After a year or so out of the limelight following his departure from ESPN, Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin is regaining his status as a full-fledged media lightning rod via his show on ESPN Radio in Dallas.

Last month, Irvin provided a three-hour platform for cornerback Pacman Jones.  Former Bengals receiver Chris Henry has reportedly reached out to Irvin about appearing on the show.

The Playmaker, whose stellar football career was plagued by off-field problems such as drug use, provided a platform on Friday for Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard to admit that he smokes marijuana in the offseason.

Specifically, Howard admitted to “smoking weed in the offseason sometimes,” and described it as his “personal choice and personal opinion.”

Howard also said that he “probably” would not smoke pot during the basketball season, even if the NBA didn’t have a random testing program.

In the NFL, an admission of drug use could result in a player’s entry into the substance-abuse program.  When Randy Moss admitted a couple of years ago to Bryant Gumbel that Moss smoked marijuana “every blue moon,” Moss’s representatives thereafter had to scramble to get the NFL not to take action because of it.

The NBA apparently has a similar procedure, which could subject Howard to counseling and more frequent testing.

One thing he should do less frequently is talk about his marijuana use, especially when on the radio.