MarkAF43

No it's actually nothing at all like that.

Times may be changing but that's not going to just open the country up and allow everyone to smoke pot. The US Military isn't going to start letting people get high, major sports leagues may come around eventually, but it's an issue we really don't know how it will play out. Personally I've never done the stuff so I have zero experience with it, but to each their own, until it has an impact on my life or my family I won't worry about it as much as other people may.

Just because in ten years it will be legal all over the country doesn't mean an employer has to accept it and let their people do it. Employers can still hold a zero tolerance on drug use and submit employees to random tests. So even if they legalize it, the NFL can still say it's a banned substance and he's still screwed.

I'm not at all saying the pats* orchestrated it, I'm saying that there more than likely was a wink nod arrangement that oops hey if you just happen to want out of Pittsburgh, we'd gladly welcome you back in a heartbeat, sooooo yeah, just letting you know...

You seem to like to give people the benefit of the doubt. He knew what his role would be when he signed the contract. And you're going to honestly say with a straight face that it's not fishy that the *pats* didn't want to pay him FA money but were waiting with open arms when he was released and EVERY OTHER NFL team sat by and said nah we don't need a decent running back? I just don't buy it.

Based on his response when asked, I'd say it does have legs, but as mentioned above, it'll never be proven. But it's not that hard to fathom his agent saying look, I know you want out of here, you throw a public display of attitude (walking out before the game ends), and I'll drop some hints around the league not to claim him on waivers, and we will be all set. If it had no legs why not just come out and say " no, this is absolutely ridiculous, when I was with the Steelers they were everything I played for, and I'd never have an arrangement waiting with another team. A little smile, and then a " I don't know nothing" seems pretty damn fishy

I just don't get it. At first I was very much do your job and speak to the media. Now my view is shifting. What's the point to hear the same tired clichés over and over by players every week? "well we need to execute our game plan", "gotta give those guys credit, they played tough", "we just need to take it one game at a time" I'd rather keep hearing, I'm just here so I don't get fined than the wasted comments from the majority of the players. Want to fine him for not speaking to the media? Ok, send it to a charity of his choice. Everyone wins.

How many of them have actual facts that would hold up to an interrogation, and not just a he said she said thing where the story was told to 12 different NFL wives and the story changes a bit every single time? I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just asking the question. Does she really know as much as she thinks she knows, and would it be truly damaging to the NFL or just something to make you think about?

Oh I get the OP's use of tragic, I just don't agree with it, and that's ok because it doesn't have to be agreed upon, to me, tragic is something more catastrophic, not a guy who keeps getting in trouble at his job. Now if it turns out down the road he is an addict then that may change my stance. However right now I see a guy who isn't willing to follow the rules set by his employer and has to deal with the consequences. To me, that's not tragic.

I've seen people I care about greatly suffer consequences for things that didn't hurt someone when they happened. My point in relation to Gordon is simple. He was told no drinking no drugs or we will suspend you and you won't play. It's equal to a parent saying to a kid my house my rules. Follow them or get out. Playing in the NFL isn't a right it's a privilege. If he's not willing to follow their rules, why should it matter if the rule hurts anyone or not? It's not a law, it's a condition of employment and he chose to break it. So why shouldnt he have to suffer the consequences? Because you feel that the rule of law doesn't hurt anyone?

I get your point and didn't really look at it that way. The reason I didn't say anything about him possibly being an addict is because I don't know enough about him to say if he could truly be considered an addict or not. But I definitely can understand your point. My understanding is that it was mainly pot before and now this suspension was due to alchol so I wasn't connecting the two in the sense of him being an addict.

Quite an interesting reply. Would you like to share where this came from? I didn't mention a word about prison time at all so I'm curious as to why you're throwing this back at me. All I've said is that this isn't tragic and if the dude made a choice to break a rule he knows can cost him his job and he does it anyway then he needs to deal with the consequences. Not sure how there is anything wrong with anything I said but please let me know where you disagree.

Sorry we will have to agree to disagree bits not tragic to have the inability to make the right decision. It's stupidity that doesn't allow someone to understand what can be lost by not following the rules. Just because they choose not to learn or understand the ramifications of what can happen doesn't make it tragic. The rule is simple. Don't drink, don't do drugs. He chose to do them. It's a choice. A choice that is simple. Enjoy a few drinks or risk losing millions. Pretty easy damn choice for most people (minus alcoholics or addicts). He made a choice. He chose wrong. He now needs to deal with the consequences of his choice.

Without knowing how much booze he had (if it was any amount or a specific set amount) I have a hard time defining it as tragic when someone can't follow rules his employer sets for him. Now if he truly has a drinking problem that changes things a bit, but if he's just an idiot who went to the club and got drunk one night I have zero sympathy. That's not a tragedy its just stupidity.

I don't see the tragic piece. Everyone says pot isn't addictive and your job says you will not smoke it. Period. It's not tragic he's just an idiot.

I think some folks are taking it to extremes, but I think for some of the people trying to take the other side of it are also taking it to an extreme (not singling you out), just more of an overall view. To me they've lost any credibility and everything they've done, I'll now look and wonder how they managed to do it, and I think a lot of NFL fans have the right to feel that way.

They probably don't. However they've raised enough suspicion to ever make anything they ever do seem legit. Doubt is a B!tch to get past, and they've lost the benefit of the doubt with most NFL fans.

And since there is no rule that says that they have to remain in plain sight after inspected by the officials I would imagine it would be quite easy to slip into a storage closet, team room or anything and do the deed without anyone being the wiser.

Yeah just listened on my way home. In one breath he can say he's very particular about the balls, his helmet, his pads, everything, but then he doesn't notice a 2 pound difference in the weight of a ball he touches every time he's on the field? Come on Tommy, that's weak as weak can be.

No. I don't want a cheating lying SOB coach on our team. The minute we make the playoffs the questions would begin on if it was legit or if BB found a way around the rules again and cheated his way to get us there.

INteresting this is the first we're hearing of it

I'm not sure I follow the logic that the main reason to oppose a downtown stadium is the impact on tailgating. I'm a season ticket holder so I understand how it is at the Ralph now. But this can't be the main reason we wouldn't use a downtown stadium. The whole idea of a stadium downtown isn't just for the Buffalo Bills. It's for the continuing development of the city of Buffalo. It's for making the city a better place with more to do and see. As much as I love the Ralph for all that it is, I'm not at all opposed to a stadium in the proposed sites.

Great post.

So there are enough financial issues in this country all over and now we need to drop that much cash to save birds lives? Sorry that's just ridiculous and idiotic to me.