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In what had to be one of this offseason’s most difficult decisions, the New Orleans Saints released beloved running back Deuce McAllister today. Deuce has had a magnificent career. Not only is he one of the best players to ever don a Saints uniform (he’s the team’s career rushing leader with 6,069 yards), he’s also one of the most revered athletes in his community. He spoke at length about the difficult decision:

“They say all good things must come to an end. As a player, this is a day that you dread happening. If you don’t go out on your own terms, this is eventually a possibility that may occur. And, to the fans of the New Orleans Saints, it’s been a blessing and an honor to be able to play every Sunday, Monday and Thursday, or whatever day it may have been and just to hear my name and my teammates’ names to be called and through the good and the bad times that we’ve obviously had together, from going through a situation like Katrina and then having an opportunity in 2006 to play in the NFC Championship game. To have all those things happen to me and for me, I’ve been blessed. I just want to tell everyone thank you.”

This actually ended up seeming more like a retirement presser. And with Deuce’s recent string of injuries (including reconstructive surgery on both knees), it might as well have been. I’m not sure at 30-years-old that he’ll be able to catch on with another team. Which means there’s an outside chance he could return to New Orleans for considerably less than the $7 million he was scheduled to make this season. But I doubt it. All I can say is that Deuce has always been a class act both on and off the field. I had the opportunity to interview him twice — once when he was a senior at Ole Miss and another time on a conference call following Katrina. I have a great deal of respect for him and the great player and person he is.

Source: NewOrleansSaints.com, Photo: Newscom

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Saints Release Deuce McAllister

The five players who were busted for using StarCaps no longer have to keep wondering if they will be suspended. At least not for the next couple weeks and probably longer. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson extended his preliminary injunction against the NFL’s suspension of Kevin Williams (Vikings), Pat Williams (Vikings), Deuce McAllister (Saints), Will Smith (Saints) and Charles Grant (Saints) for violating the league’s anti-doping policy today. Judge Magnuson asked both sides to propose a schedule by December 22 to file pleadings in the case. That means the players are cleared to play for at least the next two weeks. But my guess is this will go beyond the Super Bowl and into the offseason, which increases the likelihood that the Vikings will make the playoffs. And it still gives the Saints a fighting chance, too.

Source: Google News

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

StarCaps Case Extended Two Weeks

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson blocked the NFL from suspending five players (Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, Charles Grant, Deuce McAllister and Will Smith) for violating the league’s anti-doping policy because he needed more time to consider the case after hearing several hours of arguments from the league and the NFL Players Association today. Afterward, the NFL released the following statement:

“Judge Magnuson made clear this afternoon that he needed more time to fully and carefully consider all of the briefs, arguments, and cases put before him. We welcome that scrutiny. We are confident that, once he has had an opportunity to review all of the relevant materials, including the Collective Bargaining Agreement, he will uphold our longstanding agreements with the NFLPA that protect the health and safety of NFL players and the integrity of our game.”

So, all five players can play Sunday (Charles Grant is injured and would not have played anyway), but their immediate futures are still uncertain. The NFL usually gets their way, so I’m not too optimistic for the players, even though I am in their favor on this one. The questions that remain are whether Judge Magnuson will tell the NFL that the players can’t be suspended until the NFL wins the lawsuit; or does he allow the suspensions, with the players then eligible for financial compensation if they were to somehow win the lawsuit?

Even if the suspensions are officially revoked, I don’t hold much hope for the 6-6 Saints who are three games behind the Bucs and Panthers (and two games behind the Falcons) in their own Division. But the Minnesota Vikings’ playoff hopes are probably riding on the judge’s decision. And this lawsuit may have only made matters worse if the ruling allows the suspensions next week. If the Vikes do get to the playoffs, the four game suspension would trickle over into the team’s first playoff game.

Source: NFL.com, NFL Media

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Federal Judge Blocks Suspensions

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

The NFL announced today the suspension without pay for four games of six players that violated the NFL Policy on Anabolic Steroids and Related Substances. The players specifically violated a longstanding provision of the policy relating to the use of diuretics and water pills, which serve as masking agents for steroids and are potentially dangerous to the health of players.

The policy states that the use of so-called “blocking” or “masking” agents, including diuretics and water pills, is prohibited and that a positive test will not be excused because it results from the use of a dietary supplement that unknowingly contained a banned substance. Supplements are not regulated or monitored by the government and players have been warned about the risks of supplement use. The policy states:

“You and you alone are responsible for what goes into your body. Claiming that you used only legally available nutritional supplements will not help you in an appeal ….. Even if they are bought over-the-counter from a known establishment, there is currently no way to be sure that they contain the ingredients listed on the packaging or have not been tainted with prohibited substances ….. If you take these products, you do so AT YOUR OWN RISK! For your own health and success in the league, we strongly encourage you to avoid the use of supplements altogether, or at the very least to be extremely careful about what you choose to take.”

The six players are each suspended for the final four games of the regular-season. If the player’s team qualifies for the playoffs, he is eligible to return to the active roster on Monday, December 29. The suspended players are:

• Charles Grant, New Orleans Saints
• Deuce McAllister, New Orleans Saints
• Bryan Pittman, Houston Texans
• Will Smith, New Orleans Saints
• Kevin Williams, Minnesota Vikings
• Pat Williams, Minnesota Vikings

The appeals process in this matter included close to 30 hours of hearings. NFL Executive Vice President of Labor and League Counsel Jeff Pash heard and decided all of the appeals except for Bryan Pittman’s. The appeals officer for Pittman was former NFL Executive Vice President and League Counsel Jay Moyer. Following are key excerpts from Jeff Pash’s decision upholding the suspensions:

• Bumetanide, a potent diuretic, has long been a prohibited substance under the policy and is similarly banned by other drug-testing programs. Diuretics are banned for two reasons – first, because they can be used to mask the use of performance-enhancing drugs; and second, because they can pose a threat to player health and safety.
• The policy contains numerous specific warnings about dietary supplements. NFL players received separate advisories regarding supplements (attached). These included two memos from Dr. John Lombardo (the program’s independent administrator) entitled “Weight Reduction Products,” which were sent to players in July of 2007, and again in July of 2008.
• In addition, two notifications specifically mentioning Star Caps were sent on December 19, 2006. One was sent to the presidents, general managers, and head athletic trainers of all NFL clubs. The second was sent to Stacy Robinson, the NFLPA executive who oversees the Steroid Policy on behalf of the union. The letter to Robinson states that “Balanced Health Products, which distributes Star Caps, has been added to the list of prohibited dietary supplement companies. Please distribute this information to the agents and players through your normal channels.” In response, Robinson had Balanced Health Products added to the list of banned companies that is maintained on the NFLPA’s website.
• (For those players with weight clause bonus provisions in their contracts,) the player specifically agreed not to engage in any “last-minute weight reduction techniques,” which included “use of diuretics.”
• There is no question that the policy embodies a collectively bargained rule of strict liability – a rule that players alone are responsible for what is in their bodies; that inadvertent or unknowing use of a prohibited substance will not excuse a positive test; and that supplements are used at a player’s own risk.
• With respect to the question of whether a specific warning should have been given regarding Star Caps, the policy does not set forth an obligation to issue specific warnings about specific products and no testimony suggests that the NFL and NFLPA have ever contemplated imposing such a requirement on Dr. Lombardo, who oversees the development of education materials on steroids. In keeping with that responsibility, the NFL, NFLPA, and Dr. Lombardo have emphasized the need for extreme caution in the use of any supplement, including weight reduction products, have established a Hotline for players to call for information regarding supplements, have established a Supplement Certification program with EAS to provide players with supplements that are free of banned substances, and have, in conjunction with reinforcing the strict liability rule, repeatedly warned players about the dangers of unregulated and inaccurately labeled dietary supplements. In the past, players have been suspended for using dietary supplements that contained a banned substance.
• The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) does not issue specific warnings about specific supplements, nor are such warnings issued in other drug testing programs.

Clearly, the team that will be hardest hit by these suspensions are the NFC North Division leading Minnesota Vikings. Both Kevin and Pat Williams are Pro Bowl defensive tackles and considered among the best at what they do in the National Football League. Together, they are the heart and soul of a Vikings defense that prides itself on stopping the run. So far this season, the “Williams Wall” has been true to form as the Vikes are currently second in the entire NFL in run defense (73 ypg). The Vikings released a statement today saying:

“In response to this afternoon’s ruling, the Minnesota Vikings are very disappointed in the National Football League’s decision and suspension of Kevin and Pat Williams. At the appropriate time, we will have further comment.”

Pat Williams’ agent, Angelo Wright, had a comment today. He said a federal lawsuit aimed at preventing the NFL from imposing a four-game suspension on his client will be filed tomorrow:

“I believe that we’ll be able to offset this. I continue to maintain that he will play football. Though the tenets of the program are of strict liability, the league is supposed to act in conjunction with the players association, to communicate what products are acceptable and which are not. In this case, they’ve acknowledged that they withheld information from the players. I would feel more comfortable with the process, if there was an independent body governing over these cases. But this current set up is reminiscent of the British court, when they wore white wigs and proved to be your judge and your jury.”

If Mr. Wright achieves his goal, as he believes he will, Pat will be able to play Sunday at Detroit. But if the league’s suspension is then upheld, that could push Pat’s four-game suspension into the postseason. I’m not sure it matters because without Kevin and Pat in the Minnesota lineup this month, there’s a good chance there won’t be a postseason for the Vikings.

Sources: NFL Media, Vikings.com, TwinCities.com, Photo: Newscom

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NFL Suspends Six Players For Violating Policy on Steroids and Related Substances

It appears as many as 10-15 NFL players have tested positive under the league’s steroid policy as a result of taking water pills to lose weight. Water pills. Big deal? Well, the water pills — aka Bumetanide — can also serve as a masking agent for other drugs or steroids. Thus the violation of the steroid policy if you test positive for it.

Bumetanide is a drug belonging to a group of medicines called loop diuretics or “water pills.” Its uses include the treatment of fluid retention and swelling caused by medical conditions such as congestive heart failure, liver disease and kidney disease. Or it might just help you lose weight. New Orleans Saints running back Deuce McAllister and defensive ends Will Smith and Charles Grant are among the players that have been named as violators. Texas long-snapper Bryan Pittman was also named, but attorney David Cornwell says he’s legit:

“Bryan did everything humanly possible to comply with the NFL steroid policy, including obtaining doctor’s written authorization to take weight loss medication. He did not use steroids.”

So what about the others? None of the Saints player’s agents had responded (and I don’t know what other players were involved). The Saints weren’t talking. And neither was the NFL. Yet. But isn’t this a blatant disregard for the steroid policy’s basis, where a player has a right to appeal and an absolute right to confidentiality? Mr. Cornwell suggested that whoever leaked this story to the media had one agenda — to harm the players.

Note: While I’m on the subject, I think the NFL should reconsider the name “Steroid Policy.” Players caught taking a banned diuretic aren’t steroids users. They’ve violated the policy on anabolic steroids and related substances, but they weren’t taking steroids. It makes them out to be steroid users.

Source: NOLA.com, ESPN.com

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NFL Players Violate Steroid Policy