Ahmad Black Will Play Sunday
November 7th, 2012
In his post-practice briefing with the Tampa Bay pen and mic club this afternoon from One Buc Palace, the leader of the New Schiano Order, Bucs coach Greg Schiano, admitted he is “frustrated” with a recent string of Bucs players dealing with banned substances but flatly stated Ahmad Black will play Sunday despite his recent brush with the law.
“First I always deal with the individual involved and I have had candid conversations with Ahmad,” Schiano said. “Then I discussed it with the whole team. I get it, I am frustrated. At the same time you need to handle every situation independently. I talked to our team about it and I really believe they understand, yet we had another mistake. We have to get it remedied. I have taken internal action, which will stay internal.
“Now the league has to decide what they will do and the courts will have to decide. That’s where we are at.
“He will play Sunday.”
Frankly, as Joe pointed out earlier today, what Black did was simply stupid. Yeah, young guys smoke pot. That doesn’t mean their employers should look the other way on an illegal substance (in 48 states).
Sure, alcohol is legal, but try bringing a bottle of beer to work and see what happens. Yeah, one is allowed to own a firearm in America. Imagine the reaction of your employer if you carried heat into work one morning.
Joe can understand Schiano’s frustration. This Black incident came on the heels of Aqib Talib and Eric Wright being popped for popping Adderall, a banned substance, and illegal if one does not have a prescription.
Not to mention Black witnessed one of his ex-teammates, Tanard Jackson, smoke himself out of the league.
November 7th, 2012 at 4:04 pm
Joe, I’m not sure I understand the workplace scenarios you included here. Was Ahmad toking up on the sidelines?
I believe most jobs (including the NFL) allow you to crush beers, shoot guns and do other lawful activities in your spare time. If pot is legal in your state, and it’s not a performance enhancing drug, why would it be any different?
November 7th, 2012 at 4:16 pm
Rudy:
A little thing called the “collective bargaining agreement” the NFLPA has with the NFL which lists pot as a banned substance.
Just because pot is now legal in Washington state and Colorado, that only means the government cannot ban it, doesn’t mean private businesses can’t forbid employees from using it.
November 7th, 2012 at 4:26 pm
Just because it is legal doesn’t mean it is excepted. There are plenty of legal performance enhancing and non performance enhancing substances that are banned in the NFL.
Here is the list:
http://images.nflplayers.com/mediaResources/files/Banned%20Substance%20List.pdf
Sudafed and bitter orange(a safe and legal natural plant extract) aren’t even legal.
November 7th, 2012 at 4:34 pm
I understand but didn’t realize it was included in the CBA. Thoguht it was just Roger’s morality police. I wonder if there are other lawful substances, which are not PEDs, but which are banned in the CBA for image reasons.
I guess one positive is that those teams don’t get a competitive advantage in free agency. Ricky Williams might still be playing in Seattle!
November 7th, 2012 at 4:41 pm
“Sudafed and bitter orange(a safe and legal natural plant extract) aren’t even *allowed in the NFL*”
November 7th, 2012 at 4:59 pm
Those are stimulants, and are “banned substances” under the performance enhancing portion of the policy. I don’t think marijuana is a banned substance. It appears to fall under the “substances of abuse” policy, and looks like the only one that could be used lawfully and still constitute an automatic violation. Alcohol is only a violation if it is abused or there is an unlawful incident involving it. The rest of the drugs on the list are either unlawful to possess or require a Rx.
November 7th, 2012 at 5:10 pm
I don’t get it, why would he not play?
Weed is illegal in 32 states and that’s shrinking every election.
November 7th, 2012 at 5:10 pm
Well, don’t expect it to change until the next CBA is put together in 2021. That is, unless the union decides to cry about it in the meantime.
November 7th, 2012 at 5:19 pm
I like how Coach addressed the issue with the entire team because it is a big deal.
When you start a new job, employers inform you that they maintain a Drug Free workplace. The NFL is no different and when you get there you have to choose. Too many of these kids chose poorly. There is no excuse or justification for their actions, legal or not, it is a job requirement. And hence the name “professional”.
They are lucky it isn’t a zero tolerance policy because in most real world cases you would be fired.
I’m sick of hearing about it and can only imagine how the Bucs brass feels about it.
November 7th, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Good job Joe! Great perspective on the situation. Lets hope it has been dealt with and doesn’t incur further wrath from the league!
November 7th, 2012 at 10:08 pm
OK, enough is enough for me. It appears that drug abuse and alcohol abuse are the norm in the NFL and is overlooked when there is not another “man up.” So, I’m done with it all. I am a law-abiding citizen who has never been arrested for any reason, never touched drugs, don’t drink anything stronger than root beer and it appears, I am expected to invest my hard-earned money in a team filled with thugs. I’m sorry. It isn’t going to happen. They have no character, don’t get involved in the community to provide meaningful assistance to children’s groups or other civic organizations. They are all about being their own brand and couldn’t give a crap about anything else. The three corners got caught. How many others have just been lucky? This latest broke the camel’s back.
November 7th, 2012 at 10:24 pm
WTF ? Weed was just legalized in Washington and Colorado, and will soon be legal in every State. I clean roofs, and need all my wits, so I don’t smoke it. Besides, I don’t like the buzz. But Weed is much less harmful then Alcohol, and should be legalized. One day, we will look back at this Hypocrisy, and remember how we ruined Football Players lives, and locked up otherwise law abiding Americans, just because they smoked Weed.
November 7th, 2012 at 10:32 pm
@Chris I agree with you on a whole but not when it comes to the NFL. The rules are there and whether or not its legal in law has nothing to do with the private business’ rules and regulations.
November 7th, 2012 at 11:46 pm
I think we give Wright and Black their one warning and be done with it. If anything…ANYTHING happens again after a player’s one warning they’re gone. Turn up the new schiano order. It’s evident we need more Buccaneer men.
November 8th, 2012 at 7:52 am
The Gainsville green strikes again. Weed has plagued the Gators defensive players for a very long time. It seems most players are caught smoking pot in their vehicle. News flash don’t smoke in your vehicle. Black will now be tested weekly for 2 yrs straight.
The Federal government does not want to legalize pot because of all the Drug War funding and legals fees that would be lost. If 55% of the people in the U.S. think it should be legal and its not. You don’t live in a democracy.
November 8th, 2012 at 8:17 am
I don’t know the details or limitations placed on smoking pot in those 2 states…but I doubt it will be legal long.
If someone gets high of pills, the people near them are not pysically affected. If you smoke pot and there are people near, you are forcing then to breath (consume) a narcotic…including kids.
It’s only a matter of time before it is challenged or lawsuits are filed against the smokers.
November 8th, 2012 at 8:18 am
And if so.eidiot were to expose MY KIDS to that crap through second hand smoke…I would beat the living crap out of him.
November 8th, 2012 at 8:53 am
Amen Pete^
November 8th, 2012 at 10:47 am
MTM,
This so called Democracy started as a Republic.
Pete,You’re an idiot.
This is the point and strength of a republic. If you don’t like the laws of one state such as Weed Legalization, Gay Marriage, Abortion, Taxes, Healthcare Laws, Etc., then move to another State. This is my number one problem with the Federal Govt, is their having lost sight of States and Individual’s rights and liberties.
Notice how Florida still has the most stringent Weed laws in the Country.
If you don’t like it, move to Colorado or Washington.
Freedom is not imposing your will or beliefs upon others, but compromise is finding a happy medium where everyone can coexist, such as Weed should not be allowed in public places, same as cigarettes, but Weed bars and in the privacy of one’s home is a compromise. I haven’t read their laws yet but I’m sure there is a degree of common sense to it.
Nothing is worse or more dangerous than Texting while Driving.