Reminder to Joe Theismann

[Pleasing_Brian]

I don't see what the big deal is

I still don't see what the big deal is. It could be argued that drugs are not good for you. But neither is tobacco or alcohol, they're both drugs, but yet society deems them to be OK. What Ricky consumes is only illegally because of an arbitrary line drawn in the sand.

That being said, these are not performance enhancing drugs. He has not cheated. They have not given him a football edge. As such, he's done nothing to cheat the sport of football. At worst he has only cheated himself personally.

If he had been caught with performance enhancing drugs 4 times, I'd agree that signing him lacks respect for the game. As it stands, welcome to the CFL Ricky. Drugs aren't good for you, but it's your body, do what you like with it.

 

[Coach]

Slowandeasy, I agree with you completely. I love the CFL but get frustrated with the people running it.

Pleasing_Brian, aren't all laws and regulations arbitrary?

 

[GlavaMan]

Slowandeasy,

The Glieberman's owned three CFL francises. Ottawa Rough Riders, Renegades & the Shreveport Pirates. All were just something for Lonie to do to keep him away from Bernie's money making activities.

Theismann is entitled to his opinion. Just like everyone else. Take it for what it is. My CFL memory of Joe is him being helped off the field with a broken ankle. If I were to meet him today, I'd say "Joe, how about that Leon McQuay".

 

[slowandeasy]

Slowandeasy,

The Glieberman's owned three CFL francises. Ottawa Rough Riders, Renegades & the Shreveport Pirates. All were just something for Lonie to do to keep him away from Bernie's money making activities.

Thanks glava... By the time the expanded to the US I was so sick the league that I did not even follow it...

Who was the butt head that owned the Argos about 5 years back... I think it was just before Sokolowski and pals...

Brian... I don't know details of the physiological effects, and I am not in that field... but as far as I can see, weed and alcohol are very similar and i think that weed might be less addictive than alcohol... they both cause damage to the body and alcohol's destruction might be more tangible (i.e liver etc) than weed... I used to have this argument with my dad, and his comeback was
" alcohol is legal, and weed is not... so I can drink as much as I fucking want, now shut the fuck up and stop being so dumb"...

I still dont' agree with it, but the fact is that's the way things are, and they don't look to be changing any time soon. As a professional sports league, the CFL and it's players are idols to many kids... The Argos and Pinball have been waging a campaign on drugs for years... how does this reflect on them.... IMHO, it is a very poor message that they are sending... "Do as we say not as we do.... Kids there serious consequences to drugs... but not for guys like Ricky Williams, Onterrio Smith etc.... kids drugs are going to lead you nowhere, unless you can make some good money or sell another 1000 tickets.... no one is going to hire a druggie or someone with a criminal record... but if you are a sports star, they will look the other way..." do i really need to go on...

 

[Denton]

not really clearing it up...

Joes son was not only arrested for drug possession, he was also charged with dealing cocaine......

I also think that Joe was charged with beating up one his ex wife....

The issue is not whether Joe has a right to shoot his mouth off or not... it's about whether he is an idiot or not... Here we have a guy who's son is a convicted coke dealer, beats up his wife and works with Michael Irvin (a known druggie who was recently charged with a drug offence) shooting his mouth off that Ricky Williams should not get a job!!!!

Do you think that Joe is going out there and telling his son's employers that they should not hire his son?? Is he telling his employers that he does not want to work with Irvin??? Should his employers not hire wife abusers??? Are wife abusers now above drug users on the social ladder????

Oh yes... did you perhaps forget that we are the country whose first winter olympic gold medalist a few olympics was taken away because the drug test found weed in his system... We are also the country that lobbied to have the medal given back to our pothead snowboarder

Perhaps that will help to clear up your confusion.....

Did Joe approach the Fan 590 for an interview? Not likely. Did the Fan call up Joe to ask his opinion of Williams so they could flush it out? No. His position on Ricky Williams was quite clear all along - including his rant at the Pittsburgh golf tourney last year. So why then would the Fan want him on the radio....hmmmm - to stir up controversy? To get the CFL more coverage? Quite likely.

I am not saying that there should be a hierarchy for social morality (although one exists and likely places drug users ahead of wife abusers) but take his comments as a whole without breaking it down to simply "Ricky did pot and is a bad bad man'. Williams left his team, is a repeat offender of the league's drup policy and is just as selfish a teammate as Roger Clemens.

I have no idea what Joe has said to espn regarding Michael Irvin. Perhaps if they had asked the question we would have received an answer? Irvin served his punishment and moved on - a fairly simple difference. Williams is suspended from the NFL and yet he is playing in the CFL this year while still under contract with the Dolphins. Joe is not saying that people who break the law are not entitled to another chance - just that Williams is a bad teammate and it brings the cfl's image and the image of the Argos down with his signing - something you seem to be echoing - difference is, your response is not played on live radio.

I remember this country quite well - this is Canada right? The same place where the decriminlization of marijuana was shelved because the Canadian public elected the Conservative government. It is the same country where one is presumed innocent until proven guilty - Ross, I do believe, never admitted to smoking weed and weed is one of a few substances that will be found in your system if you just happen to be in a room with someone smoking pot. That was how he got his medal back - not "hey I'm Canadian and I smoke pot with my buddies and it didn't really help me win".

You may not agree with the rule, but that does not give you carte blanche to break that rule because you feel it is wrong - you change the rule. The only other thing I would ask is, do we know what substance Ricky tested positive for? It was my understanding that he said it wasn't mary jane...

 

[GlavaMan]

Thanks glava... By the time the expanded to the US I was so sick the league that I did not even follow it...

Who was the butt head that owned the Argos about 5 years back... I think it was just before Sokolowski and pals...

I believe that was Sherwoord Shwartz. Which led to the Argos going broke & the CFL taking them over. That was 3 years ago & they have come a long way since with new owners & increased attendence. Ricky Williams will help with a further increase in ticket sales in Toronto & around the league.

Ricky is still being tested up to 10 times amonth by the NFL so he has to stay clean. Which makes him fit in to the Argos anti-drug campaign. Seems like it could be a win win situation for everyone.

 

[The Fruity Hare]

I believe it has been claimed Ricky smoked marijuana because of a social disorder. He also states that since becoming involved in yoga, he no longer uses weed. His yoga master told him to shave, cut his hair and stop smoking marijuana. Supposedly, the last drug infraction was caused by some herbal ingredient as opposed to smoking dope.
If he can now come out and say that he no longer uses it, and help steer any kids away from drugs it may be a stronger message becaus he has been there.

 

[slowandeasy]

A few years into his NFL career, Ricky had come out saying that he was suffering from something like agoraphobia... I think it was an Anxiety disorder. here is a link to an article...
http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/famouspeople/p/rickywilliams.htm

He is definitely a strange dude......