Cushing suspended 4 games for violating policy on performance-enhancing substances

[barrett]

More information from whom? The NFL is not allowed to elaborate or give out any more detail than they've already given. Cushing has said that it is not steroids (per se). What other revelation are you waiting for? It is what it is. A 4 game suspension.

As far as I can tell the only things that are known as fact is that he has been suspended and that he tested positive for a P.E.D..

Any other information that has been released to the public is general and not specific. Suppose he got busted for adderol?

My point is not in anyway in defense of Cushing or his innocence. But rather that it might be worthwhile to hear his side of the situation before rushing to judgments about what happened. His statement is very fomulaic in it's nature but also clearly state that there had been an appeal process and that it had been denied by the league.

Literally, and I'd sure like TC's law degree on this one, not a helluva lot has been said from the parties involved and here I am posting comment #550 on this message board alone.

That's quite a bit of speculation and hearsay to run on and on and on and on with.

You have an offical release from the NFL, Brian Cushing (via his agent), and the GM of the Texans. You have a bunch of comments from people considered to be close to him (Glazer, Winston etc.) some claiming to have spoken directly with Cushing (Glazer) and that was released in a "tweet" (140 characters max).

That's not much to go on. That's all I'm saying. We probably know what went on but I think it could actually be healthy to just kind of remind everyone that there's really not much information out there.

I know for myself personally I would really like to know if he has taken something that gave him an unfair advantage or not. Simply put, I don't think that information is currently available. Other than the release from the NFL there is nothing else mentioned.

I'm sure John McClain will get to the bottom of this!

 

[The Pencil Neck]

I'm sure John McClain will get to the bottom of this!

Suddenly I feel so much better.







Not.

 

[HoustonFrog]

The Dallas Morning New just now released a very short piece. Cowboys to face Cushing-less Texans



Don't expect any tears from Cowboys fans.

I'd actually rather face teams at full force. It seems there are always a small minority that will make the excuse of not having "soandso." I think it will be a great game and would like to see the best players knock heads.

I'm not going to talk about the subject at hand much. I'm kind of disgusted at what I've read at points. I'll leave it at that.

 

[redwhiteANDblue]

Bet they regret not picking us for hard knocks.

 

[JCTexan]

As far as I can tell the only things that are known as fact is that he has been suspended and that he tested positive for a P.E.D..

Any other information that has been released to the public is general and not specific. Suppose he got busted for adderol?

My point is not in anyway in defense of Cushing or his innocence. But rather that it might be worthwhile to hear his side of the situation before rushing to judgments about what happened. His statement is very fomulaic in it's nature but also clearly state that there had been an appeal process and that it had been denied by the league.

Literally, and I'd sure like TC's law degree on this one, not a helluva lot has been said from the parties involved and here I am posting comment #550 on this message board alone.

That's quite a bit of speculation and hearsay to run on and on and on and on with.

You have an offical release from the NFL, Brian Cushing (via his agent), and the GM of the Texans. You have a bunch of comments from people considered to be close to him (Glazer, Winston etc.) some claiming to have spoken directly with Cushing (Glazer) and that was released in a "tweet" (140 characters max).

That's not much to go on. That's all I'm saying. We probably know what went on but I think it could actually be healthy to just kind of remind everyone that there's really not much information out there.

I know for myself personally I would really like to know if he has taken something that gave him an unfair advantage or not. Simply put, I don't think that information is currently available. Other than the release from the NFL there is nothing else mentioned.

I'm sure John McClain will get to the bottom of this!

His side of the story is he didn't take steroids. Am I the only one who has heard that from an athlete? Baseball players seem to say that all the time only for it to be proven that they took it. Cushing knows that the NFL wont reveal what substance he took, so he has nothing to lose if he says he didn't take steroids. I can understand why people are upset with him. He took a banned substance & got suspended four games for it.

 

[NitroGSXR]

Anyone know or understand why it's NFL's policy not to specifically state what it is that he failed? I'm curious to understand how it came to be.

 

[Dan B.]

Anyone know or understand why it's NFL's policy not to specifically state what it is that he failed? I'm curious to understand how it came to be.

I'm fairly certain it was part of the last collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and NFLPA.

 

[barrett]

His side of the story is he didn't take steroids. Am I the only one who has heard that from an athlete? Baseball players seem to say that all the time only for it to be proven that they took it. Cushing knows that the NFL wont reveal what substance he took, so he has nothing to lose if he says he didn't take steroids. I can understand why people are upset with him. He took a banned substance & got suspended four games for it.

I can certianly understand why people are upset with him as well. But it's based on information that just isn't avaliable. I share those feelings but I'm basing it on the understanding that I don't know the facts yet. So I'm withholding judgement as best I can until I know more.

 

[powerfuldragon]

Anyone know or understand why it's NFL's policy not to specifically state what it is that he failed? I'm curious to understand how it came to be.

strange standards indeed. does it seem weird to anyone else that htey'd tell us ricky williams was smoking weed, but they won't tell us about steroids?

 

[NitroGSXR]

strange standards indeed. does it seem weird to anyone else that htey'd tell us ricky williams was smoking weed, but they won't tell us about steroids?

Exactly why I'm very confused on it. Not limited to that either. What's the difference in telling us that a player has been fined/suspended for bad conduct like Roethlisberger, the Jared Allen hits on Schaub, etc.

 

[JCTexan]

I can certianly understand why people are upset with him as well. But it's based on information that just isn't avaliable. I share those feelings but I'm basing it on the understanding that I don't know the facts yet. So I'm withholding judgement as best I can until I know more.

I understand waiting for the facts to be revealed before throwing stones at him. However, there is enough information out already that has me disappointed in Cushing. He took a banned substance that the NFL thought warranted suspending him four games for. No matter what substance that ends up being it was enough for a suspension in the NFL's mind. Steroids or not losing him for a fourth of the season has me disappointed.

 

[GuerillaBlack]

Exactly why I'm very confused on it. Not limited to that either. What's the difference in telling us that a player has been fined/suspended for bad conduct like Roethlisberger, the Jared Allen hits on Schaub, etc.

Because what if it actually was Ephedrine from a flu medicine (doubt this is what happened, but still)? The NFL would look bad, I guess.

 

[GP]

Are you not reading it right or am I not saying it right?

No, I am not accusing you of anything.

You were talking about us needing to wait until more information is available.

I was saying that people asked for the same patience during the Steve McNair murder-suicide, Ben's adventures, Tiger's wreck over Thanksgiving, etc. We all want to believe the people are innocent, but it seems where there's smoke there's eventually going to be some fire.

Cushing is using the protections afforded him (we'll not see the NFL release what substance he tested positive for) and stating that it wasn't steroids. And we're being asked to be patient and listen to what will be said.

What will be said is a bunch of dookie, dressed up in fine clothes. It's still dookie. He's missing four games AND the media and fans will forever have a punchline ready when talking about the Texans. I don't think there's anything the guy can say that I can trust, unless the NFL were to somehow release their information. Which they won't.

 

[gtexan02]

I think GP has a point.

You have a guy who changed shape dramatically over a very short period of time.
A guy with steroid allegations following him since well before the draft.
A guy who comes in and dominated from day 1, playing through injuries and not practicing.
A guy who shows all the telltale side effects of steroids (specific injuries, etc)

And now you have a guy with a positive test and a 4 game suspension. His appeal was rejected outright.


It doesn't really matter what he tells us at this point. Its one thing to believe that our LS wasn't taking steroids. Look at him. But in the court of public opinion (this includes most fans and commentators) when it smells like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks.... well, its probably a duck.

And realistically, it doesn't matter. He's gone for 4 games. A 4 game stretch when we REALLY needed him. Thats bad enough right there

 

[CloakNNNdagger]

Anyone know or understand why it's NFL's policy not to specifically state what it is that he failed? I'm curious to understand how it came to be.

I've asked myself this same question. The only reasonable answer I can come up with is that other substances such as marijuana, alcohol involve indictment of mostly the player, and do not involve possibly placing the player on an "unfair unequal playing field." In the case of PED (and "presumptive" masking agents), there is potential indictment of the player. But there is more of an indictment of the GAME, and therefore the NFL's integrity. Leaving the question open gives the impression that the NFL has taken action, at the same time making it much more difficult to challenge its motives, its investigative process, its intermediary decision process and its final decision. This is my personal impression.

 

[HoustonFrog]

I've asked myself this same question. The only reasonable answer I can come up with is that other substances such as marijuana, alcohol involve indictment of mostly the player, and do not involve possibly placing the player on an "unfair unequal playing field." In the case of PED (and "presumptive" masking agents), there is potential indictment of the player. But there is more of an indictment of the GAME, and therefore the NFL's integrity. Leaving the question open gives the impression that the NFL has taken action, at the same time making it much more difficult to challenge its motives, its investigative process, its intermediary decision process and its final decision. This is my personal impression.

I may be wrong but my thinking is that they are all separate categories so they release the category. So Marijuana is one. Cocaine may be one. PEDs or Steroid may be one category. So it seems like one is more specific but it may just be how they set it up and therefore the Steroid/PED one just covers more. But that may be completely wrong.

 

[Honoring Earl 34]

I've asked myself this same question. The only reasonable answer I can come up with is that other substances such as marijuana, alcohol involve indictment of mostly the player, and do not involve possibly placing the player on an "unfair unequal playing field." In the case of PED (and "presumptive" masking agents), there is potential indictment of the player. But there is more of an indictment of the GAME, and therefore the NFL's integrity. Leaving the question open gives the impression that the NFL has taken action, at the same time making it much more difficult to challenge its motives, its investigative process, its intermediary decision process and its final decision. This is my personal impression.

My question would be , will Cushing have to always look for help to be the player he was or is this just a speed bump ? Did the PEDs make Cushing the player he is or is he a good player looking for an edge ?Is he Brady Anderson or Barry Bonds ?

If I sound kinda callous it's because I have one son who's had a hard time in sports because he has flat feet that turn in ( he's done ok but it's hurt his quickness ) and another who is epileptic . They've done the best they can with what they've been dealt with . If they wanted to do PEDs , I would have told them no ... it's not worth it .

 

[gtexan02]

I've asked myself this same question. The only reasonable answer I can come up with is that other substances such as marijuana, alcohol involve indictment of mostly the player, and do not involve possibly placing the player on an "unfair unequal playing field." In the case of PED (and "presumptive" masking agents), there is potential indictment of the player. But there is more of an indictment of the GAME, and therefore the NFL's integrity. Leaving the question open gives the impression that the NFL has taken action, at the same time making it much more difficult to challenge its motives, its investigative process, its intermediary decision process and its final decision. This is my personal impression.

My guess is that it was simply a result of the union.

They agreed to testing with the provision that the results are not leaked.

 

[MannyFresh]

Support him or gtfo in my opinion.

If you are a Texans fan.. 24 hours ago you loved Brian Cushing. And if you are a Texans fan.. i can understand disappointment, sadness, even anger... but shitting on Cushing today is just unforgivable. It is possible to voice your disappointment without bad mouthing, name calling, or making wild accusations.

I need to make a list of all you ****ers that are throwing him under the bus. You people are pathetic. I can only hope that some day you find yourself in a tough situation and everyone who cares about you uses that opportunity to walk all over you.

For those of you here who have never made a mistake.. I hope you have contacted your church because as of right now, im pretty sure no one knew that Jesus was walking the earth again. You shoulda let us know when you got here big J.

For the rest of you.. congrats on being a normal flawed human being. Maybe you should use that shared human imperfection to try and generate some empathy for the 21 year old kid that is already dealing with the accusations and ridicule of people all over the country... I dont think he needs it from his supporters at home too.

Anyway.. if Cushing failed the test due to a masking agent or some such.. but not any true PEDs.. and he is naturally a beast, and he comes back and continues to be a superstar for us, I hope all you judgemental bitches choke on the crow you are gonna have to eat, and die a horrible violent death.

You can put me on that list then...so what now? What number am I now? Whatever dude.

 

[ChampionTexan]

No, I am not accusing you of anything.

You were talking about us needing to wait until more information is available.

I was saying that people asked for the same patience during the Steve McNair murder-suicide, Ben's adventures, Tiger's wreck over Thanksgiving, etc. We all want to believe the people are innocent, but it seems where there's smoke there's eventually going to be some fire.

Cushing is using the protections afforded him (we'll not see the NFL release what substance he tested positive for) and stating that it wasn't steroids. And we're being asked to be patient and listen to what will be said.

What will be said is a bunch of dookie, dressed up in fine clothes. It's still dookie. He's missing four games AND the media and fans will forever have a punchline ready when talking about the Texans. I don't think there's anything the guy can say that I can trust, unless the NFL were to somehow release their information. Which they won't.

I think there's definitely a wait and see involved, but it's not wait and see what he was busted for. It's wait and see how he does when he comes back - but mostly how the Texans do period.

Cushing will determine how he's viewed. If he doesn't test positive again, and continues to perform at or close to last years level, nobody will care if he tested positive for the nastiest, most powerful steroid going. Decline appreciably, and he's a product of steroids, and it won't matter if it turns out he tested positive for Alka-Seltzer Plus.

As far as the Texans go, my view is they are a team that's made mistakes, and has flaws, but is still going in the right direction. Cushing's a part of that, but not nearly a big enough part that his absence/diminution changes that opinion. If the lack of one guy can cause them to regress that much, then I was wrong about the Texans as a whole - not just Cushing.

Finally, while I could care less about what punchlines the media and fans come up with, the reality is that other teams fans are always looking for reasons to de-ride other NFL teams. As far as the media, they'll latch on to what the Texans give them to latch on to. If Cushing's suspension is the sexiest media story the Texans have to offer, then A.) That's what they'll focus on, and B.) They won't focus on the Texans very much. I don't believe the viewpoint of the Chargers as a whole is (or ever was) impacted much at all by Merriman's positive test in 2006. It's based on the things the media finds most interesting (good and bad) about the Chargers, and if they didn't find much of anything interesting, then we wouldn't hear much of anything about them . The Texans will be the same going down the road.

 

[noxiousdog]

Matt Jackson had the following on his blog:

According to my sources, Brian Cushing was warned by a Texans official that he was taking a supplement that could result in a positive test. Both Cushing and outgoing strength coach Ray Wright were given the information during the season and chose to ignore it. So while Cushing certainly did not take a steroid, he was pretty foolish to take a substance that he knew could produce a positive test.

This might explain why Wright was let go.

 

[GP]

I think there's definitely a wait and see involved, but it's not wait and see what he was busted for. It's wait and see how he does when he comes back - but mostly how the Texans do period.

Cushing will determine how he's viewed. If he doesn't test positive again, and continues to perform at or close to last years level, nobody will care if he tested positive for the nastiest, most powerful steroid going. Decline appreciably, and he's a product of steroids, and it won't matter if it turns out he tested positive for Alka-Seltzer Plus.

As far as the Texans go, my view is they are a team that's made mistakes, and has flaws, but is still going in the right direction. Cushing's a part of that, but not nearly a big enough part that his absence/diminution changes that opinion. If the lack of one guy can cause them to regress that much, then I was wrong about the Texans as a whole - not just Cushing.

Finally, while I could care less about what punchlines the media and fans come up with, the reality is that other teams fans are always looking for reasons to de-ride other NFL teams. As far as the media, they'll latch on to what the Texans give them to latch on to. If Cushing's suspension is the sexiest media story the Texans have to offer, then A.) That's what they'll focus on, and B.) They won't focus on the Texans very much. I don't believe the viewpoint of the Chargers as a whole is (or ever was) impacted much at all by Merriman's positive test in 2006. It's based on the things the media finds most interesting (good and bad) about the Chargers, and if they didn't find much of anything interesting, then we wouldn't hear much of anything about them . The Texans will be the same going down the road.

I'm good with everything you posted.

Probably one of the most level-headed posts in this whole thread.

Rep your way, except it says I can't give you any more rep right now.

 

[HOU-TEX]

I made a comment last year on a shirtless picture of him someone had posted. I pointed out the swollen nipples that are normally caused by steroid use. So, I knew in the back of my mind he used in College. However, I didn't know he was dumb enough to continue in the NFL.

If it was truly roids or another type of PED, what are the odds we get the same player when he returns in 2010? Well, from my experience the odds are most definitely NOT in his favor.

In the end, will we see a roid-less Cushing continue to beast on the field? Or did we draft the next Brian Bosworth? Time will tell, but considering the horrible feeling I've had all weekend I'd have to bet on the latter

 

[GP]

Matt Jackson had the following on his blog:



This might explain why Wright was let go.

Very interesting. Why did both people allegedly refuse to heed the warning?

Four freaking games. And the stain of "testing positive for a PED." Senseless.

 

[Honoring Earl 34]

I made a comment last year on a shirtless picture of him someone had posted. I pointed out the swollen nipples that are normally caused by steroid use. So, I knew in the back of my mind he used in College. However, I didn't know he was dumb enough to continue in the NFL.

If it was truly roids or another type of PED, what are the odds we get the same player when he returns in 2010? Well, from my experience the odds are most definitely NOT in his favor.

In the end, will we see a roid-less Cushing continue to beast on the field? Or did we draft the next Brian Bosworth? Time will tell, but considering the horrible feeling I've had all weekend I'd have to bet on the latter

To me a player really swells in the head , arms , and thighs when he's used PEDs . The baseball players looked like someone stuck an airhose up their butt and inflated them . Then they looked like someone stuck them with a pin and deflated them . I kinda think that'll be Cushing but we'll see .

I'm far from an expert but have lifted when I was young . What I found was , it wasn't really hard to get results but after awhile you maxed out . Then you crept along to get 10 pounds more . How much weight can you put on and strength can you add naturally ?

 

[HOU-TEX]

In addition to my previous post: Unfortunately, I do think he took some type of PED. However, whether he took them or not strangely isn't my primary concern. I'm more worried about Cushing, the player, when he comes back if he DID actually use. Will he go Bosworth on us? I'm going to pray he continues to play like the Cush we saw last season.

 

[Honoring Earl 34]

Very interesting. Why did both people allegedly refuse to heed the warning?

Four freaking games. And the stain of "testing positive for a PED." Senseless.

Yep ... that was a big screw up by both and your not going to fire the player .

 

[CloakNNNdagger]

That would certainly be an indictment of the NFL.

 

[HOU-TEX]

To me a player really swells in the head , arms , and thighs when he's used PEDs . The baseball players looked like someone stuck an airhose up their butt and inflated them . Then they looked like someone stuck them with a pin and deflated them . I kinda think that'll be Cushing but we'll see .

I'm far from an expert but have lifted when I was young . What I found was , it wasn't really hard to get results but after awhile you maxed out . Then you crept along to get 10 pounds more . How much weight can you put on and strength can you add naturally ?

You do plateau, but it should be up to the person or his trainer to provide programs to endure it doesn't happen. We've already seen how big and strong he has been and I don't see why he couldn't achieve the same, if not better naturally. IMO, considering how important Cush is to our D, our training staff should come up with a plan specifically for Cush to ensure he can continue to build naturally and build the confidence he obviously had while using (presumably).

 

[GP]

Yep ... that was a big screw up by both and your not going to fire the player .

Job security is predicated on how easy a replacement can be found.

I guess it's easier to replace a s&c coach than a Pro Bowl NFL linebacker.

This is all, obviously, predicated on whether this is "the" real reason (or one of the contributing factors) as to why the previous s&c coach was fired.

 

[Honoring Earl 34]

Job security is predicated on how easy a replacement can be found.

I guess it's easier to replace a s&c coach than a Pro Bowl NFL linebacker.

This is all, obviously, predicated on whether this is "the" real reason (or one of the contributing factors) as to why the previous s&c coach was fired.

The words ... I knew he it was iffy but thought it would be ok ... will get you fired in a flash .

 

[Blake]

Although I dont like PED's in the NFL, and think that players should be suspended for taking them and getting caught, I am obviously pissed to hear that our beast of a linebacker will be suspended for the first 4 games. But let me say that I am 100% behind him, and will reserve my final judgement until all the facts are out.

I am not going to dig up old threads to bash him. I am not going to jump off the Cush bandwagon and in 6 months weasel my way back on. I am going to wait and make a smart informed decision on his situation and how I feel about it after the shockwave is over.




My only question is, what PED is he being suspended for?

 

[Big Lou]

From theredzon.og:

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Texans linebacker Brian Cushing failed his drug test in September of 2009

Cushing suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs was announced on Friday. Under league rules, players can appeal the laboratory finding or the penalty. Cushing appealed the laboratory finding and lost.

http://www.theredzone.org/BlogDescription/tabid/61/EntryId/6277/Cushing-tested-positive-in-September-2009/Default.aspx


____________________________________________________________________________________
So does this mean that maybe we saw the real Cush? Or would he have not known the results for a while afterwards? Best case scenario would be that he knew he got busted early in the season, and then still played lights out off of the juice, and if this is the case he'll realize he doesn't need PED's.

Just trying to be glass half full!!!!!

 

[drewmar74]

Although I dont like PED's in the NFL, and think that players should be suspended for taking them and getting caught, I am obviously pissed to hear that our beast of a linebacker will be suspended for the first 4 games. But let me say that I am 100% behind him, and will reserve my final judgement until all the facts are out.

I am not going to dig up old threads to bash him. I am not going to jump off the Cush bandwagon and in 6 months weasel my way back on. I am going to wait and make a smart informed decision on his situation and how I feel about it after the shockwave is over.

And this post sums how I feel about the whole situation. Well said. I'd rep you but the system won't let me.

My only question is, what PED is he being suspended for?

I'm less worried about this point. However, if it is something like a straight up, old school codsack shrinking steroid I'll be instantly concerned that other bone-head decisions are looming in his future.

From theredzon.og:

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Texans linebacker Brian Cushing failed his drug test in September of 2009

I wonder if he was taking something to help him get back on the field. Maybe something along with the hyperbaric chamber and didn't realize it was taboo? Timing would work for that.

 

[GP]

Remember in MLB when Giambi was sick, and lost "weight," and then it came out that he had abused PEDs?

Giambi never looked the same. He lost that edge.

1. Was Cushing on something that gave him a slight edge, a HUGE edge, or only a psychological edge but the NFL flags that substance anyways?

2. Has he stopped completely? Or is he trying to find an edge through other avenues right now? In short: Is he mired in the quest for finding the edge every day or was this enough to make him stop the risky business?

I think the main thing is the psychological/mental/emotional boost you get when you know you're maxing out every possible route to get an edge on the others. You feel you're ahead of the curve. And once that's gone, you might not recover and feel that you're as able as you were.

I think that holds true for Giambi. I think once the jig was up, he had endured so much in the media and this was coupled with what might have been a lack of confidence in himself...and the downward spiral began. Do I think this is what will happen with Cushing? I don't think so. He seems to be a guy who moves forward and doesn't dwell on the past. Maybe.

My hope is that he's been clean since the test in September 2009. And, my hope is that he's stopped the Romanowski'esque quest for supplemental El Dorado. Quit looking for the lost city of gold. Use what you know is 100% legal and stop the shenanigans.

 

[El Tejano]

I guess the one thing I can say about Cushing is that he's shown to be a dude that takes care of his body. He's mentioned before that he only drinks water and every now and then will have an iced tea, we know he lays in a hyperbaric chamber and does the little things necessary to keep his body in check. So that tells me he knows exactly what he's doing with his body.

If the Adam Schefter report is true that he appealed the laboratory finding, that tells me he knew what he was taking and was for sure he wasn't violating any substance abuse policy and perhaps could've made a mistake on what substance he was taking.

Unfortunately what it's going to take is time. Only time will tell if he was getting an edge.

 

[Goldensilence]

Well Cushing has had the weekend to get with some sort of PR team and his agent. They need to put out a statement today and come up with a reason as to WHY he failed this test. Was it the result of a supplement that he was warned could produce a positive test? Was he simply just caught?

Either way I don't think it's going to end the speculation with him and it's not going to stop the questions surrounding his performance last year and going into the future.

I think some of the reaction on this board has been weak in saying some people are not fans or don't support Brian. How many people honestly would be willing to wait around and see the player's side of the story if it was found out Chris Johnson tested positive? We get it. You're willing to give Cushing the benefit solely because he's a Texan.

 

[thunderkyss]

Matt Jackson had the following on his blog

According to my sources, Brian Cushing was warned by a Texans official that he was taking a supplement that could result in a positive test. Both Cushing and outgoing strength coach Ray Wright were given the information during the season and chose to ignore it. So while Cushing certainly did not take a steroid, he was pretty foolish to take a substance that he knew could produce a positive test.

:



This might explain why Wright was let go.

This is why I think we should all reserve judgment about our team-member. It's true if he were on another team, we would all be on top of this with speculation, and accusations. But he is not on another team, he is on our team, and we should be supportive, and cautious.

That doesn't mean we should be stupid.

He tested positive in September. Can we assume he was clean the rest of the season? If it were Steroids, and he quit in September, would he have played like the DROY? would he have played like a pro-bowler?

If it were a supplement that helps him recover quicker? Would that be a bad thing? would it be as bad as a steroid? Really, is there anything other than steroids that really work, that should be banned?

HGH is the only thing I can think of, but there isn't a method for testing.

 

[GP]

Well Cushing has had the weekend to get with some sort of PR team and his agent. They need to put out a statement today and come up with a reason as to WHY he failed this test. Was it the result of a supplement that he was warned could produce a positive test? Was he simply just caught?

Either way I don't think it's going to end the speculation with him and it's not going to stop the questions surrounding his performance last year and going into the future.

I think some of the reaction on this board has been weak in saying some people are not fans or don't support Brian. How many people honestly would be willing to wait around and see the player's side of the story if it was found out Chris Johnson tested positive? We get it. You're willing to give Cushing the benefit solely because he's a Texan.

I agree with what you say.

I would hope he had been forming his PR stance since September of 2009. He's had a long time to get the right message out there.

I think he will bury his head in the sand, which means he will forge forward with being a gym rat and doing nothing but football business. I see no orchestrated media events or appearances on shows by Brian.

This is a guy who, on draft day, had a pensive and terse look on his face when asked how he felt to be drafted by the Texans. "I just can't wait to get to work." At the time, somw said he was cold and looked uninspired to be drafted by our team. Little did we know that he was serious about this. He is an alien with a laser-beam focus you don't see in many people his age who just got handed a bunch of money and instant fame.

I just hope he plays his 12 regular season games and almost achieves in 12 games what he did in the 14 games-or-so that he played last year. That's going to be huge. Can he bounce back, or does he drop off a bit? Is it unfair if he drops off a bit? Probably. But it's the choices he made that created the unfair situation he lives in right now.

 

[GP]

This is why I think we should all reserve judgment about our team-member. It's true if he were on another team, we would all be on top of this with speculation, and accusations. But he is not on another team, he is on our team, and we should be supportive, and cautious.

That doesn't mean we should be stupid.

He tested positive in September. Can we assume he was clean the rest of the season? If it were Steroids, and he quit in September, would he have played like the DROY? would he have played like a pro-bowler?

If it were a supplement that helps him recover quicker? Would that be a bad thing? would it be as bad as a steroid? Really, is there anything other than steroids that really work, that should be banned?

HGH is the only thing I can think of, but there isn't a method for testing.

The majority of backlash is that we're without him for four games.

Any edge he gained for the PED he got busted for has now jeopardized our chances in these first four games of the 2010 season.

It's the dynamic of a guy helping himself, and thinking he's helping his team, when he just veered into a four-game suspension for 2010. That's where I'd say a lot of the anger is coming from on here. That, and the stain it puts on the team from this day forward. Is it something that cannot be recovered over time? No. But it's a mess we want to be free from, as fans.

Everyone has had their time to vent (this past weekend). We just don't know what becomes of this on down the line, which is section B of Cushing's shenanigans from back in 2009. The storyline continues, and will continue, for a long long time.

 

[Dutchrudder]

Well that was a fun 30 pages to read. Like a virtual rollercoaster with all sorts of twists and turns, you just never know what people will get into on a subject like this.

By the way, if anyone has a Large Cushing jersey they don't want, I'd be happy to take it off your hands

Anyways, good luck Brian, come back strong and tackle the crap out of the opposition!

 

[Texecutioner]

Matt Jackson had the following on his blog:



This might explain why Wright was let go.

Great thing that Wright was let go then. He was obviously incompetent to the point that he was allowing our players to be at risk for suspension. If him and Cushing were both warned about this prior to any failed tests and Cushing continued on with it, then that makes this even worse actually. Make both of them look really stupid.

Oh well. At least I know the guy will be working his ass off either way. I still think that Cush will be a pretty damn good player.

 

[GP]

LOL. Just thought of something to stir the pot here (not the NFL-banned pot, by the way. I don't Roger coming here and looking into things because I said "pot").

Kubiak is going to have a built-in excuse if we don't reach the playoffs.

McLain: "Bob, can you discuss the disappointment of not making the playoffs. Again?"

McNair: "Well, at the end of the year...we got together and looked back on the season and really found that Gary did an excellent job of dealing with some adversity at the beginning of the season. Those one or two games there, with Brian out, would have put us into the playoffs.........."

(Sigh)

I can almost hear it now....

 

[wagonhed]

I made a comment last year on a shirtless picture of him someone had posted. I pointed out the swollen nipples that are normally caused by steroid use. So, I knew in the back of my mind he used in College. However, I didn't know he was dumb enough to continue in the NFL.

If it was truly roids or another type of PED, what are the odds we get the same player when he returns in 2010? Well, from my experience the odds are most definitely NOT in his favor.

In the end, will we see a roid-less Cushing continue to beast on the field? Or did we draft the next Brian Bosworth? Time will tell, but considering the horrible feeling I've had all weekend I'd have to bet on the latter

Swollen nipples actually occur normally in some boys going through puberty, and if you are someone that develops them, they don't go away unless you have surgery.

And what exactly do you mean, dumb enough to continue them in the NFL? Have you read the rest of this thread? Most of the NFL uses.

Did Brian Bosworth ever have a season like Cushing's rookie season? Does Cushing have any of the same antics as Bosworth?


You're just being a dick to the kid for a bunch of ill-founded reasons, and that's shitty. Nothing but a bunch of lame assumptions and a poor knowledge of steroids. That's ok though, you're only like the 20th person in this thread to do that.

 

[chicagotexan2]

I am really late to the party, but I am really dissapointed that he cheated and it cost him 4 games. I do wonder if he will be every bit as effective and impactful without the PED's.

 

[wagonhed]

You do plateau, but it should be up to the person or his trainer to provide programs to endure it doesn't happen. We've already seen how big and strong he has been and I don't see why he couldn't achieve the same, if not better naturally. IMO, considering how important Cush is to our D, our training staff should come up with a plan specifically for Cush to ensure he can continue to build naturally and build the confidence he obviously had while using (presumably).

Again, this is not even close to reality.

First of all, there are natural limits. As in, literally, LIMITS. You can't go farther. Hundreds of players in the NFL are beyond those limits, and the only way you get there is with steroids.

So if you don't see why he can't achieve the same naturally, it's because it isn't possible. Go hunt down pictures from a natural bodybuilding competition. That will show you the limits of natural as far as physique goes, and that requires time and energy that football players don't have.

And you make a pretty big assumption that Cush's confidence came from drugs. Completely unfounded imo.

 

[Texecutioner]

You're just being a dick to the kid for a bunch of ill-founded reasons, and that's shitty. Nothing but a bunch of lame assumptions and a poor knowledge of steroids. That's ok though, you're only like the 20th person in this thread to do that.

You've spewed tons and tons of nonsense all over this thread and another one as if every NFL player is taking roids when they're all being tested. The testing is obviously working to some degree as well, because Cushing got caught taking whatever it was that was a banned substance. No one was being a dick to him at any point. Cushing ****ed up. That's what happened. He got himself suspended regardless of what or how many people you think juice in the NFL, he's not able to play for the first 4 games of the season when his team is going to really really need him. And stop it with the assumptions. There is nothing to assume when it's a fact that he tested positive. You've made nothing but blanket statements throughout this entire thread without one shred of evidence proving jack about all of these players that are allegedly juicing. Just because you think 90% of the league is juicing doesn't make it right or okay by any means. And even if that were true then, you're still the dummy when get caught for it if there are so many other people doing it and getting away with it. It wasn't right or justified when Merriman took banned substances and it damn sure isn't right that Cushing has either. Not in the NFL or when he was in college.

It's not out of the question at all to assume or the question whether or not if his play on the field will drop off next year.

 

[wagonhed]

Remember in MLB when Giambi was sick, and lost "weight," and then it came out that he had abused PEDs?

Giambi never looked the same. He lost that edge.

1. Was Cushing on something that gave him a slight edge, a HUGE edge, or only a psychological edge but the NFL flags that substance anyways?

2. Has he stopped completely? Or is he trying to find an edge through other avenues right now? In short: Is he mired in the quest for finding the edge every day or was this enough to make him stop the risky business?

I think the main thing is the psychological/mental/emotional boost you get when you know you're maxing out every possible route to get an edge on the others. You feel you're ahead of the curve. And once that's gone, you might not recover and feel that you're as able as you were.

I think that holds true for Giambi. I think once the jig was up, he had endured so much in the media and this was coupled with what might have been a lack of confidence in himself...and the downward spiral began. Do I think this is what will happen with Cushing? I don't think so. He seems to be a guy who moves forward and doesn't dwell on the past. Maybe.

My hope is that he's been clean since the test in September 2009. And, my hope is that he's stopped the Romanowski'esque quest for supplemental El Dorado. Quit looking for the lost city of gold. Use what you know is 100% legal and stop the shenanigans.

God, dude, seriously?

What do you know about what he was using or when or what edge it gave him? Never seen so much armchair psychoanalyzing in my life.

You don't know **** about Cushing, what he took, when he took it, why he took it, what he will take in the future, whether he "dwells on the past" or just "moves forward". I very much doubt you know half of what you think you do about Romanowski or Giambi either, and those comparisons are ridiculous to begin with.

Seriously man, just stop it.

 

[HOU-TEX]

Swollen nipples actually occur normally in some boys going through puberty, and if you are someone that develops them, they don't go away unless you have surgery.

And what exactly do you mean, dumb enough to continue them in the NFL? Have you read the rest of this thread? Most of the NFL uses.

Did Brian Bosworth ever have a season like Cushing's rookie season? Does Cushing have any of the same antics as Bosworth?


You're just being a dick to the kid for a bunch of ill-founded reasons, and that's shitty. Nothing but a bunch of lame assumptions and a poor knowledge of steroids. That's ok though, you're only like the 20th person in this thread to do that.

Ugh, dunno why I'm responding, so I'll leave it at this. My knowledge and experiences with steroids come from a more personal level. I wouldn't say I'm an expert, but I'm well aware of steroid side effects.

Oh, as far as being a "dick", I don't recall making knee-jerk comments about Cushing. I even stated I was more worried about how this will effect his play on the field than using. I have liked Cushing and I still like Cushing. So please, spare me, "dick".

 

[wagonhed]

You've spewed tons and tons of nonsense all over this thread and another one as if every NFL player is taking roids when they're all being tested. The testing is obviously working to some degree as well, because Cushing got caught taking whatever it was that was a banned substance. No one was being a dick to him at any point. Cushing ****ed up. That's what happened. He got himself suspended regardless of what or how many people you think juice in the NFL, he's not able to play for the first 4 games of the season when his team is going to really really need him. And stop it with the assumptions. There is nothing to assume when it's a fact that he tested positive. You've made nothing but blanket statements throughout this entire thread without one shred of evidence proving jack about all of these players that are allegedly juicing. Just because you think 90% of the league is juicing doesn't make it right or okay by any means. And even if that were true then, you're still the dummy when get caught for it if there are so many other people doing it and getting away with it. It wasn't right or justified when Merriman took banned substances and it damn sure isn't right that Cushing has either. Not in the NFL or when he was in college.

It's not out of the question at all to assume or the question whether or not if his play on the field will drop off next year.

First of all, paragraphs.

Second of all, you need to separate two different issues, because right now you are mixing them together and putting words in my mouth.

I never excused what Cushing did. Not once. In fact I've called him a ****ing *****, among other things, and said it was his responsibility and he let his teammates down. I never said him getting caught was right or ok. So take a chill pill and stop trying to "correct" me on something I've already acknowledged multiple times.

And what nonsense, exactly, have I been spewing? There is tons of evidence of PED use in the NFL. I'm sorry if you don't want to see it. Just because people aren't getting caught doesn't mean they aren't using, and if you're naive enough to think it does..... sorry about that.

You go on believing that everyone who uses gets caught and everyone else is clean. Have fun in your fantasy world and continue to get outraged when someone suggests the obvious, that PEDs are widespread and have been for 3 decades.


Two different issues. Steroid use in the NFL. Brian Cushing letting down his team. If you can't understand how they are separate then I have nothing further to discuss with you.