2019 Josh Gordon Watch

DJnVa

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So, this is very awesome. Pats are paying for Gordon's rehab, working with NFL and NFLPA, believe a return is possible. He's working out in Florida.



A source with knowledge of Gordon’s situation told NESN.com the suspension was triggered by diluted drug test samples.
 

Blue Monkey

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So, this is very awesome. Pats are paying for Gordon's rehab, working with NFL and NFLPA, believe a return is possible. He's working out in Florida.

Great news indeed!! On the possible return... would the NFL even give him another go? How long of a suspension is he looking at?
 

DJnVa

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Great news indeed!! On the possible return... would the NFL even give him another go? How long of a suspension is he looking at?
It's termed as "indefinite" but the story notes the Patriots are working with the NFL on this.
 

Ed Hillel

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I’m not understanding the “diluted sample” thing. I mean the guy apologized and he’s in rehab, right? Maybe the NFL is looking for an excuse to get him back?
 

DJnVa

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I’m not understanding the “diluted sample” thing. I mean the guy apologized and he’s in rehab, right? Maybe the NFL is looking for an excuse to get him back?
I assume that meant the test wasn't positive because the sample was messed with in some fashion, which the NFL equates to a positive test.
 

DJnVa

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Per Yahoo Sports, Gordon could file for reinstatement as early as May.
 

InstaFace

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"Remember: drug-use is self-abuse!"

...some would argue it's self-care, Nancy Reagan, but I suppose that depends on your point of view.
 

BusRaker

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I’m not understanding the “diluted sample” thing. I mean the guy apologized and he’s in rehab, right? Maybe the NFL is looking for an excuse to get him back?
Typically you drink a shit ton of water right before the test and hope your body creates enough creatine to pass the creatin/mL threshold while reducing the toxin to thresholds below the cut off. Search for "How to Pass an ETG Test" for more info. Most likely his pee was watered down if they were looking for drinking. With THC (or other fat-soluble chemicals) the trick is to get your lipid (fat) cells to be uptaking (i.e. getting fatter) for the days before the test, taking the fat soluble THC with it to get you under the threshold. I read about this somewhere ...
 

Blue Monkey

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Typically you drink a shit ton of water right before the test and hope your body creates enough creatine to pass the creatin/mL threshold while reducing the toxin to thresholds below the cut off. Search for "How to Pass an ETG Test" for more info. Most likely his pee was watered down if they were looking for drinking. With THC (or other fat-soluble chemicals) the trick is to get your lipid (fat) cells to be uptaking (i.e. getting fatter) for the days before the test, taking the fat soluble THC with it to get you under the threshold. I read about this somewhere ...
A few months ago I got a random drug test at work. I had literally gone to the bathroom less than a minute before I was informed of the test. I drank a liter of water waited 10-15 then provided my sample. It looked like I peed straight water. Made a comment to the guy if it was going to be ok and he said he thought it would be. Needless to say it come back diluted and was immediately given another test. Wasnt an issue for me but every organization is different.
 

Ed Hillel

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Typically you drink a shit ton of water right before the test and hope your body creates enough creatine to pass the creatin/mL threshold while reducing the toxin to thresholds below the cut off. Search for "How to Pass an ETG Test" for more info. Most likely his pee was watered down if they were looking for drinking. With THC (or other fat-soluble chemicals) the trick is to get your lipid (fat) cells to be uptaking (i.e. getting fatter) for the days before the test, taking the fat soluble THC with it to get you under the threshold. I read about this somewhere ...
Sorry, I was not clear. I understand what a diluted sample is, just why it was used in the article/Tweet like “oh, it was just a diluted sample.” I mean obviously he was still taking drugs, so I don’t see how diluted sample is viewed as anything less than positive.
 

BusRaker

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Sorry, I was not clear. I understand what a diluted sample is, just why it was used in the article/Tweet like “oh, it was just a diluted sample.” I mean obviously he was still taking drugs, so I don’t see how diluted sample is viewed as anything less than positive.
My bad ... I guess he fucked up either way, only dilution can be an accident so if you're being tested say weekly and 1 out of 20 weeks it came back diluted (especially for an athlete that drinks liters of water a day) most P.O.s would let one slide when you passed the other 19.
 

bakahump

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in the Military getting your number called and drinking 1-2 liters in 10-20 mins of water so you could pee and get on with your day was common. No idea how they tested some of those samples. (they probably didnt....but we THOUGHT they would so we didnt do drugs....well most of us anyway.)
 

Seels

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in the Military getting your number called and drinking 1-2 liters in 10-20 mins of water so you could pee and get on with your day was common. No idea how they tested some of those samples. (they probably didnt....but we THOUGHT they would so we didnt do drugs....well most of us anyway.)
Yea, I remember those days. I also remember standing in line for hours so they could test an entire battalion.
 

nayrbrey

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in the Military getting your number called and drinking 1-2 liters in 10-20 mins of water so you could pee and get on with your day was common. No idea how they tested some of those samples. (they probably didnt....but we THOUGHT they would so we didnt do drugs....well most of us anyway.)
In the late 80s they’d test in a X pattern based on the box of samples, or at least that is what I remember the corpsman on our ship saying.
 

InstaFace

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He could come back and he'd still be an addict. I rather doubt he's lost enough to truly have had the reckoning he needs to get on the right path in committed fashion. I hope he does, and I hope he's reinstated and able to join us next year. But every day he's on an NFL roster and subject to testing, we're rolling a D100 where a 1 means positive test and lifetime ban.
 

dcmissle

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It will be interesting to see whether the Pats commit a roster spot to him. They value each spot so highly.

Draw no inferences in that regard from where he is training or the TB12 gear or any of the rest of it. The NEP are good people. I could pretty easily see them doing everything in their power to help him get back — ultimately for some other team.
 

McBride11

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It will be interesting to see whether the Pats commit a roster spot to him. They value each spot so highly.

Draw no inferences in that regard from where he is training or the TB12 gear or any of the rest of it. The NEP are good people. I could pretty easily see them doing everything in their power to help him get back — ultimately for some other team.
Quite right. But also he has no reason to wear Tb12 gear and tag Tom. Unless we think that is a marketing play.
Maybe Tom and the Pats support has motivated him? Helped him in some way. He hasnt had a lot of support in his life and maybe this is meaningful for him. Or maybe he sees it as a last chance to put up some numbers and get one last payday.
Im gonna be an optimist and hopeful for the kid.
 

koufax32

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This likely will be too late for Josh, but it is coming. You need weed to cope with pain or anxiety or whatever, have at it.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/03/06/in-the-next-cba-nfl-is-prepared-to-make-major-concessions-under-the-substance-abuse-policy/
How this is couched is just frustrating. ‘We won’t do this now because we only care about the subject as a bargaining chip.’ At least they come right out and admit that player health is not important to them at all. This league and these owners...just...man
 

dcmissle

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They are all about bargaining chips. Penny wise, pound foolish. In its own enlightened self interest, the League should be out of the substance abuse business (as distinguished from the PED business).

Remarkably easy. End “the program”. Recreational drugs and alcohol are the players’ business.

If somebody gets busted under state law, jailed for some reason, and can’t play — then he can’t play and should not be paid for the games missed.

The League got into this business primarily for PR reasons that are not salient anymore if they ever were.
 

BigSoxFan

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They are all about bargaining chips. Penny wise, pound foolish. In its own enlightened self interest, the League should be out of the substance abuse business (as distinguished from the PED business).

Remarkably easy. End “the program”. Recreational drugs and alcohol are the players’ business.

If somebody gets busted under state law, jailed for some reason, and can’t play — then he can’t play and should not be paid for the games missed.

The League got into this business primarily for PR reasons that are not salient anymore if they ever were.
Agree 100%. The league only pretends to care about PEDs but pot is a huge issue for them. Ok.
 

djbayko

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If somebody gets busted under state law, jailed for some reason, and can’t play — then he can’t play and should not be paid for the games missed.

The League got into this business primarily for PR reasons that are not salient anymore if they ever were.
Right. And if the substance use/abuse affects the player’s performance (not just on field but things like being able to attend team meetings on time), then it will affect his performance, and a different set of repercussions will be faced accordingly.
 

McBride11

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They are all about bargaining chips. Penny wise, pound foolish. In its own enlightened self interest, the League should be out of the substance abuse business (as distinguished from the PED business).

Remarkably easy. End “the program”. Recreational drugs and alcohol are the players’ business.

If somebody gets busted under state law, jailed for some reason, and can’t play — then he can’t play and should not be paid for the games missed.

The League got into this business primarily for PR reasons that are not salient anymore if they ever were.
Spot on post.

I mean if JG played for and lived in Seattle. Trained 6 hours / day. Went home and had an edible to unwind / control anxiety / etc. Why waste time testing this. If he starts missing training / practice / film, his team will treat him like Mr No Alarm Clock Grey.
 

bsj

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bakahump

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I worry that JG will be used as a pawn for Patriot Haters.
Can you not see the the disgust and animosity if Roger Goddell said in July "Yes JG can play". People would go ballistic. "Cheatriots always get away with this sh*t!" "I guess we know who is sucking Kraft off now!" etc etc.

Goodell cant allow him to join later either due to the throng of negative public opinion being just as strong.
If the Pats are doing well ESPN will have the "Is it Fair that JG is reinstated to help the Patriots continue their domination?" Tell me you can hear their talking heads bitching about that.

If the Pats are doing poorly then it will be "And just like that Goodell rides in to save the Patriots season with the reinstatement of Gordon".

Because of this I think a guy who (depending on you moral compass) really hasnt done anything too terrible and NEEDS a second/third/Fourth chance to try to take back control of his life will be denied the chance. In some office Goodell and the the "brain trust" will talk about optics and how this will look like they are catering and deny JG this opportunity.

JG might have been better off being on the Cardinals or Titans.
 

InstaFace

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I can't really see anyone getting too up in arms about reinstating a drug addict who's sought and received treatment. He didn't hurt anybody (except himself). He just needs to give Goodell plausible reason to reinstate him.

That said, at the rung of the ladder Gordon is on, the suspension is supposed to be lifetime. It's supposed to be "go find something else to do, you're embarrassing us too much". At some point, Goodell may well decide Gordon is a case of "fool me N+1 times, shame on me", and that time could well be now without him being wrong, per se.