Josh Howard Is An Idiot

[crownsy]

  It also apparently produces a pleasant, semi-euphoric state known on the streets as "being high".

Thanks for explaining in layman's terms 

Well, I know a lotta you guys have jobs and wives and mortgages and all that nonsense, so I figured I'd put my street savvy to some use for y'all. 

hehe im sure some of them still know what pot does, most of us went to collage.

(not that i would do such a terrable thing in my formative years! umass is a place of higher learning! )

but yea, dumb thing to say. no matter what your stance on it is, why throw the leagues image under the bus?

[cdif911]

For those of you who "support" Howard's decision and claim that it is and has before been commonplace in the NBA, may I please see a list of players from the past or present that have admitted to recreationally smoking marijuanain the offseason, during the season, or even DURING GAMES as one post said? I'd be interested just to know where people get these ideas...

This started to come to a head when Charles Oakley talked about it saying:  "there might have been one out of six" players using marijuana. "Now it's six out of 12," he claimed. When queried about the accuracy of his figures, Oakley said, "It's over 50%, and once you get over 50 you've got to go to the next number, 60." (http://www.drugawareness.us/articles/nba.html)

some guys who have faced alleged drug charges over the years include:

Isiah Rider
Damon Stoudamire
Rasheed Wallace
Carmelo Anthony
Lamar Odom
Chris Anderson
Keon Clark (though drinking seemed to be a bigger problem with him)

I'm sure there's more out there - this was just some preliminary research

in 2000, 12 players tested positive for marijuana use during training camp - names were not reported (http://www.sportslawnews.com/archive/Articles%202000/NBAMarijuanatest.htm)

So yeah weed is a problem in the league, just like it is in the real world.  DO 50% of players use it? I don't know and it would be unfair to accept Oakley's words as truth without real data.  Do some guys use it? Yes.  Is it cool for them to admit it like its no big deal? In my opinion no.

[CelticHooligan3]

Rafer Alston is a known pothead. I read in a Slam article that in high school he showed up to one of his games at Halftime stinking strongly of the odor of weed. He scored like 50 points in the second half lol. Some players even look high in the interviews. Anyone see Flip Suanders eyes last night when they interviewed him at halftime? I say they start testing the coaches next lol. Come on gimme a break this is ridiculous. What a waste of space who cares? Its not a performance enhanceing drug. These are adults what they do on their own time is their business. Though i do think it is very irresponsible of Howard to bring this into the spotlight the way he did. But ive thought he was a punk since last year when he was acting like an enforcer in a Dallas blowout against the C's.

[MaineBleedsGreen]

There are several Red Sox that do the marijuana too! oh no!

[cdif911]

Come on gimme a break this is ridiculous. What a waste of space who cares? Its not a performance enhanceing drug. These are adults what they do on their own time is their business.

you're missing the point - its illegal, and thus its not their own business - drugs are a serious problem in our country and as long as they remain illegal, they should not be dismissed as a "personal choice" unless one accepts the consequences for their actions

[Amonkey]

Rafer Alston is a known pothead. I read in a Slam article that in high school he showed up to one of his games at Halftime stinking strongly of the odor of weed. He scored like 50 points in the second half lol. Some players even look high in the interviews. Anyone see Flip Suanders eyes last night when they interviewed him at halftime? I say they start testing the coaches next lol. Come on gimme a break this is ridiculous. What a waste of space who cares? Its not a performance enhanceing drug. These are adults what they do on their own time is their business. Though i do think it is very irresponsible of Howard to bring this into the spotlight the way he did. But ive thought he was a punk since last year when he was acting like an enforcer in a Dallas blowout against the C's.

You said it right!  It is not a performance enhancing drug so it should not matter.  Sure, it's illegal, but so is driving over the speed limit.  For the argument that he should be suspended because he's doing something that is illegal, well, get over.  I agree that you should not advocate something illegal, but when something is so questionably illegal is another topic.  If the person feels like he can control and is not gonna harm himself, then go for it.

What is funny is seeing how the media is shocked about this.  The media turns this to a big deal.  Some people might argue that it's a bad example for little kids, but is the media responsible for taking a story and running to great lengths and not once mention why the substance is illegal or why it's harmful and instead just challenge the man's and the league's character.

[crownsy]

well, not to turn this political in anyway, but to me, to have weed classified on the same level as other drugs is retarded. i don't do it anymore, but to me, at collage, alcohol screwed with me much worse.

but the main point here, to me is why even mention anyone but yourself if your josh? it's your choice to bring it up, but leave others out of it.

[cdif911]

You said it right!  It is not a performance enhancing drug so it should not matter.  Sure, it's illegal, but so is driving over the speed limit.  For the argument that he should be suspended because he's doing something that is illegal, well, get over.  

Excessive speeding should be punished, ask Bobby Phils....

There's obviously different levels of illegality, but with Marijuana classified the way it is, I think its a big deal if an athlete, entertainer use it, not because its performance enhancing (or dehancing in many cases) but because there is a serious drug problem in our country, and this isn't helping.  Is underage drinking a problem?  Absolutely.  Is drinking and driving a problem? A huge one - would you have a problem with Tony Allen coming out and saying he loves to drink and drive in the offseason? I think so... something that is at about the same level legally as possession of weed...

[RebusRankin]

Its illegal and known to have a detrimental effect on a person's health. Hardly no big deal.

[crownsy]

Its illegal and known to have a detrimental effect on a person's health. Hardly no big deal.

i know we shouldn't get into this but its been proven to have much less affects on a persons health than either cigarette smoking or drinking. the only difference is it didn't get taken off the probation list in the 20's like liqueur did.

Mark my words, once the taxes price smokers out of the addiction in about 10 years, weed will be legal real quick and tax'd to hell and back.

I just don't understand where josh's head is at. your in the playoffs, down 2-1. regardless of your personal beliefs on it, A) keep your mouth shut till the off season B) don't toss other guys under the bus.

[Amonkey]

There's obviously different levels of illegality, but with Marijuana classified the way it is, I think its a big deal if an athlete, entertainer use it, not because its performance enhancing (or dehancing in many cases) but because there is a serious drug problem in our country, and this isn't helping.  Is underage drinking a problem?  Absolutely.  Is drinking and driving a problem? A huge one - would you have a problem with Tony Allen coming out and saying he loves to drink and drive in the offseason? I think so... something that is at about the same level legally as possession of weed...

I would have a problem with TA saying that because it's something that is harmful to himself and the rest of the people on the road.  Weed, on the other hand, is not something that will harm the people around.  Those are very different things.

And you're right, drugs is a big problem in this country, but that's not just the illegal stuff.  What about all the prescription drugs being sold on TV that can be more harmful than weed?  I understand your point, but it's hard for me to place marijuanna in the same category as coke, ecstacy and all other drugs.  Marijuanna has been so villified by society that whenever something like this comes out, an increasingly smaller number of people are horrified.  Like I said, I understand your point, but notice how the arguments have been that the substance is illegal, and we dont even know why it's illegal in the first place.

[davemonsterband]

It's illegal, so is speeding. Legality is not the issue, the fact that it opposes the rules set in place by the NBA is. Somebody on every payroll smokes the icky and we as non morons realize this. It doesn't need to be said.

Openly admitting it doesn't make him cool or dumb so long as he accepts the penalty laid down by the league if there is one. I think Stern should hammer him because the last thing the sports world needs is another drug issue, especially over a non performance enhancer.

[cdif911]

It's illegal, so is speeding. Legality is not the issue, the fact that it opposes the rules set in place by the NBA is. Somebody on every payroll smokes the icky and we as non morons realize this. It doesn't need to be said.

They should have provisions in the contracts that would make it something that if a player is found to have it in their blood, the contract can be voided, like the motorcycle clause that exists in many contracts... its sad when something like what happened to Jay Williams is used to set an example for the rest of the league, but it certainly seems to have and if J. Howard could lose millions over this, that would set a good example for others

[Roy Hobbs]

Please move away from the more political aspects of this topic; any discussion of whether drugs should or should not be illegal is not going to be permitted here.

Thanks. -R.H.

[Andy Jick]

as mr. mackey would say..."uh, drugs are bad, unkay."