As abhorrent human being, and remorseless domestic abuser Greg Hardy was permitted by the NFL to suit up for the Dallas Cowboys last season after only serving a four game suspension, many cringed that he was allowed to play. Hardy is an all around bad dude and a despicable human being.
On the flip side, Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has been suspended for two entire seasons for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy for smoking marijuana.
Steelers’ Pro Bowl running back Le’Veon Bell will serve a four game suspension to start the season for the second consecutive year for violating the league’s substance abuse policy for smoking pot.
While a rule is a rule, and Bell and Gordon are knuckleheads for not putting down the pipe, that the NFL treats weed smokers as harsh, or more harshly, than an unrepentant domestic abuser like Hardy seems proportionally out of wack.
Nick Wright, who filled in for Colin in The Herd today, thinks it’s time for the NFL to more closely reflect the country’s attitude and stop testing for pot.
“As the country starts to be more sensible on marijuana, why the two biggest sports leagues are trapped in some Nixonian “Refer Madness” is beyond me.”
Nick added, “The fans don’t benefit. The teams don’t benefit. The players don’t benefit. There are cities and states that are homes to pro sports franchises where players can legally go down the street and buy a joint. If we thought marijuana was a truly dangerous substance, then we wouldn’t laugh at Josh Gordon. We’d say get him help. But, no one looks at marijuana that way.”
Regardless of whether players are toking up for recreational purposes, or as a pain management tool, the NFL’s stance on marijuana in 2016 seems dazed ‘n confused.