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Six players currently face four-game suspensions for taking StarCaps, which has been determined to contain a banned substances.
It’s now becoming clear that all six of the players will be available to play in Week Thirteen.
In the combined appeals of the suspensions imposed on Saints running back Deuce McAllister, defensive end Charles Grant, and defensive end Will Smith, briefs are due from both sides on Sunday. That same day, the Saints will be playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Grant won’t play in any event; he was previously placed on injured reserve.)
Since the hearing involving the three Saints players occurred on November 18 and with the other three (regarding Vikings defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams and Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jackson) coming thereafter, it’s likely that none of the cases will be resolved by Sunday.
We’re also told that a request has been made to announce the outcomes of all pending cases simultaneously. It’s unknown whether the request will be granted.
The big winners are the Vikings, who barring a ruling upholding the suspensions will have the Williamses available for Sunday night’s critical NFC North showdown against the Bears.
November 26th, 2008 at 11:49 am
This waterpillgate thing has to be one of the most dragged out confusions that the NFL has been involved with in quite a few years. I believe that in the case of the Williams boys, the determination that they took an “illegal” substance was made at training camp this year. And the threat of suspensions still hangs over the players as we go into this weeks play. INSANE! I know the league is concerned that a major combined law-suit against the NFL is a distinct possibilty, but come on already, if they do decide to suspend these players now,it would be for the last four games of the season. The last four games for a training camp test failure?
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November 26th, 2008 at 11:50 am
Big winners???
The big losers here is Goodell and the NFL and it’s total lack
of credibility.
How can you dictate what players take when the ingredient
in question isn’t even listed on the label??? Punitive action
should be directed toward the maker of Star Caps and not
the players that took it relying that the maker was following
federal law.
The NFL should lay this fiasco off until post season and
then kill it where it lays…..
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 26th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Why does everybody believe it was “Starcaps” that the players took? The zero tolerance policy means what it says. It is ironic that this question and the Mark Tynes issue is addressed the same day.
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November 26th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Sundance…I couldn’t have said it better. Any good lawyer would tear this case apart, and then laugh all the way to the bank as he/she walks off with all the monies the collect from sueing Starcaps, and the NFL.
Before tha NFL suspends anyone connected to this they need to fine they guys who run the “hotline”. How can anyone find out about a substance when there’s no one on the phone to tell the players about it.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
November 26th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
The delays are a vast right-wing conspiracy allowing the drug taking miscreants to continue playing, all to ensure the Packers finish third in the NFC North.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
November 26th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
The truth is that Jared Allen & Adrian Peterson are to blame for all of this.
They are both cheaters and cheap shot artists and should get TEH BIGG LOSS!
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
November 26th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Starcaps sales guy: “Hey guys the ingredient is not listed on the label and the NFL knows it. If you get caught, just claim conspiracy. How about a free fat guy t-shirt.”
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November 26th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
k-new & Sundance
I don’t think so.
The policy states
“Players are responsible for what is in their bodies, and a positive test result will not be excused because a player was unaware that he was taking a Prohibited Substance.”
The league has applied this in many cases over the years and I’m sure several big name players (Merriman, Peppers, & more) have been suspended due to something in a supplement. Those who have already lived through a suspension might have a case if the implementation of the policy is suddenly changed. Don’t forget that the policy came about as a result of collective bargaining. The players already knew what it said and how it was being implemented when they voted for the last CBA extension. These guys obviously have a case against StarCaps.
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November 26th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Carolina Homie writes:
“Players are responsible for what is in their bodies, and a positive test result will not be excused because a player was unaware that he was taking a Prohibited Substance.”
Yes this is correct when what they are taking is written on the bottle in the ingredients. If the supplement does not say on the label what it correctly contains then it is not their fault. And for the Dr. of the NFL to not put the bottle on the band substance list further makes this an NFL and Starcaps problem more than a players.
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November 27th, 2008 at 10:03 am
dayglo80,
The same info that the “NFL Dr” had was available through many sources LAST YEAR. These guys never checked and “allegedly” continued to purchase and use StarCaps or they knew Bumetanide was in there and took advantage of what they perceived to be an out. The only reason I say allegedly is because everybody wants to give all these players the benefit of the doubt because they say they were taking StarCaps with Bumetanide. It’s possible that is not the case and they were only taking the bumetanide for other reasons.
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November 27th, 2008 at 10:06 am
And before anybody goes all innocent until proven guilty on me, they had bumentanide in their system. That is a violation. The “We took StarCaps, yeah, that’s the ticket. It was STarCaps excuse” excuse doesn’t work. Not based on how the steroid policy has been implemented in the past.
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