denardogasm

April 3rd, 2012 at 4:44 PM ^

I am legitimately angry right now.  These athletes are so goddamn stupid it's infuriating.  they have no idea how good their situation is.  Makes me glad Hoke is so focused on recruiting guys with integrity.

DetroitBlue

April 3rd, 2012 at 4:51 PM ^

Why the anger?  I get that most of us would switch places with professional athletes in a heartbeat, but I just can't get angry about them smoking pot.  I haven't smoked for a lot of years, but it always struck me as one of the least harmful bad habits that one could have.  With the physical toll the game takes on these guys' bodies, I just can't bother getting upset about them smoking a joint to unwind.

j5aown

April 3rd, 2012 at 4:58 PM ^

While I can agree that there certainly are many worse things they could be doing, the fact remains that these players KNOW that if they are caught doing it, they're going to get into trouble/get fined/face suspensions.  Knowing this, why would you ever put yourself at risk like this?  It simply astonishes me and yet it continues to happen over and over again, and always will.

Case in point - Mikel Leshoure.  If you have to resort to SWALLOWING the pot you possess just to avoid getting into trouble, perhaps maybe you shouldn't be messing around with the stuff...just a thought.

Nick Sparks

April 3rd, 2012 at 5:19 PM ^

I'm not sure if that's the reason you're angry...

Students under the age of 21 drink on ever campus in America...  these kids are KNOWINGLY jeopardizing their futures by breaking that law!!! Are you pissed at them?

There's common sense, and then there's antequated laws with racist enforcement that are maintained to protect pharmaceutical profits...

Let's make sure our anger is directed in the right place.

j5aown

April 3rd, 2012 at 5:36 PM ^

FWIW, I'm not the one who said he was angry...please look three posts above yours for that. My point was that I can't understand how professional athletes can jeopardize their careers with something like smoking pot. It would seem that you would have too much on the line to take a gamble like that.



And as far as your comparison - we're not really comparing students drinking underage to professionals taking illegal drugs are we? I smoked pot in college too...but guess what? As a pilot, I have to submit to random drug tests at my place of employment and therefore, no longer smoke pot.

Nick Sparks

April 3rd, 2012 at 5:52 PM ^

Please excuse the confusion - I just merged the comments for convenience.

And yes, I'm happy that you're more mature in your decision making than you were when you were 21... I no longer enjoy weed as I once did for the same reason.

Just remember that these "professional athletes" aren't far removed from the age when you admittedly broke the same law - and on average, many of them grew up in "harsher" environments than I'm guessing you did (if you grew up in a heavily depressed city please excuse my assumption) which often leads to slower emotional maturation.

I'm happy you know better, but don't think any of us should be so quick to point the finger.

French West Indian

April 3rd, 2012 at 5:45 PM ^

...but the overall context of these situations that some of us find so baffling (and infuriating). 

Think of it this way, if you were offered a job that paid 6, 7 or maybe even an 8 figure salary with the caveats that a.) it might only last 2-3 year and b.) don't do anything stupid (like get busted for drugs, shoot yourself in the leg, etc) then you'd probably be able to deal with it, right?  And yet these young guys (many who have limited career prospects off the field) still screw it up.

They go from literally having a dream opportunity sitting in their laps to sitting in jail (incidentally living off the state & taxpayer dollars).  In other words, regardless of how anybody feels about drug laws, there is plenty of reason to feel upset when fellow citizens screw up their lives like so.

no joke its hoke

April 3rd, 2012 at 6:06 PM ^

those are good pointss but i perfer him to smoke pot than to get a DUI. 10 years from now what he did will not even be against the law. I understand your thoughts and dont really disagree but ifthe worse thing your players are doing is smoking pot,your already ahead of the game.

ppToilet

April 3rd, 2012 at 8:27 PM ^

this thread shouldn't be the "should pot be legal" thread.

It's the "don't screw up your multimillion dollar job" thread. At the professional level, these guys are asked to do all sorts of things (and avoid all sorts of things). I feel sorry for these kids wasting their chance just like lottery winners who blow their winnings.

WolvinLA2

April 3rd, 2012 at 11:28 PM ^

It can still be a "should the NFL actually care if the players are smoking weed" thread, to which I would argue no they should not unless it gets out of hand. 

And I don't really blame these guys.  They're young and make a lot of money.  They want to party in the offseason.  I would too. 

Nick Fairley didn't rape anyone, he didn't fire a gun in a night club, he wasn't using performance enhancing drugs and he wasn't paying his teammates to take out the QB's knee cap.  He was getting stoned, which is more harmless than gettin drunk.  It's hardly illegal and doesn't at all impede his ability to be a good defensive tackle.  So I don't think he's really screwing up his million dollar job. 

To be honest, I don't know of any pro athlete who ruined their career for smoking pot.  Charles Rogers smoked a lot of weed, but he also had a glass clavicle and didn't like trying hard.  Ricky Williams is different because he didn't really want to do anything but smoke pot, and even be made it back once he found his zen or whatever.  I highly doubt this will ruin Fairley's career.

ppToilet

April 4th, 2012 at 7:35 AM ^

They're the employer and they set the rules for the job. Sure, there are lots of things worse than smoking weed but that's not the point. The expectations are the expectactions and if the kids want to have fun, and keep their paycheck, then they have to play by the rules. That's called being responsible and accountable - to yourself, your family and your team.

Again, to me it's not about the weed whatsoever. If the contract specified that you can't swear, then don't swear. We all give up our freedom to a degree whenever we sign a contract and these young men don't seem to get it. I don't blame them, or get angry about it, I just feel sorry for them.

I am not sure that I have ever seen a study that evaluated outcomes in professional or collegiate athletes who smoke pot. I think that would make for a great project and would be the way to answer the question you posed.

PatrickBateman

April 3rd, 2012 at 4:45 PM ^

Isn't it strange how these guys always get busted AWAY from their home cities?  I wonder how many times a cop lets a car roll after seeing who was in the car.

clarkiefromcanada

April 3rd, 2012 at 5:08 PM ^

Fairley: "Evan, I heard you were leavin' the Wolverines".

Smot: "That's right".

Fairley: (putting down joint): "Come over here".

Smot: "No, really, that's okay",

Fairley: "At my alma mater, you'd have just been able to ask for more money, like Cam Newton".

Smot: "I don't think..."

Fairley: "That's right son, you didn't think" (reaches out and pokes Smotrycz in the chest).

Smot: "owww! (dials 911 on his BlackBerry)

Fairley: (picks up joint) "Now don't go calling the police...."

Smot: "too late Nick".

Fairley: "Skaters gonna skate".

dothepose

April 3rd, 2012 at 4:49 PM ^

So apparently this 2011 draft class loves the weed, 1st round Fairely, busted. 2nd round leshoure, busted. 7th round cuhlbreath, busted. Young and Hogue better step it up or they will be left out.

lunchboxthegoat

April 3rd, 2012 at 4:50 PM ^

I think you should change the title to "ALL NFL PLAYERS ARRESTED FOR SMOKING POT, ALL OF THEM." seriously ridiculous. How stupid can you be? Smoke pot if that's you're thing but keep it on the down low and in your private residence. 

SoullessHack

April 3rd, 2012 at 4:51 PM ^

Here's my question: How much weed do you have to smoke before you get arrested for it? I don't smoke, myself, but as Joan Wilder said, "I went to college," which means I've known a great number of people who do. Moreover, I've known a fair number of people who smoke a LOT of weed. And yet... I've never known anyone who has been arrested for possession.

I guess that's why I get so judgmental when I read about incidents like this. Maybe I'm wrong, but don't you have to be either phenomenally stupid or phenomenally high to get arrested for smoking weed? Even in Alabama?