Thomas suspended
 

FOXSports.com has learned that the NFL has suspended Saints defensive tackle Hollis Thomas for four weeks for violating the league's policy on anabolic steroids and supplements. It's believed that Thomas did not test positive for a steroid, but rather something that was supplement-related for weight loss and/or energy. Thomas will miss the next four games after his appeal was denied this week. As a result, Thomas will not be available to return until the postseason

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6241644

RE: Thomas suspended
 

BIG BIG LOSS. Rodney Leslie, Whitehead, and Cooper all need to step up their game.

RE: Thomas suspended
 

That is bad bad bad for the Saints. HT was a fireplug.... okay Payton, now what?

IMO, Hollis has been co-MVP of the D-line w/ W. Smith. Yikes, but Payton has shown the ability to provide schemes that allow 2nd and 3rd stringers to play well. Time to do it again, Payton & staff.

How does the NFL suspend a player for taking a legitimate prescription drug that he filed (supposedly) with the league and was under doctor's supervision for a life threatening condition? I'm more than just a little confused and I think that the fix is already in. Let us have some hope, but kill us on a technicality. At this late point in the season, one can only conclude that no one in the league offices wants this team to actually either make the playoffs or host a game.

Why is there no appeal? Unless Peyton believes it to be better, to go ahead and get the suspension out of the way now. Four games means, back in the line up, for the first game of the play offs. This might turn out to be a good thing.

and the next violation for this "offense" - taking a legitimate therapy for barely controled asthma - will be a one year suspension. I fully support drug testing and enforcement of rules to prevent players from getting a boost from non-prescription drug use. I don't agree with the blanket policy that lumps legitimate use with criminals.

Yeah this is bullcrap. If this is a legitimate drug for a disease that could be life-threatening, why are they suspending him? There's something fishy about this whole situation...

Either that or the people working for the league office are a bunch of retards

apparently, his inhaler contained a banned steriod product or whatever....
why was'nt this spotted before, though?

Updated:2006-12-05 16:48:35
Saints' Thomas Suspended Four Games
Defensive Tackle Violated League's Steroid Policy
AP Sports
NEW ORLEANS (Dec. 5) - Saints defensive tackle Hollis Thomas was suspended for the final four games of the regular season Tuesday for violating the league's steroid policy.
Thomas, backed by the team, appealed the suspension, which he said was caused by using asthma medication. He uses an inhaler daily and it apparently contained a banned steroid.

Thomas signed this year with New Orleans after playing nine seasons with the Eagles ; he missed the 2002 season in Philadelphia with a broken right foot. He's had 43 tackles and four sacks for the Saints and has been an integral part of their 8-4 record, which leads the NFC South.

If New Orleans makes the playoffs, Thomas would be eligible to play. He can be added to the active roster on Jan. 1, 2007, the day after the regular season ends.

Thomas' asthma medicine causes drug policy violationBy John Clayton
ESPN.com

The Saints suffered a big blow to their defense Tuesday when they found out defensive tackle Hollis Thomas, who is having a career year, is being suspended for four games because he violated the league's steroid policy due to asthma medication he takes.

Thomas has been challenging the positive steroid test and had the support of the Saints. Thomas is a 335-pound defensive tackle who has struggled to keep his weight down and doesn't have the body that normally would be linked to steroids.

During his appeal, John Amoss, who is the Saints' team trainer and an assistant professor at the LSU Health Science Center, sent a letter to the league in support of Thomas. Amoss said Thomas has severe asthma problems and requires a high dose of inhaled steroids to breathe. According to the doctor, Thomas needs a long acting beta agonist and a short acting beta agonist to control his asthma.

During his August drug test, the defensive tackle was taking an asthma product called Advair twice a day while also using an inhaler four times a day.

"Advair contains both the steroid fluticasone and the long acting beta agonist galmeterol," wrote Amoss, who thought the possibility of a false positive might have happened.

After taking the information under consideration, the league ruled Thomas was in violation of the policy and he will be lost to the team for the remainder of the regular season.

If New Orleans makes the playoffs, Thomas would be eligible to play. He can be added to the active roster on Jan. 1, 2007, the day after the regular season ends.

Senior writer John Clayton covers the NFL for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2687451

Now this is were the policy fails. medical is medical.

This news has me insenced. How on earth could the NFL do this? The trainer even back then let them know of the steroid in case of the3 fals positive and they still want to suspend him?!?!? Does anyone know Roger Goodell's e-mail? I am seriously going to give that a**hole a piece of my mind. The men clearly needs this stuff to live and breath and we SUSPEND HIM!?!?!?!?!?

WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Roger Goodell, Commissioner
The National Football League (NFL)
280 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10027

Dear Mr. Goodell:

I am writing to voice my displeasure over the recent four game suspension given to Saints DT Hollis Thomas. You all should feel proud of your actions, writing the ending to the unbelievable story that is Hollis Thomas’s inspirational career, in which he overcame severe asthma to remarkably take the field professionally, has been. You are preventing him from using his asthma medicine without facing sever consequences, in essence cutting the life cord on his professional football life. It is a disgrace to thwart his efforts to play due to the steroids used in Advair, a common asthma medicine that I, 13, take. This is just another instance of the principle the NFL has taken in the public eyes, the No Fair League. Please ask yourself this: Is it ever fair to be born with a disability, or in Hollis’s case severe asthma? The smallest consolation you can pay to him is to allow him to take his medicine, enabling him to do his job. Hopefully, you will assume full responsibility of the burden I am placing squarely on your shoulders, doing the right thing, revoking this suspension, and allowing Hollis to participate professionally in the game he loves.

im writing a letter myself to appeal the suspension, hopefully yall will follow suit

Saints | H. Thomas suspended for four games
Tue, 5 Dec 2006 12:30:47 -0800

Jay Glazer, of FOXSports.com, reports New Orleans Saints DT Hollis Thomas has been suspended four games for violating the league's policy on anabolic steroids and supplements. It is believed Thomas did not test positive for a steroid, but rather for a supplement that was used for weight loss or energy.

http://www.kffl.com/hotw/nfl

well we got conflicting stories now. I guess we have to wait to see which he got suspended for.

I will write also but I want to make sure as to what he tested for first

When I saw the topic title I got all excited, I thought it was our "other" Thomas. I was thinking maybe those 49er fans who claim the nfl is rigging games for the Saints are onto something. I mean, if the nfl suspended Fred I'd think they were rigging games for us also.

All joking aside (P.S. fans who think the nfl is rooting for the saints are pathetic, sore losers) when I saw it was Hollis and the reason behind it I was extremely mad at the NFL. Hollis has been a great addition to our team. He's going to be missed. Their reasoning behind this makes no sense and I would really like some nfl exec to give a reason for this suspension.

I am furious!!!!!!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

WTF!!!! Hollis Thomas is innocent, let him play!! He is a good person, with no mal intent. There has to be a further appeal, some kind of protest, TELL ME THERE IS AN ASTHMA ASSOCIATION THAT CAN BURN A FOREST FIRE UNDER COMMISH'S BUTT!! He has asthma for christ sakes!!!!!!!

ARGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:bang: :argue: :computer: :bnb: :disgust: :disgust: :disgust: :no: :no: :furious:

I'm so pissed that I came back to post that fact that....THIS SUX AND I'M PISSED OFF ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

maybe the NFL does not want Romo to get hammered by Hollis. He has put some great hits on the QB's the past 3 weeks. conspiracy?

This garbage is infuriating!!! Would the League rather have Hollis drop dead on the field from suffocation rather than have him take a PRESCIPTION MEDICATION!!!!???? The League clearly wants the Bears or Cowgirls to represent the NFC in the Superbowl. They just want the Saints as some sort of "feel-good post-Katrina rise from the ashes" story... not for them to be a Superbowl story. I hope the Saints' players play with this huge chip on their shoulders all the way to he NFL's Superbowl Champions video.

This just does not add up. Why would the NFL punish Thomas for taking prescription medication provided by an NFL team doctor and probably covered by league-provided medical insurance? If the NFL had some valid evidence to dispute the asthma claim, wouldn't that have been shared during the appeal and that info made available to the press? Were the Eagles doctors and team consulted as a part of this investigation?

Steroids get a bad rap. There are many people in this world that would not be alive today if not for steroids. My daughter had RSV as an infant and was admitted to the hospital and it's possible that albuterol, the steroid treatment we administered to her, may have saved her life or prevented her from developing severe asthma. My daughter is 5 now and ironically she just started having symptoms this last weekend and is back on the albuterol treatment again. So this one hits close to home for me.

What really bothers me, is that if Thomas is innocent (and he sure appears to be), the NFL is suspending him. I presume this suspension is w/out pay (unless the Saints are allowed to voluntarily pay him). How can you take a quarter of the paycheck away and the right to work away from a man who has a medical condition who requires this medication to help keep him alive on the job? I hope Thomas sues the pants off the NFL. And you know what? If this is going to be the kind of crap that happens (there's been other recent incidents where the line between medication and illegal steroids has become blurred), then I'm all in favor of completely eliminating the NFL drug policy altogether. Yes I'm serious. This zero-tolerance witch hunt crap has to stop, and if it means a few more Bill Romanowski's and Lawrence Taylor's are in the league oh well. Most athletes and personal trainers can find ways to enhance muscle performance w/out resorting to steroids now anyway. I'll gladly tolerate the crackheads, the drunkards and the roid rage if it means not having to put up with this hypocrisy.

BTW, did some brief research and Jerome Bettis has asthma I'm sure that he took medication through the majority of his career. Maybe the NFL just doesn't report or enforce all of it's substance abuse policy violations, just the ones it wants to .... (this is not a slight on Bettis, I respect him and think he is a class act). In fact, I'm hoping that Bettis, given his current media position, gives the NFL heck for doing this.

FYI, a link to a story about Jerome Bettis and asthma ...

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/footb...s-asthma_x.htm

Saints fans aren't the only ones who are mad. Everyone I've talked to on any forum thinks this is ridiculous.

http://forums.thecarlounge.net/zerothread?id=2963470

A hate'n move by the NFL
 

This will be hard on the young high school kids wanting to go pro that are taking asthma medication. This may have to be looked at in full detail by the league. Thomas was taking two types of asthma med - DAMN

I think Coach Payton, and Coach Gibbs should implament more blitzes from the LB position to make up pressure that they're surely going to miss with Thomas suspension. Man, he was our space eater in the middle, our key run stuffer, i don't know how their going to make that up, but i do know one thing, the defense is going to have to step up to a man. If they play anywhere near last week performance they're be alright

Ok, new member here. Joined just so I could respond as well and tell you what I have done. I echo what others have said and felt completely. On that note, instead of emailing the NFL, I emailed virtually every asthma website their is and asked them if they knew of the situation, I cut/pasted the espn article in my email, and asked them if they will protest the NFL over it and what sorta message it sends. Figure if any or many of them respond publicly, maybe NFL will not want to look bad and do something.
On football note, if Hollis is out, I assume Lake would start and they'd sign another big body to roster. any thoughts or news?

How can they suspend him, if they knew he was using it? And I think that they go overboard with this stuff. The small amount that is in these things that the players are using, is not enough to give someone an advantage. I think they would have to take alot of steroids, for it to effect them.

I will post this again

Saints | H. Thomas suspended for four games
Tue, 5 Dec 2006 12:30:47 -0800

Jay Glazer, of FOXSports.com, reports New Orleans Saints DT Hollis Thomas has been suspended four games for violating the league's policy on anabolic steroids and supplements. It is believed Thomas did not test positive for a steroid, but rather for a supplement that was used for weight loss or energy. http://www.kffl.com/hotw/nfl

before we go half uncocked here. which is it? If it was a supplement he should sue the company because that product info would have been given to the trainers and checked out to see if it was in line whith the NFL rules for acceptable drug abuse.

Has any one tried this stuff. I have. you would have to consume a whole container to get anything out of it that would help you on the field. Even then you would be carring an extra ng around an 20 pounds in your gut. first hit and :puke: . It does you no good
Like I said which is it?
Either way this Hollier than God attitude by the NFL is way out of hand.
Why not ban pain killers next. They give an injuried player unfair advantage on the field too.
NFL is either
:angel: to the fans
or just :nutkick: them

NFL suspends Saints DT Thomas


NFL.com wire reports



NEW ORLEANS (Dec. 5, 2006) -- Saints defensive tackle Hollis Thomas was suspended for the final four games of the regular season for violating the league's steroid policy.

Thomas, backed by the team, appealed the suspension, which he said was caused by using asthma medication. He uses an inhaler daily and it apparently contained a banned steroid.

Thomas signed this year with New Orleans after playing nine seasons with the Eagles; he missed the 2002 season in Philadelphia with a broken right foot. He's had 43 tackles and four sacks for the Saints and has been an integral part of their 8-4 record, which leads the NFC South.

If New Orleans makes the playoffs, Thomas would be eligible to play. He can be added to the active roster on Jan. 1, 2007, the day after the regular season ends.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9851749

I'm curious why so many here go rabid with knee-jerk reaction without knowing all the facts. Those of you foaming at the mouth may very well end up being correct. But to do it with so little information is fascinating to me.

Amazing.


:?

Complete & utter bulls**t!!!!!!! :evil: :evil:
This is just the No Fair League's way of helping "the boys" out this Sunday. Even Shawne Merriman (who tested positive for Winstrol-a human growth steroid) was allowed to play until his appeal was dropped. Jerome Bettis (who took many of the same Asthma medications) was never suspended for bulls**t like this. I hate to wish pain or injury on anyone, but I'm so pissed about this that I hope Charles Grant breaks the NFL & Dallas's new demi-God's (Tony Romo) freakin' neck!!!!!!!!!!! :twisted: :twisted:

http://www.nola.com/saints/t-p/index...xml&coll=1

There you go...read for yourself and decide. My opinion...THIS IS COMPLETE AND UTTER BULL****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Agreed. You would think this is where an appeals process would actually work.

It's a sad situation for both Hollis and the team.

The league should be ashamed of themselves.

SFIAH

How convenient, huh? The league's been knowing about this since August & they just so happen to suspend him before the Dallas game? The fix is on people!!!! This is just another reason for me to hate the freakin' Cowboys!!!!!!! F**K DALLAS!!!!!!!!!!

CON-SPI-RA-CY!!!!
Timing is everything....
NFL sucks.

Im dead serious people....we should mass e-mail everyone about this...THIS IS PREPOSTERPUS!!!!!!

Please pardon my language.

This is a huge load of bull****!
How convenient is the timing of this suspension?
They have had since August to implement this. But the league waits till this week. One of the most hyped games since the "Mmanning bowl." I smell a conspiracy brewing and it stinks! But I do not care anyone, I am done being nice, ladylike and a friendly fan. Its on Dallas! You can lie, cheat and steal from us but we will still KICK YOUR ASS! Watch out, you have pissed off the wrong team and the wrong fans. Come early Monday morning you will be walking home cause your ass got kicked off your high horses!!!!

I believe on nola.com or cnnsi.com there is actual video footage of Thmas reacting to suspension but I can't see it from my comp here at work. Can someone pleez check it out and tell me what he says or at least your 2 cents on his reaction??? Thanx!! We need to e-mail Goodell and all asthma foundations about this crime the NFL is commiting.

!#$@#%. Thankyou.

Here are some of the associations to email:

pubmedcentral@nih.gov (This is a government funded medical association for athletes)

There is also the American Lung Association, The Asthmetic Athletes Association, & of course.....the NFL.

Do your part guys. Let them no that this is bulls**t!!!!! My son takes singulair, albuterol, & proventil......the exact same medications as Hollis Thomas. As the father of a little asthmetic athlete myself, this really hit home & pissed me the f**k off!!!!!!!! :evil:

As I noted above, I emailed late last night some 15 organzations/websites about this. No reply as yet. B/c of confidentiality and lack of accurate info, I fear most will not care. The FOX Sports report worries me. Of course, that is FOX, the OJ book network,etc and all their damn right-wing crap.