Jason Taylor rips Merriman

"You really shouldn't be able to fail a test like that and play in this league, to begin with," Taylor said Wednesday. "To make the Pro Bowl and all the other awards, I think you're walking a fine line of sending the wrong message."

"A performance-enhancing drug is, obviously, what it is," Taylor said. "You enhance your performance by doing that. You fail that test, I think it's not right, it's against the rules and ultimately I think it's sending the wrong message to the youth in America and the people who look at this game not only as entertainment but also to learn lessons from it."

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-dolphins-chargers-taylor-merriman&prov=ap&type=lgns

I'd say he's dead on.

Meriman is fun to watch, but Taylor is spot on in my opinion.

I wouldn't say he should've sat the entire year because I don't have many problems with the league drug policy (as a Cowboys fan, imagine that). If he tests positive again, he'll miss a full year regardless of when he's tested.

But Taylor is right to say Merriman should not be going to the Pro Bowl or receiving any other awards by performances that were aided by illegal drugs.

It's strange that the NFL gets a free pass. Any MLB player does the same thing and they are crucified.

Major props to Taylor for saying that. Merriman and any other athlete regardless of what sport they play is stupid for using steroids. I wish more athletes would come out and say stuff like this.

Right is right and Taylor is right.

I completely, wholeheartedly agree. It actually pisses me off that Merriman is not only a Pro Bowler, but that he might get the DPOY award.

Does it matter the type of substance they are caught taking? Are they all in the same class as far as punishment goes? Do some warrant harsher punishments than others type deal.

Though I agree with what Taylor said. From a business standpoint it is better business sense to only suspend him 4 games instead of a year right off the bat.

Merriman is a player people want to go see. Drugs or no drugs. Him being up for awards however I agree is a very bad message.

I'd go with the 4 game suspension and prohibited from receiving any awards or recognition for that season.

Im curious to Merriman's reaction....

Taylor obviously has higher standards than the league office.

dtran04 said:

It's strange that the NFL gets a free pass. Any MLB player does the same thing and they are crucified.

Click to expand...

To me, it's a different game. MLB is all about individual efforts. One swing of the bad can change the entire tempo or win a game. If you juice in the NFL, you still gotta compete every play against the 11 guys on the other team. If the juice makes you bigger or stronger as a pass rusher, you still need to break through that line to get the sacks. Maybe they will let you throw around a 300lb guy like a ragdoll, but the offense has a chance to adjust and double team you or change their blocking strategy on the next play(s).

If it is "Performance enhancing" and you have a good year........how much did that contribute to the good performance? That is why Merriman should not be in any post season award consideration. He had an unfair advantage over those he was competing with and against. It's a bit like if you take a test, say the SATs that have an effect on you life and ability to go to a good school. If someone has some or all the answers, they will do better and by doing so, diminish what you have accomplished on your own.

Taylor's right...but who here thinks either the league of Merriman will have the balls to correct the situation?

edo783 said:

If it is "Performance enhancing" and you have a good year........how much did that contribute to the good performance? That is why Merriman should not be in any post season award consideration. He had an unfair advantage over those he was competing with and against. It's a bit like if you take a test, say the SATs that have an effect on you life and ability to go to a good school. If someone has some or all the answers, they will do better and by doing so, diminish what you have accomplished on your own.

Click to expand...

There's a constant issue on campus about students taking other peoples ADD medication to stay up forever and study. I've never done it but my roommate has a prescription for it and always has people trying to buy pills off of him before finals. He doesn't seem to equate it to steroid use but I think it still falls under the category of abusing a substance for an unfair advantage. It's kind of frustrating knowing that people with higher GPAs than me are using drugs to obtain them.

this is gonna be deleted but...

**** JASON TAYLOR

WildBlackBear32 said:

To me, it's a different game. MLB is all about individual efforts. One swing of the bad can change the entire tempo or win a game. If you juice in the NFL, you still gotta compete every play against the 11 guys on the other team. If the juice makes you bigger or stronger as a pass rusher, you still need to break through that line to get the sacks. Maybe they will let you throw around a 300lb guy like a ragdoll, but the offense has a chance to adjust and double team you or change their blocking strategy on the next play(s).

Click to expand...

There's no difference between the two. Cheating is cheating and steroids are bad for any game. A kicker can do the same as a hitter hitting a walk off HR. Football is more of a team game, but one player can make a difference.

Jason Taylor is right.

I hate Merriroids!

I believe that the substance abuse policy for the NFL is pretty darn good. The first offense is a four game suspension. The second offense is a year and the third, you are banned from the game. Maybe there's a chance for an offense before the four game suspension that requires the player to enroll in rehab or something, I am not sure. At any rate, the kicker is that it does not matter what substance you are abusing for each offense. So if a player gets caught doing steroids or somesuch and they get suspended for four games, they are on the hook for a year suspension for the next infraction, even if that infraction was a different substance, like amphetamines or something.

This is how I think it is, but I'm not 100% sure. At any rate, the policy in the NFL has teeth, which is why the fans don't get quite so incensed about infractions. In MLB, players have basically gotten away with taking steroids without any consequences. Does anyone really, truly, in their heart of hearts believe that Barry Bonds didn't take steroids? I mean, the guy admitted to taking them, he just claimed that he didn't know what it was. As a multimillionaire athlete making a living off his body, I find it hard to believe he is telling the truth there. But, to this point, he's basically gotten off with no punishment. Merriman got suspended four games, lost those paychecks, and he has the spectre of a year-long suspension hanging over him if he screws up at all - even if he really does accidentally get a tainted supplement. It's not perfect, but I'll take that policy over MLB's any day.

But yeah, Taylor's right - performance enhancing drugs should automatically invalidate a player from receiving awards that season, IMO.