NFL NEWS.......THOMAS
 

Posted December 07, by Ben Maller
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The current NFL steroid policy as approved by member teams and the NFL Players Association is clear on many points, including these: "Team physicians may not prescribe, supply or otherwise facilitate a player's use of prohibited substances"; "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." Saints defensive tackle Hollis Thomas, suspended without pay for four games Tuesday, has denied he took the steroid clenbuterol, for which he tested positive during a routine training camp urine test Aug. 6. "I never needed any enhancers," Thomas said Tuesday. "I never wanted to be a cheater and don't consider myself a cheater." Thomas, an asthmatic, has been following a rigid prescription regimen since training camp, as directed by the Saints' team physician, to keep his asthma under control and has concluded that the asthma medication caused his positive test. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Wednesday that the league's testing procedure is sophisticated enough to detect approved asthma medications, some of which are steroidal, and substances such as beta-2 agonists, such as clenbuterol, that are prohibited. "There's no asthma medication on our banned substance list," Aiello said.

http://www.benmaller.com/archives/20...mber/07#124501

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Wednesday that the league's testing procedure is sophisticated enough to detect approved asthma medications, some of which are steroidal, and substances such as beta-2 agonists, such as clenbuterol, that are prohibited.

"There's no asthma medication on our banned substance list," Aiello said, "unless it's something that has ephedra (a known stimulant common in some cold medications and also on the banned substance list) in it. And players can apply for a special medical exemption. There are numerous players who have been approved for the therapeutic use of something on the banned list like a diuretic or ephedra.

"We're not discriminating against asthmatics. But there's nothing in asthma medication that would trigger a positive test. If there's something legitimate being taken on the banned list, there are allowances for that. And the medical waiver doesn't have to be requested in advance. It can be given at that point. Hollis Thomas had his appeal, presented his evidence, and the league rejected it."

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


8)

NFL.com...

Deuce McAllister said he wants to be supportive of Thomas, but was not prepared to argue with the NFL's decision, either.

"We don't know everything that's happened. It's a sad situation," the running back said. "Obviously, you're a little prejudiced because he's a teammate and a friend, but until you have everything that's involved, then you really can't say either negative or positive."

:wink:


Saints prepare to play 'D' without 'Tank'...
http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/NO/9855476

Rules are rules no matter how ludacris it may be. We'll miss him but I think we're going to do fine w/o him. This is why we have a depth chart... someone just needs to step up. I have confidence in this team Payton built. As we saw during the offseason, if he felt that someone couldn't perform, they were gone. Whitehead and Leisle will do a serviceable job. This is Leisle's time to shine.

No, papz. You haven't heard? The fix is in, the NFL front office is pro-Cowboys and they hate asthmatics.

Get with the program and write the lung association and your congressman. And when you write Commish Goodell and tell him what an ******* he is, remind him that we're very dissapointed in him for continuing to carry the torch to keep the Saints in New Orleans.


:mrgreen:

Team Could Share Blame in Suspension...

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


8)

Not gonna touch this one!

Can anyone tell me why Fred Thomas is still starting at corner back. Maybe its just me but it sure seems that he gets burned for big plays in just about every game.

if you are talking about the td in the sanfran game, it was a blown assignment by the safety...

Hope I'm wrong, but it did seem like Fred Thomas was getting burnt by the 49er receivers. Let's trust the DB's are working their coverage schemes hard this week. They're going to need to be mistake-free against TO and Glenn.