DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Report: NFL denies Josh Gordon's reinstatement

Well since we are all speculating...Perhaps the kid after getting back and getting closer to his big day started to stress out and in that moment finally understood he had no coping mechanisms to handle the added stress and pressure and did the right thing by seeking help?

There is no definative answer on what prompted him to bolt for treatment so without any further information the NFL seems rather like the bully by disregarding his decision to seek treatment and be reinstated.

Do I believe the NFL is the bad guy here? No not really Josh did make this bed as posted but at the same time there needs to be some sort of closure on their behalf instead of allowing this to perpetuate like it does each and every season. Thank goodness I didn't make a bet on not ever responding to my Gordon comments....Gotta love loop holes.

+1.

You have no right to ban him forever. Which is what this is boiling down to, if he's 26, in may of 2017 and hasn't played in the reg season since 2014.

I really think someone in this situation would have a real case for a lawsuit in loss of ability to make a living in their chosen profession.
All of the statistics written about him, the spot he was drafted, and the yards and touchdowns, in mainly his one year, suggest he could presume to make a large sum in the prime years of his athletic life; (which are fleeting, a small window of time)

Yet these are being denied.

I don't know if this applies to Josh, because I don't know the details of his situation. But I think the CBA, the legality of how this situation can be used this way; I mean this sounds like a classic case to for some legal pro to challenge this process in court.

the CBA gives him the right to reapply... if he did everything he was supposed to he would be reinstated... now he has to wait 90 days to try again...

Those are being denied because of HIS actions. No one forecd him to break the rules over and over and over and over again. No one made him get a DUI. No one made him smoke weed. No one made him take drugs. No one made him screw up so many times it's hard to count.

Meathead DID THIS TO HIMSELF. Even last season he COULD HAVE PLAYED. After all the times he screwed up he could have played. HE chose not to. HE chose to screw up again and then cover that by hitting rehab again.

The only blame here is squarely on meathead.

Just because Gordon is a big-time screw-up doesn't mean Goodell isn't an officious, vindictive a-hole.

That clears it up. When in the fall. I assume it extends his conditions with us legally.
Thank the commish.

I don't doubt they have lines a mile long. I'm just not sure if those lines are credit.

Mac i agree looked at my wife and said get ready the big one's coming.

PSSSTTT Roger I hope and pray that once you retire the facts come out that you drank once in a while and smoked pot once in a while. Josh broke the rules set down by the NFL and he deserves to be punished as he has not lived up to them. He is getting what he deserves. However the rules laid down by the NFL SUCK thanks to you. You were around when the NFL ignored concussions. You were around when the NFL passed out opioids like they were candy. To claim that you are any better than the guys who laid their health and life on the line is total BS. Your ass should have been fired long ago.

Is there a justification or explanation of why he is not being reinstated.

It's 100% Gordon's fault that he is where he is. I won't offer my opinion on the situation because that muddies the waters. Bottom line Gordon did this to himself.

But if he is being treated differently than other NFL players - or not being given due process and transparency that is a HUGE problem.

Call me a homer - I don't believe the Browns and Gordon have been treated the same way other teams (like the Steelers) would have been treated regarding this situation. Actually that's not homerism - if this was Oakland they'd also get the minimum out of the NFL, maybe there are other teams that would be on this list idk.

I know, I just wish they'd say "Okay Josh, we've been beyond gracious here, but the time has..." ordeal.

I'm just sick of this kid.

Do we really need to hear about your bedroom exploits?

On the other hand, just because Goodell is an officious, vindictive, a-hole doesn't mean that Gordon is big-time liar and screw-up.

I do have a serious question for you guys, though:

Why do you think Gordon's agent dropped him and why do you believe the stories that Gordon has told in regards to what he did to be suspended? Did you guys read the Confidentiality thing?

Personally, I don't believe Gordon's stories. He lied about why he left Utah and he hasn't stopped since. Cough medicine. 4 drinks. Not his drugs. The tests.

Nope, too many coincidences for me.

I agree. His latest agent dumped him a week ago. There has to be a reason why. Why would he stick with him the last year or two, then dump him just before his potential reinstatement?

He's got to be getting low on money. What he has left is going to get caught up in paternity.

I really really wish I could argue with you on this one...

I'd give you the whole "we don't know the facts, innocent until proven guilty" argument.

Gordon has exhausted any sort of good will anyone had for him. Nobody will (nor should) give him the benefit of the doubt when suspicious stuff is going on.

Didn't Manziel lose his agent right before the ish hit the fan?

I assume his agent found out he wasn't being reinstated. And cut loose.

I'm truly sorry he wasn't reinstated. He has so much potential.

I'm not positive, but I think both Manziel and Gordon have had multiple agents.

lol well i was talking about the Fred Stanford show i just couldn't remember his wifes name

Elizabeth

can't think i didn't remember that because my mom's name was Eliabeth but everyone called her Betty. I have so many wonderful memiors of her but that is for a differant thread

I doubt his agent had any advance notice from the NFL per se. It is probably more like the agent became aware of some behavior where he knew the NFL would not reinstate him, and the agent did not want to be associated with him.

What exactly that would be is hard to say without more info. Not following the terms of his substance abuse program would be one plausible example.

Logical thought process. Nice job.

You know that Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant was suspended for the year last year ..... right?

That would be my guess.

Kind of wondering these same things too.

As Josh the football player, get rid of this freaking loser. As Josh the human, I really hope the light bulb flickers on sometime and sometime soon. It's been just non-stop off-field issues and it hasn't just been during his NFL career.

Hope he gets his life together as well.

My Negative Nancy streak says "Prove you still have it" if returned. The need is there for us, but he has to prove a whole pile of things.

Hope this isn't going to blow up to a media sideshow like Manziel. We have some great stories if somebody wants to write them not with the initials MKC.

j/c

This is probably the absolute BEST thing that can happen for him, actually.

If he is really focused on getting cleaned up for him and his life, then this is just a disappointment, but he should continue on and still be good come Fall.

If he was just playing the game and ticking checkmarks on a ToDo list in order to get reinstated, then he's likely to use again soon.

SO - if Fall rolls around and he's still clean, I would expect his next application for reinstatement to be approved. Additionally, every step of the way, his petitions to be reinstated have been approved the first time around - this is a damned good message to not ever take this for granted; nothing is promised or owed to him.

I wish a detailed reason of why was provided. Frustrating as a fan because it leads to so much speculation.

JC

I've spent three years trying to separate "homerism" from common sense... in the end - common sense wins.

When I heard the news this week I was pissed. I think the NFL is basically a corrupt organization, so it's easy to point the finger at them in this case as well as any other. The way it has handled everything from Ray Rice to JG would have most twelve-year-olds scratching their heads.

Go back to last fall and think of any organization and how it would handle the situation with JG. Church, community, workplace or group of friends would be just about the same...

"Welcome back Josh!"
"Well yeah, about that, I really don't think I'm ready and I'm going to seek more help"
"Wow, ummm, okay... well hey, it takes a pretty big person to say that, I'm glad that you can see clearly enough to admit this. If there is ANYTHING we can do to help, just let us know".

NFL response: "Screw you, now we look like idiots. You are welcome to reapply when you get 'well', but we'll probably use you to send another message... You don't screw with the NFL or we will screw with your paycheck".

I was pissed when the NFL did what no other employer in the U.S. has legal right to do. You can't punish anybody for any drug offense in this country when the second, mandatory test is a negative. Never mind the fact that the NFL threshold for marijuana is half that of an air traffic controller. We have states that allow recreational use, a large part of the U.S. has rubber stamped medical use. An NBA player has no real punishment til a third offense - which results in a measly (by comparison) five game suspension.

But I said to myself then... there has to be more to this story.

We've embraced Josh because he has transcendent talent. He's mild mannered, looks and acts like an innocent victim and "he's just a young pup". At the same time, Josh has ruined every chance he's been given, over and over again, and in pretty dramatic fashion imo. I like to play the "if I'm Josh" game...

If I'm Josh, it's written in my girlfriends lipstick on my bathroom mirror: "Stay away from those who will sabatage me... stay away from the old crowd... STAY AWAY from JOHNNY MANZIEL!" Instead they become best friends. Josh goes to every party, is attached at his hip, and does everything he can to fit in with "Jahnny's gang". Absurd and very telling.

If I'm Josh, I would do anything to live my lifelong dream in an endeavor where I am clearly gifted and reside among the very best... and make a crap-ton of money while doing it. I can't think of many things I wouldn't give up for that. Sex... maybe not... but I can see myself staring deep into my wife's eyes and saying "Babe, the average career is only 5.4 years anyway."

If I'm Josh, I take full advantage of resources many people could only dream of having and put the "dammit, it's my life" candle high on the mantel. C'mon dude, you have every tool at your disposal to beat whatever demons you are facing.

And that leads to the real point here... We've been caught up in this web of "marijuana" and it's validity medically and acceptance socially. I really don't think marijuana can possibly be the issue here AT ALL. Marijuana hold only a psychological addiction over anyone it touches... if they can't quit, they have much bigger issues. I'm clearly psychologically addicted to chocolate - I just quit buying it so it's not in the house.

Josh Gordon is a drug addict, plain and simple. He probably puts whatever he can in his body whenever he can do it. While we scream at the NFL, they know something we refuse to believe... Josh Gordon needs some serious help and he has shunned every shred of it that has been offered, now, only Josh can help Josh. Drug addict, low self esteem, no respect for authority would be my best guess at the three best ways to describe him. He's pissed away (pun intended) a prolific NFL career to "party". This whole time he's convinced himself that because he is such an electric player, the NFL will back off. They won't - he's the "poster child" for good reason... not just because God hates the Browns. We cling on to false narratives, the past performance of a corrupt league and it's imperialistic leader and repeatedly ignore "common sense".

What was the common sense story from this week? JG's third agent dropped him. He held on for as long as he could but finally threw in the towel. Why would he do that? Because, and only because, he thinks JG doesn't have a prayer.

With all that said, the NFL always offers the "head-scratcher" in the end. If all of this is true, why in the world would you not just push yourself back from the desk, shake your head, and just let Josh be Josh one last time.

Here it is....Josh Gordon broke NFL substance abuse rules and is now tested from time to time and has continued to fail. He has been suspended indefinitely. The NFL or NFL teams can't give any detail info on players suspended for substance abuse. Federal Hippa Laws.

He's history and will probably never play another down for the Browns or any other NFL team. People that dream he's going to make this big NFL comeback are fooling themselves. He's more than toast, he's burnt toasted toast. End of story.

Yep.

Getting high is more important to Josh than playing football is.

He probably has friends who want him to party with them, and I get that, but if it's a choice between getting high with friends, or having a great job, with incredible pay, in a profession you claim to love .... how do you choose pot?

I have a long time friend. About 27 years ago, he got a job at the Post Office. We used hit the clubs, drank like fish, and he loved to get high as well.

He had to give up getting high when he hired on with the Post Office, because his career was more important than getting high. A couple of his buddies he used to get high with didn't understand this, and kept trying to get him high with them, and he had to move on from them. That was the choice he had to make.

Gordon had the same choice. He had consistently chosen to get high. People can say "Oh, pot's not that bad .... blah, blah, blah, blah, blah ....... but it's illegal, under state law, under federal law, and under the NFL CBA. He chose to disregard that, and get high. It has cost him almost 3 full seasons, because getting high is more important than being a great football player.

What a shame. He has such an incredible level of talent .... and he has just wasted it.

So was the case with me, except I didn't have to lose friends over it. If they're over at my place or i'm over at theirs, they step outside and smoke (or I just leave). They don't mind and totally understand.

Fact is, it's a deal made with your employer. As the employee it's what you agree to. Josh Gordon agreed to this testing by signing the contract with the Browns. The Players Union (which he at least was a part of) agreed to the testing as well. There's no excuses for the guy.

He only has himself to blame

It's weird how that all works, isn't it?

Employers have rules. An employee needs to follow them. OR, they can choose to not follow the rules, and lose their job.

It's a simple concept.

Pretty much.

People can complain all they want but these players knew the deal when they signed the contract.

It really is that simple. Doesn't matter if you agree with the rules or not. If an employer has rules of conduct that dictate whether or not you can work for them, then those are the rules.

Josh put himself in this situation. He is under this level of scrutiny because of his behavior.

Hue Jackson on the NFL denying Josh Gordon's reinstatement application and his ability to apply again in the fall: "I think for me to comment about that … he's not back. So I don't even want to really get into it right now. I wish Josh well and we'll cross all those bridges when we get there."