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Was poking around Weiszer's blog last night and saw this piece by David Ausiello referenced in relation to the suspension of Navy slotback Marcus Curry.
It reminded me of a post I did just over a year ago in the midst of all the steroid hoopla. You see...in my mind drug use, whether recreational or situational, is a danger to our society's children. If an adult uses drugs without letting the consequences within have any bearing on the lives of others...well, so be it. Without recreating the argument I posed last February, suffice it to say that my contention however is that a laissez faire attitude toward any drug use only leads to our childrens' destruction.
Marcus Curry tested positive for marijuana in a random drug test. He evidently faces no disciplinary action, which has Naval Academy students, faculty and alumni up in arms. The non-punishment is difficult for someone from my side of the issue to ingest, inhale or swallow.
From the over-tolerant side of the debate, Ausiello points to the University of Georgia on the right side. Like some notable players in years past, if Curry were a Dawg he'd miss at least the UL-Lafayette and the South Carolina games to open the 2010 season.
While I don't care to speculate as to the reasoning for Curry's slap on the wrist free pass, I am glad that my school takes the hard stance. Even if it means losing a player of Justin Houston's stature in Stillwater last season, and especially if it means it possibly prevents a Len Bias-sized tragedy.
What say you?
Sidenote: I found it sadly ironic that Ausiello also mentions that the University of Maryland prevents coaches from disciplining a student-athlete once a drug test is failed. Counseling is the only consequence for first offenders. A two-week suspension is given for the second offense. In a perfect world, Len Bias would've had Damon Evans as an AD.
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3 comments:
I'm like you, I'm glad we take a tough stance. I wish the NCAA would adopt the same for everyone. Or at least the SEC.
If the story of the cigar is proved wrong then he should be kicked out because he has then egregiously broken the Code of Conduct by lying (which requires forethought). Before judging, the academy Superintendent,Vice Admiral Fowler, should have investigated to the Nth degree as to how the marijuana could be placed inside unknowingly to Curry. Think about it. The difficulty to load one is huge and regular cigar smokers don't even inhale and hold each draw or you would get so dizzy you could only take a puff or two. You certainly wouldn't enjoy the cigar for very long,as the taste without inhaling is why most cigar smokers smoke them. Show me a cigar smoker that says that he inhales most of his/her cigar and I'll show you a liar. The minimum amount of THC that you would get by not inhaling shouldn't show up on a random drug test.
Zero drug tolerance is frought with problems not yet resolved(Showing positive after consuming poppy seeds, inhaling second-hand smoke, etc.). Plus, I do believe that treatment of cancer and glaucoma(appetite enhancement that allows consumption of food and keeping up your strength when on a sickening chemotherapy regimen, relaxation afforded to glaucoma patients that lowers stress that is the primary cause leading to blindness) is a legitimate use for the drug THC found in marijuana. Intolerance leads to experimenting users distrusting unscientific marijuana reports and can lead to users trying other drugs after finding that reports are false.
The article should express that he "faces no disciplinary action" BEYOND team suspension. Last I heard we suspend at UGA as a disciplinary action.
@BulldogBry I doubt that happens. But I'm sure UGAs hard stance is a relief to many parents who send their kids off to Athens.
@Cojones I hope it came through that I'm not against any drug use that is under a doctor's orders. As I read your comment and then re-read my post I realized I could've clarified what I meant by situational drug use, aka steroids, performance enhancers. Appreciate your comments as to the benefits THC can provide medicinally. And I could've further addressed the reason for the post - to underscore the irony that UGA Football is often seen as a program run amok. Yet we address substance use/abuse issues in what I see as a firm, supportive manner.
As I stated last February, if I were a parent of an athlete caught in these compromising positions I would handle the counseling aspect on my end. My expectation of the school would be that the punitive side would be handled on their end.
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