Chronicles Solomon asks the tough questions about Cushing & the Texans Judgement

[IDEXAN]

A key question is was this a one-time slip-up, an error of some sort or has Cushing lived an athletic life boosted by the juice.
Have the longtime rumors — which date to when he blew up from a 165-pound freshman into a 225-pound “wild dog” at Bergen Catholic High School (Oradell, N.J.) — been true?
Until Cushing failed a test that means he will miss games, performance-enhancing drugs weren't that important to Texans fans. Though with all the rumors, how can we not ask the Texans why they couldn't have seen this coming?
Or is Cushing so good that they didn't care?
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/6995860.html
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Cushing has quickly become maybe the most popular player on the defense in one short year, and most everybody has become blindly biased about him, me included. Maybe a more critical eye is needed in view of Fridays stunning announcement by the league ?

[MannyFresh]

We were all fooled and let down. He deserves his suspension and branded a cheat...time will tell very soon if he's the real deal. If not, take away his awards from last year because it was all "enhanced". Just because he's our "texan" doesn't make it right or justifiable.

[IDEXAN]

Originally Posted by MannyFresh

We were all fooled and let down. He deserves his suspension and branded a cheat...time will tell very soon if he's the real deal. If not, take away his awards from last year because it was all "enhanced". Just because he's our "texan" doesn't make it right or justifiable.

Harsh words but true and I agree completly.
BTW, didn't they install their "4-3 Under" specifically because of how well Cushing fit into the system at USC ? Now that "great fit" is basically AWOL the first whole month of the season.

[gafftop]

Just my opinion, Cushing injury prone, no upside, steroid questions, can you say Boz, Just don't want any part of him.
Matthews also over acheiver, steroid questions, Just not going to be able to perform at next level. Nope don't want.
Rey , OK if we have to take one of them.
If Jenkins gone trade down if option and can get good value. Could be everyone wants to do same thing.
I know I can't get over my feeling that we need a RB. An RB can make an impact quickly and we are SO THIN at RB it is sick. Kiss season goodby if Slaton wear down and kiss Matt goodby also because he will be only option.

Would be happy with Donald Brown or Moreno. Know I am in minority.

I do trust Smith/Kubiak though, but please guys don't pick Cushing or Matthews. Again my opinion only.

Posted 4-25-09 before draft. Don't tell me Texans management did not know. It was common knowledge. I even knew, you could see it, all the signs were there. I really don't know about the brain trust of the Texans. Okoye first round? I do like the first two picks this year. We can only wait and see. I do not have a good feeling about the beginning of the season. Kubiak is a slow starter, too soft on guys in beginning. Enough crying I'm out.

[Thorn]

Let's all pull out our "Jump to Conclusions" game and play!!!!

You know what, I'm just going to wait for Cushing to speak publicly, and secondly I'm going to wait for him to play starting the 5th game and see what happens.

[TEXANRED]

Originally Posted by Thorn

Let's all pull out our "Jump to Conclusions" game and play!!!!

You know what, I'm just going to wait for Cushing to speak publicly, and secondly I'm going to wait for him to play starting the 5th game and see what happens.

I'm with you on this one.

If we were the Viking's this would be a non issue.

[keyser]

Originally Posted by gafftop

Posted 4-25-09 before draft. Don't tell me Texans management did not know. It was common knowledge. I even knew, you could see it, all the signs were there. I really don't know about the brain trust of the Texans.

Agreed. It's true that there were a lot of steroids rumors surrounding him before he was drafted. But, then the Texans drafted him, he made all sorts of proclamations about how he didn't use steroids, and I bought into the whole deal.

Either the Texans' scouts investigated and could't find any evidence of steroid use (which implies they weren't very competent at doing the background work), or they knew about the steroid use and drafted him anyway. Either way, the Texans' organization takes some of the blame for the effect this will have on the team. If he's a long-term steroid user, there should have been enough info that they could have found it out on background, and if they did know, then they had to predict that either he'd be continuing and eventually get caught, or he'd stop and his performance would likely degrade.

Okoye first round? I do like the first two picks this year. We can only wait and see. I do not have a good feeling about the beginning of the season. Kubiak is a slow starter, too soft on guys in beginning. Enough crying I'm out.

I don't like all the second guessing on Okoye. I know some weren't sold on him at the time, but when he was drafted, almost everyone had him as a top-10 pick (I know I was glad he "fell" to us). People were not considering it a reach (unlike what some have labeled the Jackson pick this year - they certainly went out on a limb that he will be better than Wilson). There's a difference between mis-evaluating the talent of someone that LOTS of other people mis-evaluated, and not doing the background work on someone they had targeted. I agree that they bear some responsibility for mis-evaluating Okoye, but I think that pales in comparison to the Cushing situation.

I will say that I'm assuming that this really was intentional use by Cushing, and not some weird one-time thing. But, given the background, that's by far the more reasonable assumption.

[steelbtexan]

Originally Posted by TEXANRED

I'm with you on this one.

If we were the Viking's this would be a non issue.

Yep

He's only missing 4 games.

I really dont care about steroid issues. I do care about performance issues. Cushing does not/will not have performance issues.

[HJam72]

If Okoye stopped taking steroids, they should take back his pay for the years he didn't take them....and he needs to get back on them ASAP.

That goes for everybody else too.

[gtexan02]

How can anyone think this is some kind of accidental positive?

When a normal player takes supplements that happen to be banned, they can play the "Oops, I didn't know it was illegal card."

Cushing is by far the most careful dietary person ive heard heard of. He is so specific and careful about what he uses for his workouts and diet. No way this was an accident

[thunderkyss]

http://www.chron.com/photos/2009/09/.../260xStory.jpg

Cushing was unavailable for comment, but sources close to him say it wasn't steroids for which he tested positive.

I'm taking the wait and see approach. Would have been nice, if he could have got 5 years or so in, before this came up.... like Merriman, or Ray Lewis..... but oh well.

He needs to be able to bring it when he gets back on the field. If he can't, and his play appears to be a result of what he was taking... Then I'll be upset. Till then, I just want his butt on the field.

[Wolf]

I knew I shouldn't have clicked the link and read the "chomical "

[GP]

Originally Posted by Thorn

Let's all pull out our "Jump to Conclusions" game and play!!!!

You know what, I'm just going to wait for Cushing to speak publicly, and secondly I'm going to wait for him to play starting the 5th game and see what happens.

I think CND has posted that you aren't going to see changes in Cushing by the game 5 mark of this season.

It takes awhile before you start seeing the decline, and the decline is most likely in the form of various injuries due to the stress the pharmaceuticals have put a person under.

I agree that it'd be nice to know if it is 'roids or not. He is such a careful dietician (according to many people) that it seems weird that he'd take something that might trigger an alarm on a test. I think this, coupled with him repping 250 35 times, and the photos, and other hearsay has painted him into a corner a bit.

[wagonhed]

Originally Posted by GP

I think CND has posted that you aren't going to see changes in Cushing by the game 5 mark of this season.

It takes awhile before you start seeing the decline, and the decline is most likely in the form of various injuries due to the stress the pharmaceuticals have put a person under.

I agree that it'd be nice to know if it is 'roids or not. He is such a careful dietician (according to many people) that it seems weird that he'd take something that might trigger an alarm on a test. I think this, coupled with him repping 250 35 times, and the photos, and other hearsay has painted him into a corner a bit.

Nice post, except that it's full of bad information.

[IDEXAN]

Originally Posted by gtexan02

How can anyone think this is some kind of accidental positive?

When a normal player takes supplements that happen to be banned, they can play the "Oops, I didn't know it was illegal card."

Cushing is by far the most careful dietary person ive heard heard of. He is so specific and careful about what he uses for his workouts and diet. No way this was an accident

Right. Even after the appeal, he ends up with a 4 game suspension for his first
infraction. That's a very, very harsh penalty. And that's without pay as I understand it. Cost Cushing lots of money.
I wonder who knew about his use besides himself. Cushing is known to be very close with his family, which includes parents and older siblings. They must have been shocked when they got the news ?

[hot pickle]

he was smokin marijuanum!!!!! lol

[JB]

Originally Posted by hot pickle

he was smokin marijuanum!!!!! lol

That would be allright then... but I don't believe it for a second!

[hot pickle]

hahah right!

[NitroGSXR]

Originally Posted by hot pickle

he was smokin marijuanum!!!!! lol

Stereotyping here... him being from the LA area, rich white college jock... I'm taking 2 to 1 odds on cocaine.

[rmartin65]

Originally Posted by NitroHonda

Stereotyping here... him being from the LA area, rich white college jock... I'm taking 2 to 1 odds on cocaine.

As Rick James would say... Cocaine's a hell of a drug...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PR_rzF8ofw