Herb Zurkowsky: CFLPA President Scott Flory May Be In Trouble With Rank & File Due To His Lack Of Action Over Mandatory Drug Testing

[Taynted_Fayth]

I've struggled with drug abuse for a good portion of my life (glad to say i'm on the up and up these days) but I know there's more potent and dangerous drugs out there then coke when it comes to focus/motivation/boost...ect  I was thinking more like HGH but you make a good point J5V. it'd just be so hard to test for these kind of drugs unless your peeing in a cup right before you hit the field cuz it's pretty easy to do a rail discretely and quickly in a moments notice then lay off it for a few days to beat tests.

 

[Guest J5V]

7 hours ago, Taynted_Fayth said:

I've struggled with drug abuse for a good portion of my life (glad to say i'm on the up and up these days) but I know there's more potent and dangerous drugs out there then coke when it comes to focus/motivation/boost...ect  I was thinking more like HGH but you make a good point J5V. it'd just be so hard to test for these kind of drugs unless your peeing in a cup right before you hit the field cuz it's pretty easy to do a rail discretely and quickly in a moments notice then lay off it for a few days to beat tests.

The whole drug thing needs to be re-thought and Pigseye makes a good point about privacy although it can also be argued whether such a thing even exists any more. Define privacy. Quite the moving target these days and as they say, no man is an island unto himself. IOWs, if you are using drugs, it affects more than just you, so can it ever really be a private matter? Huge moral and philosophical issue.

I don't even like the term "drug abuse" as it depends on your definition of the word "abuse". Being human is an incredibly challenging experience and the human brain/mind is such a complicated, difficult to understand, changing and evolving thing/process that we, as a society, have to be extremely careful not to rush to judgments concerning so-called "drug abuse". We understand so little about the effects of drugs on the human mind. Is it drug abuse or self-medication? Are the effects positive or negative? Mind contracting or mind expanding? Are drug users pioneers, pushing the boundries of the human mind and the mind experience? Jimi Hendrix once asked the question: Are You Experienced? Is it drug abuse to need/use medicine? Has the human brain evolved in ways that are actually detrimental to the well-being of the individual and do some people use drugs to help alleviate some of their suffering? What about the spiritual components of drug use? Is it possible to use drugs to commune with God? Way more questions than answers and I truly believe that, as a society, it would not be wise to make hard and fast decisions about so-called "drug abuse" let alone to judge so-called drug abusers. 

When it comes to sports, if an athlete suffers from Attention Deficit Disorder should he/she be allowed to use "speed" (methedrine) if that is their prescribed medication and they have a TUE? It could be argued that they have an unfair advantage over another athlete that is competing "clean". 

Very difficult issue. 

[Mark H.]

17 hours ago, J5V said:

Marijuana is not considered a performance enhancing drug. I'd actually argue it harms performance. Marijuana's effects also last much longer than most drugs and it doesn't clear a person's system for approximately 30 days for a chronic smoker. It's pretty easy for a pot smoker to get caught in a drug test.

Cocaine is the performance enhancing drug because of it's ability to increase one's focus. If it wasn't so addictive and prone to abuse, it'd make a fine ADD medication. Cocaine however, clears the system in about 2 to 3 days. This makes it harder to catch a user, especially if they have advance notice of an upcoming test.

Ritalin (the drug commonly prescribed for ADD) is actually pretty similar to cocaine. When someone actually has ADD, their brain reacts to it differently than yours or mine would.

[Guest J5V]

57 minutes ago, Mark H. said:

Ritalin (the drug commonly prescribed for ADD) is actually pretty similar to cocaine. When someone actually has ADD, their brain reacts to it differently than yours or mine would.

Interesting, although I've never heard of an athlete testing positive for Ritalin. Cocaine on the other hand ...

[iso_55]

The CFL only tests for PEDs. My take, if the CBA includes drug testing & you keep taking steroids & get caught, you got caught. Too bad so sad. Take whatever punishment that comes.

Edited April 3, 2016 by iso_55

[Guest J5V]

18 minutes ago, iso_55 said:

The CFL only tests for PEDs. My take, if the CBA includes drug testing & you keep taking steroids & get caught, you got caught. Too bad so sad. Take whatever punishment that comes.

In the world of sport penalties vary wildly. In some sports a positive result for cocaine and you're banned for life. Others, a mere slap on the wrist. A positive result for cocaine got Cliff Thorburn and Kirk Stevens banned for life from the Snooker World Championships. Steroids cost Ben Johnson his gold medal.  

In the CFL:

•    Testing is done on a random basis, except if a player has a previous violation in the CFL, which triggers mandatory testing for that player.

•    Testing is done year round, and is done on urine samples and blood samples, to capture a wider range of drugs and ensure greater accuracy.

•    Upon a first offence, a player automatically becomes subject to mandatory testing, he is assessed for any underlying issues, and he is provided with the option of counseling, while his identity remains confidential: the goal is to change the player’s behavior in the best interests of the game and his own health.

•    A second offence triggers a three-game suspension, the player will continue to be subject to mandatory testing, and his identity will be publicly disclosed.

•    A third offence triggers a one-year suspension and the player will continue to be subject to mandatory testing. 

•    A fourth offence triggers a lifetime ban.

[Mark H.]

14 hours ago, J5V said:

Interesting, although I've never heard of an athlete testing positive for Ritalin. Cocaine on the other hand ...

It's usually prescribed for elementary students, although it is becoming controversial with more and more parents refusing to allow it. 

[johnzo]

I have heard that amphetamine usage in Major League Baseball has been pretty commonplace for a long time and I bet in other sports as well.

Down here in the states it's easy as pie to get an ADD / ADHD diagnosis and a legal speed script. I'm not sure what the league can do, as it's regarded as legit therapy (though I gues other PEDs are legit therapies too)

Speed: it's not just for kids anymore!

[Guest J5V]

4 hours ago, Mark H. said:

It's usually prescribed for elementary students, although it is becoming controversial with more and more parents refusing to allow it. 

What's also very interesting is that there is very little difference in the MRI readings of the human brain under the influence of Ritalin and brains under the influence of cocaine. Different drugs, similar effects.

[iso_55]

The thing is the drug test by the CFL doesn't test for marijuana, coke or any other drug other than PEDS.

[Guest J5V]

15 hours ago, iso_55 said:

The thing is the drug test by the CFL doesn't test for marijuana, coke or any other drug other than PEDS.

Meaning steroids, HGH, etc. Interesting.

[Taynted_Fayth]

I could see players against it, if it's rampantly used across the league by guys trying to elevate their play to get some notice down south.  not sure how long it can be traced in your system for, but if it's less then it would take to do a a quick stint in the CFL then i see this being a concern for players not just from getting suspended in the cfl, but it might hinder the bigger picture for them

[Jacquie]

On March 31, 2016 at 7:29 PM, iso_55 said:

I just wonder why the tweets were taken down? Could it be the fact that Flory didn't like it & Zurkowsky is the beat writer for the Als? Brouilette is a new player rep on the Als & while he wasn't disrespectful of his teammate he didn't endorse his presidency either.

Flory retired before he became CFLPA president in May, 2014 so I don't really see Flory having an influence with Zurkowski (who isn't a cheerleader homer reporter) or with Brouilette (who was only a teammate of Flory for a couple seasons).

[iso_55]

5 minutes ago, Jacquie said:

Flory retired before he became CFLPA president in May, 2014 so I don't really see Flory having an influence with Zurkowski (who isn't a cheerleader homer reporter) or with Brouilette (who was only a teammate of Flory for a couple seasons).

He still might have a lot of influence. The other question I have is why is every position on the executive but one ( Keon Raymond) all offensive linemen?

[Fan Boy]

12 hours ago, iso_55 said:

He still might have a lot of influence. The other question I have is why is every position on the executive but one ( Keon Raymond) all offensive linemen?

Offensive lineman are often much more cerebral than you might consider.

Just to kick up some dust: Protecting players from the negative effects of PED's is a bit funny when you consider the game being played has severe effects on many of the  participants. It seems hard for me to see how football players can play without the replenishing and curing powers of steroids. 

[iso_55]

Not that I care but my point about so many OL being on the Executive of the CFLPA is that it seems the rest of the players in the CFL seem to have a disengagement with the entire union process which seems quite odd.

[Fatty Liver]

2 hours ago, iso_55 said:

Not that I care but my point about so many OL being on the Executive of the CFLPA is that it seems the rest of the players in the CFL seem to have a disengagement with the entire union process which seems quite odd.

Not at all, that's typical of most unions,

[Dee Urban Hermit]

I see that Freisen's interview with Keeping didn't seem to go well. As far as the whole drug testing thing goes, the CFLPA it's more of the same old...

[iso_55]

43 minutes ago, Dee Urban Hermit said:

I see that Freisen's interview with Keeping didn't seem to go well. As far as the whole drug testing thing goes, the CFLPA it's more of the same old...

Same guys running the show which was my point. See the New Boss. Just like the Old Boss.

[Jacquie]

1 hour ago, Dee Urban Hermit said:

I see that Freisen's interview with Keeping didn't seem to go well. As far as the whole drug testing thing goes, the CFLPA it's more of the same old...

Keeping had been elected less than a week before that article came out. You don't think he should consult with the player reps and others before making big sweeping statements. 

[Dee Urban Hermit]

Yes, you are right on to give him time to deal with this. But Keeping and his supporters have to know that this is an issue that needs to be dealt with, I certainly hope that there are some basic ideas in place. The media (Freisen being a frontrunner) and the CFL are waiting for the Players Association to put forth their ideas. I was certainly expecting more out of that interview. The CFLPA is certainly holding their cards close to their chests for too long.

I suppose it would have been good to hear Jeff say something like, "We have been dragging our heels on this whole doping issue, and we are ready to deal with it..."

Sorry, rant over.  DUH

[Dee Urban Hermit]

Well it's nice to see that this has been dealt with. The CFL and the CFLPA have come to terms on a drug testing policy that even the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports (CCES) commends the agreement. I still don't understand why Keeping and his core decided to hold this like some big secret?

                             http://www.cfl.ca/2016/04/21/cfl-cflpa-agree-new-drug-policy-2016-season/

[iso_55]

I take it this is just for PED's & also not recreational drugs like the NFL tests for. I think if the CFL tested for weed that 75% of the players would be suspended. It would be a huge black eye for the CFL.

Edited April 22, 2016 by iso_55

[JCon]

On ‎2016‎-‎04‎-‎03 at 10:32 PM, J5V said:

Interesting, although I've never heard of an athlete testing positive for Ritalin. Cocaine on the other hand ...

No, but you may hear of Adderall, another name brand or the active ingredients methylphenidate hydrochloride.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000242017/article/report-adderall-remains-drug-of-choice-for-many-nfl-players

[SPuDS]

7 hours ago, JCon said:

No, but you may hear of Adderall, another name brand or the active ingredients methylphenidate hydrochloride.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000242017/article/report-adderall-remains-drug-of-choice-for-many-nfl-players

this drug is taking, of all things, professional poker by storm.  a few of the "superstars" have said its actually ruining poker. 

 

essentially legalized meth from what I understand.