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Was listening to Mike and Mike this morning and caught an interesting comment from Mike Tomlin's press conference this week. Tomlin was discussing Leveon Bell's return from suspension when he mentioned that Bell has been conditioning and is up to speed with the offense. Whether that definitively means he has been allowed to take practice reps with the team is not clear.
Here is the quote... "His level of conditioning is not a concern to us,” Tomlin said Tuesday, per NFL.com. “He’s a guy that’s highly conditioned over a 12-month calendar. We’ve seen him every day, he’s been a part of this, he’s been in the building, he’s up to speed on what we’re doing from a schematic standpoint, really in tune here. We’ll see how sharp he is physically once we get him out on the practice field and kind of go from there but rest assured, you’re going to see Le’Veon Bell and probably a lot of him on Sunday.”
Apparently, NFL player suspension rules differ depending on the type of suspension. Burfict and Tom Brady, for example, because they were suspended for player safety and rules policies, were not permitted any contact with their teammates in-house or out. Players suspended under the NFL substance abuse policy are granted full contact with their team, which clarified by an Albert Breer tweet, are designed to help players in the substance abuse program...
Albert Breer @AlbertBreer
Substance-abuse suspensions allow for players to be at team facilities -- which is an effort to help guys get well. https://twitter.com/BostonCrusader/status/757641483264651264 …
I understand the reasoning behind this, but it was somewhat surprising to hear this morning. 
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I heard that today as well and wondered if Tomlin let something slip. Guess not.
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I don't agree with it, a suspension is a suspension. Period.
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(09-30-2016, 12:31 PM)Wyche Wrote: I don't agree with it, a suspension is a suspension. Period.
I actually disagree with you on this. Many times if a guy is having trouble with drugs or alcohol, the worst thing you can do is exclude him from the stability and friendship of an NFL locker room. Exclude him from the routine of what he knows, and chances are he uses more.
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(09-30-2016, 12:33 PM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: I actually disagree with you on this. Many times if a guy is having trouble with drugs or alcohol, the worst thing you can do is exclude him from the stability and friendship of an NFL locker room. Exclude him from the routine of what he knows, and chances are he uses more.
Ironic that Chris Henry was not allowed this luxury since he was suspended under the player conduct policy. I know everyone worried that being away from the team during his suspensions and after his injury might have negative ramifications. Wonder if this could have made a difference for him
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(09-30-2016, 12:33 PM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: I actually disagree with you on this. Many times if a guy is having trouble with drugs or alcohol, the worst thing you can do is exclude him from the stability and friendship of an NFL locker room. Exclude him from the routine of what he knows, and chances are he uses more.
No worries, and I get all of that.....but still....rules are rules. Three guys break the rules, and one gets the benefit of practicing and conditioning with the team for something that is illegal in society, while the other two get banished for what equates to breaking company policy. Now maybe, if we're talking first offense, I could get on board with that, but these cats with multiple offenses? Nah....ain't buying it.
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(09-30-2016, 12:37 PM)LebanonFan Wrote: Ironic that Chris Henry was not allowed this luxury since he was suspended under the player conduct policy. I know everyone worried that being away from the team during his suspensions and after his injury might have negative ramifications. Wonder if this could have made a difference for him
Good point.
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Since Goodell took over, its hard to follow how it all works because it seems to be on a case by case basis ad not uniform across the board. His methods just seem very sketchy to me.
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(09-30-2016, 12:37 PM)LebanonFan Wrote: Ironic that Chris Henry was not allowed this luxury since he was suspended under the player conduct policy. I know everyone worried that being away from the team during his suspensions and after his injury might have negative ramifications. Wonder if this could have made a difference for him
The league, and the thinking of society overall has come a long way since the time of Chris Henry. Was Henry ever suspended just for drugs? Wasn't there always random "stuff" that went along with it?
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(09-30-2016, 12:37 PM)Wyche Wrote: No worries, and I get all of that.....but still....rules are rules. Three guys break the rules, and one gets the benefit of practicing and conditioning with the team for something that is illegal in society, while the other two get banished for what equates to breaking company policy. Now maybe, if we're talking first offense, I could get on board with that, but these cats with multiple offenses? Nah....ain't buying it.
See, this is where I think it gets even more complicated. Depending on where you live, it may not be illegal in society.
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(09-30-2016, 12:46 PM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: The league, and the thinking of society overall has come a long way since the time of Chris Henry. Was Henry ever suspended just for drugs? Wasn't there always random "stuff" that went along with it?
Agreed, I don't think any of Henry's suspensions were for drugs, or if there was even a league substance abuse program at that time. His suspensions were always for run-ins with the law (albeit due to drugs or alcohol as you stated). Just wondering out loud how this might have helped him
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(09-30-2016, 12:48 PM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: See, this is where I think it gets even more complicated. Depending on where you live, it may not be illegal in society.
As long it's just pot, sure. That said, isn't this his second offense?
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(09-30-2016, 12:52 PM)LebanonFan Wrote: Agreed, I don't think any of Henry's suspensions were for drugs, or if there was even a league substance abuse program at that time. His suspensions were always for run-ins with the law (albeit due to drugs or alcohol as you stated). Just wondering out loud how this might have helped him
I am not any type of mental health professional, but Chris Henry just seemed like an extremely troubled young man.
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(09-30-2016, 01:06 PM)Wyche Wrote: As long it's just pot, sure. That said, isn't this his second offense?
I think this suspension was for a missed test because he was in the protocol from before. I would like to see them throw the book at any Steeler, but do understand the overall thinking as to why you let these guys stay around the facility.
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(09-30-2016, 01:23 PM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: I think this suspension was for a missed test because he was in the protocol from before. I would like to see them throw the book at any Steeler, but do understand the overall thinking as to why you let these guys stay around the facility.
....ain't just them....look at Josh Gordon....Manziel....I can understand on the first occasion, but after that, you're violating conduct rules, imo. If I remember correctly, he missed 2 or 3 didn't he? Also, believe me, I'm no stickler, I used to burn the hippie hay by the acre.....but now I pee clean to hold down upper five figures, these guys should be able to do it for eight.
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(09-30-2016, 01:34 PM)Wyche Wrote: ....ain't just them....look at Josh Gordon....Manziel....I can understand on the first occasion, but after that, you're violating conduct rules, imo. If I remember correctly, he missed 2 or 3 didn't he? Also, believe me, I'm no stickler, I used to burn the hippie hay by the acre.....but now I pee clean to hold down upper five figures, these guys should be able to do it for eight.
That is when I think they have a problem. You're allowing the substance to take over your life. I personally think it should be treated as a medical condition and not a criminal one. Without getting political, I think Americans have been programmed to believe drugs equal crime because there is a lot of money to be made.
From what I understand of the NFL testing for marijuana though, you do basically have to be an idiot to get caught in the first place...
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(09-30-2016, 02:16 PM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: That is when I think they have a problem. You're allowing the substance to take over your life. I personally think it should be treated as a medical condition and not a criminal one. Without getting political, I think Americans have been programmed to believe drugs equal crime because there is a lot of money to be made.
From what I understand of the NFL testing for marijuana though, you do basically have to be an idiot to get caught in the first place...
Pretty much.....as for the rest, I agree....unless you're peddling heroine or crack, drugs that kill.
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He didn't say they've seen him everyday of his suspension.
He was referring to every day this week.
All he said was the guy came in ready to roll, just like Tez was for us.
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(09-30-2016, 12:48 PM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: See, this is where I think it gets even more complicated. Depending on where you live, it may not be illegal in society.
Its still against Federal law in those states even if it isn't being enforced. With the NFL being a multi state company they have to have policies that comply with both Federal law and the laws of every state that they so business in. Not only that but it is still legal by state law to fire or refuse employment to someone who fails a drug test in every state that has allowed pot.
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(09-30-2016, 05:56 PM)jfkbengals Wrote: He didn't say they've seen him everyday of his suspension.
He was referring to every day this week.
All he said was the guy came in ready to roll, just like Tez was for us.
He referred to Monday and Tuesday as "every day this week"? That would be odd phrasing.
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