Merged 2x:Ok - Now Its Clear Pot Is The Issue/It aint all about the pot

[Dphins4me]

I see no conflict whatsoever. The players that actually play the game are not permitted to do those commercials. As a business it is legal for the NFL to do NFL beer commercials. Until the government out laws the NFL from doing those commercials; like they did with cigarettes; the NFL would be stupid to not create revenue for their business.

Oliver...

You missed my whole point of my post. Its not a matter or conflict. Its a matter of hypocrisy.

The NFL want the money for beer advertising for themselves, but then turn around and have a policy that says a player cannot do a commerical for the very same people who the NFL is taking money from.

The NFL is saying we can make monies off of alcohol, but the players cannot.

Why is why I want to know.

You said the NFL has to set standards for the children. That is tee total bull and that is what my post was about.

 

[Merman]

However, this post is about the reality of the situation between Ricky Williams and the Miami Dolphins and NFL.

I've said Ricky is immature. I stand by that. This entire ordeal IMO of world travel and retirement is Ricky Williams running from the 3 failed drug tests. He now has failed 3 drug tests as a Miami Dolphin. As a coach, I find that totally irresponsible to his teammates and the organization. He has chosen to smoke dope over being a Miami Dolphin. He's embarrassed the organization, hurt his reputation, and done possible career ending damage on himself. His pot use has now hurt the team.....OFFICIALLY. It doesnt matter if Pot isn't as bad as alcohol, or as bad as cigarettes.....because they aren't illegal. Pot is illegal right now, so it's the source of the immature decision.
It's all part of a big game in life that says "here is what you can do and here is what you can't do"...right now. Rules can always change, but for now it is what it is....Pot is illegal.
Ricky Williams is immature and selfish because he chose a simple pleasure (Smoking pot) over doing the responsible thing. He let down us as DOLFANS, his coaches and his teammates. He can be the new poster boy for those TV ads about how smoking weed can cost you and your teammates. I guess it was too much to ask him to give up weed for the status he has in society, and not to mention the millions of dollars he gets for playing and millions of fans who love to watch him play. It was too much to ask him to not smoke pot so that he could be in the NFL, or the Cornerstone of the Miami Dolphins Offense. It was to much to ask him to refrain from pot smoking for now so that he could present a higher image of himself for kids that admire him.

Regardless of whether or not you agree with what is going on with the drug tests, the reality of the situation is that Ricky Williams will not be able to continue on the path he has chosen for himself the way the rules are now in his life. He currently is heading into a 4 game suspension that has hurt his team after failing his 3rd drug test could soon find himself out for the year.

He is on the brink of losing it all. He's proven himself to be immature, dishonest, disloyal, unreliable, and unwilling to make the situation right. How typical is it that he ran away after that 3rd failed test. How typical that he still doesn't understand that failing a 3rd test is a whole different animal than failing 1 drug test. Ricky says he isn't addicted to Pot? Tell me, isn't the most clear sign of addiction when something starts to screw your life up? When you hurt relationships, or you work, etc for a drug? Ok Ricky...you chose. Either your addicted and need help or you are immature and need to grow up. Either way you have the power to bring this all full circle by simply keeping the blunt out of your mouth for a few more years.

I guess it's tough to appreciate people that are so immature and selfish that they engage in behavior that they know hurts themselves and others but don't care enough to alter that behavior. If Ricky wants to be a pothead he has the rest of his life to be a pothead. He only has a few years left where he can be an elite RB in the NFL.
Now that we know the retirement was really not about "lost fire" and that he was in reality running from another failed drug test and impending suspension, I think it's fair to say Ricky is immature and selfish in his pot smoking. One of the greatest enjoyments in life is the benefits of being part of a team and we'd all love to be in Ricky's situation as the Tailback of the Miami Dolphins, and the organizations most marketed player since Dan Marino. Ricky needs to grow up folks and look in the mirror and decide what kind of man he's going to be. Is his legacy going to be that he's irresponsible, dishonest, unreliable, etc? Or is he going to accept the responsiblity that comes with the gift he's been given?

An excellent post and very valid as far as this reasoning goes. I think this reasoning has to be taken another step without making excuses or excusing what Ricky did which was to royally screw up and then panic.

There is no doubt that Ricky has an illness and needs drugs to function rationally. My understanding is that he stopped taking his medication and has replaced it with marijuana. An foolish and misguided decision. Yet a decision that deserves a bit more compassion and a little less condemnation. He does deserve sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it. Isn't that how we accepted him from New Orleans???

Seems to me if Ricky had suffered an injury we understand this might be easier to accept for him and us.

What is done is done and he will have to accept the appropriate consequences but maybe we can try to understand feet of clay with some compassion. ???

 

[Hellion]

You are right there. People always want other people to hold up their morals.



Here is a lawsuit waiting to happen. If your company does this, and the fired employee pushes it, then they most likely can win one against you company.

Too many regulations to simply just up and fire an employee with an abuse problem.

I would at some point have to address this with them and ask them what the difference.

Not true,
Actually it's with in the law, if an employee has an abuse problem then it is not the company's responsiblity to rehab him or to allow him (because of his abuse) to endanger other employee's lives because of his/her personal problems by allowing him/her to work among other employees while having a known drug problem, and taking drugs deamed as controlled substances while in the work place when said employee has signed a policy that states what the drug policy of the Corp. is.
They knowingly broke a policy that they read and signed by taking an illegal drug or a drug that they HAVE to PROVE is prescribed by their doctor for their use ONLY.
Now if they are on prescription drugs they have to report it to the HR manager and their supervisor if it's a controlled drug that alters their state of mind, if so then they are put on medical leave. If they DO NOT report it, then under the policy and the law they can be fired.

That being said the employee can be mandated to attend counsoling at their own expense inorder to keep their job, if they refuse then they can be terminated. We've had many laws suites that dealt with everything from anger management to drug and alcohol abuse, and the Corp. has never lost.

If the employee has a known drug problem but has never tested positive while at work then yes the employee has a solid case, but that dosen't happen, in that case (like many medical issues) we allow the employee to take medical leave to help them recover.

As far as addressing the Corp. about their hypocritical ways, well then we'd have to address every company in the country about it.

 

[enigmatics]

Loved the post............definately the best one yet.

 

[Dphins4me]

Not true,
Actually it's with in the law, if an employee has an abuse problem then it is not the company's responsiblity to rehab him or to allow him (because of his abuse) to endanger other employee's lives because of his/her personal problems by allowing him/her to work among other employees while having a known drug problem, and taking drugs deamed as controlled substances while in the work place when said employee has signed a policy that states what the drug policy of the Corp. is.
They knowingly broke a policy that they read and signed by taking an illegal drug or a drug that they HAVE to PROVE is prescribed by their doctor for their use ONLY.
Now if they are on prescription drugs they have to report it to the HR manager and their supervisor if it's a controlled drug that alters their state of mind, if so then they are put on medical leave. If they DO NOT report it, then under the policy and the law they can be fired.


That being said the employee can be mandated to attend counsoling at their own expense inorder to keep their job, if they refuse then they can be terminated. We've had many laws suites that dealt with everything from anger management to drug and alcohol abuse, and the Corp. has never lost.

If the employee has a known drug problem but has never tested positive while at work then yes the employee has a solid case, but that dosen't happen, in that case (like many medical issues) we allow the employee to take medical leave to help them recover.

As far as addressing the Corp. about their hypocritical ways, well then we'd have to address every company in the country about it.

When it happens, let me know how it turns out. Because in todays legal system, where its someone elses fault I did something I was not suppose too.

The company will lose. I promise you that

 

[DrAstroZoom]

Its not about the policy of not using pot.

The point of my reply to Oliver was that the NFL gives a rats arse about children other than can we get them to watch our product as the grow up.

Also it is not illegal to smoke pot or take drugs. Its illegal to possess them. If it were illegal to use it, then everyone in rehab would be arrested.

First of all ... it's really hard to use a drug unless you possess it.

Second of all,the NFL is not being hypocritical with the alcohol issue. Showing Joe Schmoe partying with his friends in a Coors commercial is not going to make the same impression on a child (or anyone else) as NFL Superstar (fill in the blank) talking about the advantages of a frosty brew.

Just because the NFL cares about its image doesn't make it hypocritical. And the marketing of alcohol during football games does not have anywhere NEAR the negative image impact it would were its stars the ones doing the hawking.

I'm not saying the NFL really cares about the kids. It cares about its image. And that's not evil, nor is it hypocritical.

 

[buckeyenic007]

Like I said eariler this week....

Ricky Williams=Pot Head

I'm sorry, Ricky needs to be charged for drug use just like any other citizen in the USA. He fails test after test. Ricky Williams is a Class A LOSER. I'm actually glad that he is gone, there is no place on the team or in the NFL for that type of person. I just wish that he would have retired at the END of last season, rather than the BEGINNING of this season. What a punk.

 

[DOLFANMIKE]

There is no doubt that Ricky has an illness and needs drugs to function rationally. My understanding is that he stopped taking his medication and has replaced it with marijuana. An foolish and misguided decision. Yet a decision that deserves a bit more compassion and a little less condemnation.

This is it in a nutshell IMO.

Great post...well said.

 

[Dolfan73]

No Offense but....aren't there 5 other posts u could have attached this to? Also like I've said in another post, I'm not advising people to smoke pot but It is NOT illegal to smoke pot. It IS illegal to be found in possession of pot. Hell you can tell a police officer ur high as a kite and as long as ur not being rowdy or operating a motor vehicle there isn't a damn thing the police can do. I do agree w/ you on one part. Very poor timing and a p**ssy thing to do. And yes we will be better w/o Ricky (see games last year and tell me he wasn't stoned).

 

[Hellion]

When it happens, let me know how it turns out. Because in todays legal system, where its someone elses fault I did something I was not suppose too.

The company will lose. I promise you that

Read the post, it has happened and the ex employee lost every time, sorry but I been in this busness 15 years and not one employee that broke the drug abuse policy has won in court. not ONE.

 

[buckeyenic007]

I'm not quite sure what legal system you have been following, but it IS most definatly ILLEGAL to smoke pot. If a police officer walks up to an individual who is smoking a joint, 10 times out of 10, that person will be charged. That may be the dumbest post that I have ever read.

 

[DOLFANMIKE]

No Offense but....aren't there 5 other posts u could have attached this to? Also like I've said in another post, I'm not advising people to smoke pot but It is NOT illegal to smoke pot. It IS illegal to be found in possession of pot. Hell you can tell a police officer ur high as a kite and as long as ur not being rowdy or operating a motor vehicle there isn't a damn thing the police can do. I do agree w/ you on one part. Very poor timing and a p**ssy thing to do. And yes we will be better w/o Ricky (see games last year and tell me he wasn't stoned).

No offense, But this thread was started with the news that Ricky admitted to failing yet another (#3) drug test. So thats the reason I posted it, ....not that I need permission.

How do you smoke pot and not be in possession of it. Also, Read the first post in the thread. It's stated clearly that this post isnt intended to debate the legality of pot in life. The subject is Ricky's situation with the NFL and Miami Dolphins right now, is because he's smoking pot and going to be suspended even if he does come back from Hooterville. The subject here is the NFL says Ricky can't smoke pot and play for the Dolphins. He's now been caught 3 times smoking wacky weed.

 

[Dphins4me]

I'm not quite sure what legal system you have been following, but it IS most definatly ILLEGAL to smoke pot. If a police officer walks up to an individual who is smoking a joint, 10 times out of 10, that person will be charged. That may be the dumbest post that I have ever read.

If a cop caught someone smoking it, then he would be in possession of it.

You guys do not get it. Being caught with it in your possession is what is illegal. Using it and not getting caught using it is not illegal.

People check into rehab all day long and are not arrested, because they were not caught with it in their possession, therefor simply using it is not illegal.

You have to have it in your possession in order to get in trouble for it.

 

[Dphins4me]

I'm sorry, Ricky needs to be charged for drug use just like any other citizen in the USA. ]

No one has ever been arrested for using a drug.

Its the purchasing and the possession of it that is illegal.

 

[Mr. Pink]

"He is on the brink of losing it all. He's proven himself to be immature, dishonest, disloyal, unreliable, and unwilling to make the situation right."

This is not unusual for someone with a drug problem. Classic symptoms, actually.

"You guys do not get it. Being caught with it in your possession is what is illegal. Using it and not getting caught using it is not illegal."

Incorrect. Doing something illegal and not being caught does not entail legality. If you commit an illegal action (possession, *willful* possession of contraband), you have broken the law. The lack of proof for prosecution does not substitute for legality.

I hope you aren't trying to get into Law School. By the way, Mike, nice post.