja Cam recording at Maurice Suh suggested drug testing HQ…
Ok Josh, time for your drug tests. Ready?
Yeah…why do I need a blindfold?
Question one. What is this?
Umm, Yellow Amnesia…
Question two. What is this?
Psychosis Cheese…
45 minutes later…
Question seventy. What is this?
Panama Powerhouse…
Question seventy one. What is this?
Sticky Icky OG Kush…
Congratulations Josh, yous passed!
Duuuuude…
Sigh…I’m a total sellout.
C’mon. 16ng! What is that? Like a toke and a half. It’s not like he cold cocked his wife or something. Give the guy a break.
It’s not actually a technicality (though I get your meaning). Chain of custody is a big, huge deal under the law. Imagine all of the nasty thing that could happen – or that someone could do – to a sample in an unknown location overnight, particularly if the person violating the chain have a reason or motive. Ryan Braun might be a sneaky SOB on PEDs, but I’m in favor of things being overturned on chain of custody grounds. It’s a sound protection for the accused.
In short, if you want to be the one that enforce rules, be the one that enforces them properly.
It’s not like we’re talkin bout Heroin.
We’re talkin bout pot.
Pot. Not heroin.
Pot. Pot.
Pot.
How many times has he gotten tore up. Caught this time.
I blame him because he was old and slow. Irrelevant, but I blame him for it all the same.
I think the un-silver lining to him possibly getting out of this suspension is that he will learn absolutely nothing from it, and we’ll be right back here again next summer at the latest, during the season at the earliest.
70 tests? Maybe we can all lighten up a JG a bit. If he failed one out of 3, that would be one thing but he has taken at least a test a week and passed all but 1. If that is true and not just a smokescreen, that really does mean that Gordon has been clean all along. That would also explain why this has been in the public for 5 months but there hasn’t been a hearing or a final ruling – the case really isn’t clear cut.
Gordon should be suspended – but not for 16 games. I would say 4 is reasonable for a repeat offender (and no stage 3)
Classic Seinfeld.
That is the thing here. Reasonable was determined by the NFLPA and NFL in their last contract negotiations. The NFLPA was dumb and allowed these levels to be set the way they were.
I would like to point out that he had at least 70 tests in a row that he passed. This one that he failed was such a low amount of THC that he couldn’t possibly have smoked it himself. Which means he was around other people smoking, and resisted having any himself. I would say that is someone who is getting better and knows he can’t have any himself. You can say what you want about him hanging with the wrong crowd and making bad choices, but there is no way he smoked and got that low of a positive result. Perhaps he is not the “drug addict” everyone has been portraying him as. For all we know he may have not smoked weed for 2 years ++. Just happened to be around it the same day he was tested.
Again it looks like he hasn’t actually smoked pot in a long long time. Maybe the discussion should be about who he hangs out with, but based on this information, I don’t think he’s the pot head we have been led to believe. He clearly hangs out with dudes who smoke, but it looks like he himself has not had any. 70 passed tests in one year would lead you to believe that he is not smoking it at all. New friends and a little priority adjustment is all he needs.
You saw what happened over new mexico!
So many pretty colors….
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HU7XsC3-W0A/Uiyxsy9oljI/AAAAAAAAUbM/8jOkSpXdyco/s640/gty_balloon_fiesta_jt_120407_wg.jpg
I fear this is likely.
I agree. Pot is not the issue; however, I do think that he might be the pothead we think he is, just possibly in recovery. And that’s the point. If you’re in recovery, the issue absolutely is the people with whom he associates. And that is often the hardest thing to resolve.
currently there is no suspensions for first-time DUIs
coming from a steeler fan im sure
i doubt it