# Josh Gordon-Ultimate knucklehead **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 5, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433 "2014-07-05T21:51:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/41 "2014-08-05T02:03:17Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > But it’s NOT zero, and it’s supposed to be. Instead we get the “I understand it’s not zero and it was supposed to be, but why are they taking such a hard line?”, thus indicating that Josh Gordon isn’t the only one that doesn’t get it. The response, once again, is that it’s supposed to be zero. Until this is clearly understood, there’s no point in going any further. > > Is the policy stupid? Sure. So what? The players union agreed to it and Josh Gordon just had to hang with his boys instead of staying the hell away from anything that would cost him millions of dollars. You offer me that and I’ll live in a damn bubble for 10 years. Millions of people manage to never pop positive at any level, but let’s give Josh Gordon a flyer. I want to give all the rope smoking players a flyer. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/42 "2014-08-05T02:08:39Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > I want to give all the rope smoking players a flyer. Me too. Just as we give the alcohol swillers one. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/43 "2014-08-05T12:32:31Z")
In fact, to force some movement on this issue we should be encouraging wide-spread disobedience by the players, not adherence to the agreement. Some pics of that goody two shoes Peyton Manning smoking a bowl would be a great start. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/44 "2014-08-05T13:37:52Z")
Settings threshold of 15 might be necessary if it as really important that you detect someone smoked 3+ weeks ago but they test him every 3 days. If he as smoking, you would get a result of over 100. Even if you think 15 is a reasonable policy, even though no other organization does, even one where that shit matters like pilots, you have to agree that the Nfl conducting 2 tests, one roughly accurate and one extremely accurate, and throwing out the results from the extremely accurate test is really stupid. “The nflpa agreed to it” doesn’t make it good policy, it just means they are incompetent or were given something in exchange for letting this one slide. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/45 "2014-08-21T00:11:27Z")
Breaking news: [The Steelers’ backfield just went full Gordon](http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/08/20/steelers-leveon-bell-and-legarrette-blount-both-arrested/). > [@](#): > > Le’Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount, Pittsburgh’s first- and second-string running backs, were in a car together and stopped by Ross Township Police this afternoon. According to Will Graves of the Associated Press, the traffic officer detected smoke coming from the car, and police found about 20 grams of marijuana in the car. > > Both Bell and Blount were charged with possession of marijuana. Bell was also charged with driving under the influence. An unidentified female in the car was also charged with possession of marijuana. Fortunately for them, this is their first such incident, unlike Gordon. Still, this is horseshit no matter who is involved. If it blows the season, so be it, but they ought to be suspended for some number of games just for being this fucking stupid. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/46 "2014-08-22T21:25:12Z")
Not to worry, the NFL won’t punish Steelers. They’ve already said it’s up to the team. We’re getting pretty ridiculous dragging this Gordon thing out. If he is suspended indefinitely with a year ban on applying for reinstatement, that means that he’s going to end up not being able to apply to reinstatement until well into the preseason or even regular season next year. I imagine they’re trying to time the announcement to be the least damaging PR-wise way they can, and maybe they’re trying to get people to forget about the Ray Rice thing before they announce it, or they’re trying to announce it during the excitement of the first week, or something. But they’re really hosing Gordon, the team… and, well, fantasy players. A lot of people have keeper deadlines around now. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/47 "2014-08-23T20:07:16Z")
> [@](#): > > NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports there will be no decision on Josh Gordon’s suspension appeal this week. > Per FOX Sports’ Mike Garofolo, the NFL Players Union and Gordon’s reps were expecting a decision by the end of this week. RapSheet says one isn’t coming, however. The holdup is believed to be due to a high volume of testimony on both sides stemming from Gordon’s latest failed drug test. Gordon failed several drug tests in college, as well. He’ll remain in limbo until appeals officer Harold Henderson makes a decision. Hopefully, it’ll happen next week. Aug 22 - 3:56 PM Maybe they’ll suspend him around 12:30 of the day of the first regular season game. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2014, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/48 "2014-08-23T22:30:20Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Maybe they’ll suspend him around 12:30 of the day of the first regular season game. Or maybe they’ll realize their system is flawed and will not suspend him. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/49 "2014-08-26T22:01:45Z")
> [@](#): > > The NFL has reportedly made a decision on Cleveland Browns receiver Josh Gordon’s appeal of a one-year suspension for a positive drug test, Adam Schefter said on SportsCenter Tuesday. > > According to Schefter, the decision on the suspension has been made, but league appeals officer Harold Henderson has not decided when to issue it. Perhaps you’d like to share this news with the rest of us, NFL. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/50 "2014-08-26T22:12:36Z")
He’s on double secret probation. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/51 "2014-08-26T22:43:01Z")
They’re forming a committee to decide on when they should make the decision to announce their decision. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/52 "2014-08-27T16:58:04Z")
One year suspension [upheld](http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11418388/josh-gordon-cleveland-browns-suspended-one-year). ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/53 "2014-08-27T17:27:47Z")
The best part is he gets miss to all of next season’s training camp, unless his reinstatement is approved after 2014. Which, given the NFL’s foot-dragging… ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/54 "2014-08-27T18:05:58Z")
What a bunch of corporate stuffed shirt assholes the NFL is. I urge a boycott of their crappy product. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/55 "2014-08-27T18:10:56Z")
Dickbags. I thought there’s no way they’re going to do the whole year after they drag it out like this. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/56 "2014-08-27T18:11:31Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > What a bunch of corporate stuffed shirt assholes the NFL is. I urge a boycott of their crappy product. Good Luck with that. I’d be much more willing to stop watching the NFL and playing fantasy football over the concussions, health care, and dickishness of the owners than over the dumber parts of their drug testing policies. I have no sympathy for Gordon, who knew full well what he was getting himself into. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/57 "2014-08-27T18:13:45Z")
> [@Josh Gordon](#): > > “I am very disappointed that the NFL and its hearing office didn’t exercise better discretion and judgment in my case.” Josh Gordon, tragically irony-proof. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/58 "2014-08-27T18:14:39Z")
In other knucklehead news, Matt Prater, he of two prior DUI’s, was suspended for four games this year after having a beer while he was in the NFL’s alcohol treatment program. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/59 "2014-08-27T18:22:36Z")
The testing policies are stupid, as per my original arguments - the NFL is the only major organization that goes against the policies that are virtually universally accepted amongst companies and governments. But even moreso, football is the only thing that keeps Gordon on track. He was following the program. It’s pretty clear that, despite being a dumbass and a pothead, he didn’t actually smoke weed, or his levels would be a lot higher. So the worst he did was hang around people who smoked weed and still abstain himself. But now he’s cut off from football entirely. He’s cut off from the support structure of his team. If he’s as big a dumbass as he appears, a total seperation from football may knock him off track and have him slip into drugs and the shittiest lifestyle. You may be ending the career of one of the brightest young stars of your league. All over a fucking bit of fucking secondhand smoke for some pot. This is more or less the NFL saying “hey, you can’t wear green socks or you’re suspended for a year” and Gordon absentmindedly put on a pair of teal socks that he thought was blue but the NFL judged it to be green. And that every organization besides the NFL would judge to be blue, no less. Yes, he’s a dumbass for putting on socks that are even remotely close to being in violation of that stupid policy, so you can say “it’s his own fault” all day. But it’s incredibly stupid and incredibly anal and doesn’t really matter. No real wrong was committed, and yet you may wreck the guy’s blossoming career over it. There’s no one that should feel good about this bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433/60 "2014-08-27T18:34:49Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > He was following the program. It’s pretty clear that, despite being a dumbass and a pothead, he didn’t actually smoke weed, or his levels would be a lot higher. So the worst he did was hang around people who smoked weed and still abstain himself. I really don’t think that is “pretty clear” at all. From the little bit I read, second hand smoke generally doesn’t enter and/or stay in the urine for very long or for that amount. Now I wasn’t privy to the information presented to the arbitrator or the response from the NFL, so I’m not saying it’s for sure he smoked it himself, just that saying it was “pretty clear” he wasn’t is an overstatement. Plus you’re taking the word of Josh Gordon, who, let’s be honest, isn’t the most credible person in the world. > [@Senor Beef](#): > > But now he’s cut off from football entirely. He’s cut off from the support structure of his team. If he’s as big a dumbass as he appears, a total seperation from football may knock him off track and have him slip into drugs and the shittiest lifestyle. You may be ending the career of one of the brightest young stars of your league. Josh Gordon would be the one ending the career of Josh Gordon, not the NFL. Let’s not pretend he’s some kind of innocent guy in all this. > [@Senor Beef](#): > > Yes, he’s a dumbass for putting on socks that are even remotely close to being in violation of that stupid policy, so you can say “it’s his own fault” all day. It’s his own fault. > [@Senor Beef](#): > > There’s no one that should feel good about this bullshit. Outside of dickhead fans in Baltimore or Pittsburgh, I don’t think anyone feels good about Gordon being suspended for a year. But the person to blame, the person to be angry at, the person who is at fault, is Josh Gordon. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/josh-gordon-ultimate-knucklehead/692433.md?page=4)