Bell suspended 4 games for missing drug test..

Geordie wrote:

Anyone know what his appeal is based on ?

"Rules, procedures, and regulations don't apply to me."

FrancoLambert wrote:

Geordie wrote:

Anyone know what his appeal is based on ?

"Rules, procedures, and regulations don't apply to me."    

Wonder if he can prove it ?

I was listening to WDVE this morning and they were interviewing Mike Florio from PFT. He was wondering how this information got out to begin with. This information isn't supposed to be made public until the appeal is approved or denied.

This was in response to a question Mike Prisuta asked about how many appeals are overturned. The answer is "I don't know" because of the reason above.

The question also needs to be asked: who broke this story and how did they get the information?

PhantomJB93 wrote:

If he wins his appeal, good for him.  I'll believe it when I see it.  Everything up to this point has led me to believe he is a complete and total idiot, and such an idiot would probably be just the kind of person to act all confident about it on social media while thinking "yo my phone was broken" is a good enough excuse to get him out of a suspension.  I think he's in for a rude awakening...if he's even smart enough to wake up.

Yeah, I tend to agree with this thinking. It does make me wonder though if there is some substance to what he's saying because it seems like a very bad idea to go out on a limb like that if you had nothing behind it. That would seem as bad as the original offense.

kirklandrules wrote:

Rick5895 wrote:

We haven't heard anything from the league or the Steelers on this issue.  While this suspension may be true, anything I hear/read from ESPN or NFLN I take with a grain of salt.  That all being said, the NFL has got to get it's collective head out of it's ass dealing with marijuana. It's a league wide issue not just a Steelers issue. Some states are legalizing it, to me it's no different than booze.  Time for them to move on with the times. However, if the reports are true and in fact he missed multiple tests he has just cost himself millions of dollars. The Steelers will be fine, DWill is a good RB and we have Ben, Antonio a damn good O Line, James and Green will be effective at TE and I believe we will see a coming out party for Coates.

It's still against federal laws and the laws of several states. Why would the NFL need to get up with the times when it's still a crime in a lot of locations these players live and play? I lose my white collar job if my corporation tests me and I fail for Mary Jane ... alcohol too. These guys are the face of the NFL and those faces are very widely publicized. Why hate the NFL for wanting to keep their image clean (up to and including destroying Spygate tapes)?

These players have a choice to make: A) Be rich and famous; B)Smoke dope. Uuuh, can't believe it's a hard choice.

Probably didn't explain it properly. When I say move on with the times, I don't mean ignore the laws, with more and more players getting having these issues (and not just Steelers) the NFL needs to look at how it's handling this particular issue, because clearly it's not working.  Suspend, thats a perfectly acceptable policy, banish them from the teams is not.  The NFL also has to look at the issue from an addiction standpoint and try to help the player through it, perhaps they do, but banishing players from the teams they are associated with and removing that support IMO is the wrong way to go.  I've never said he should be cut some slack because "pot should be legal" But I think the disciplinary policies are all over the map and need to be cleaned up.  
Bell now says he changed his phone number thats why he missed tests.  I'm not as concerned about his pot use as I am about his unwillingness to accept responsibility for his actions (although he seemingly did that with the arrest couple of season ago for DUI).    We will see how this plays out, the league obviously erred by leaking the info regarding this issue before it was finalized.  Let's hope it's a wake up call for Bell, no matter how this plays out.

BlackAndGold wrote:

McCaffrey is a possibility.

Did you really have to use that word around a Hawkeyes fan?!

@ClaytonESPN
Le'Veon Bell does have chance to maybe get out of his suspension if the drug tester didn't make good contact to schedule his test,

On the Bell story, missing a test is the same as failing a test, but the tester has to show he made good effort to contact.

Still, Bell might find it hard to win this case, but he's going to try.

https://twitter.com/ClaytonESPN/status/757977553671888900

I just had a notification from Bleacher Report that he may not face suspension if the tester didn't make "good contact".  I don't have an article to reference on that yet.

Stay tuned for the next edition of As The NFL Busts Athletes Turns.

EDIT: Ahhh crap, I forgot to hit send and BAG beat me (and he has a link)

Geordie wrote:

Anyone know what his appeal is based on ?

He couldn't find his car... dude

BlackAndGold wrote:

@ClaytonESPN
Le'Veon Bell does have chance to maybe get out of his suspension if the drug tester didn't make good contact to schedule his test,

On the Bell story, missing a test is the same as failing a test, but the tester has to show he made good effort to contact.

Still, Bell might find it hard to win this case, but he's going to try.

https://twitter.com/ClaytonESPN/status/757977553671888900

This sounds totally logical. No one can be that dumb.

Steeler-in-west wrote:

BlackAndGold wrote:

@ClaytonESPN
Le'Veon Bell does have chance to maybe get out of his suspension if the drug tester didn't make good contact to schedule his test,

On the Bell story, missing a test is the same as failing a test, but the tester has to show he made good effort to contact.

Still, Bell might find it hard to win this case, but he's going to try.

https://twitter.com/ClaytonESPN/status/757977553671888900

This sounds totally logical. No one can be that dumb.

Not necessarily dumb, but just not responsible enough to connect the dots ... I can believe that.

Covering the many conspiracies surrounding the suspension of Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell

An interesting idea came about during a recent podcast with Christina Rivers: the NFL has a very strict drug policy, which borders on the same type of client privilege exercised in medical or legal fields. In laymen’s terms, the Steelers, nor their players, staff or other personnel, are permitted to speak about suspensions before the information is released by the NFL.

Furthermore, there are certain conditions which prevent the league and it’s members from discussing particular details about drug testing, and the results from a missed or failed result.

The following was sent to me by Billy Hartford, via Pro Football Talk:

The substance-abuse policy has a clear confidentiality provision that is supposed to keep people from knowing that a player is facing a suspension until the suspension has been finalized through the appeal process. With NFL Media confirming the initial ESPN report regarding the suspension and with NFL Media advancing the story by reporting that Bell missed multiple tests, the NFL — which owns and operates NFL Media — is violating its own policy. And no one seems to be bothered by that. Ever.
As discussed on the show, Christina and I mentioned how this is very similar to, say, HIPAA privacy laws in healthcare. The NFL has confidentiality agreements to protect it’s interests, and those of the players, teams and owners.

However, what has occurred in this three ring circus otherwise known as Le’Veon Bell‘s suspension, is quite peculiar on every level.

And... lots to read at this link, with embedded Tweets and whatnot: http://www.steelcityunderground.com/2016/07/26/covering-many-conspiracies-surrounding-suspension-steelers-rb-leveon-bell/

HIPAA privacy laws didn't mean much when Schefter released the medical records for JPP to the public. Do laws really get implemented anymore? NFL pretty much does what it wants no matter what. Bell will be suspended 4 games regardless if he smoked or not. Book it.

OX1947 wrote:

HIPAA privacy laws didn't mean much when Schefter released the medical records for JPP to the public. Do laws really get implemented anymore? NFL pretty much does what it wants no matter what. Bell will be suspended 4 games regardless if he smoked or not. Book it.

I don't see them admitting fault, but since Bell is tested up to 10 times in a 30 day period, and was definitely tested before and after the alleged missed tests, that means he was clean... he could've been tested up to 3 times in a week (the max allowed) and that could account for the missed tests.

The assumption being, that they are being tested more than once per month.