[Snocioncilm]

It's about time one of the players' unions took steps to protect its players from suspensions. This is very smart, and not all that ingenius.

The real shame is something had to happen like Korey Stringer and Kyle Bechler (Baltimore Orioles minor leaguer) dying before any one union started taking these steps.

Now the NBA just needs to put Artest in a muzzle and straightjacket...and there will harmony among all sports...





















Eh...it's a pipe-dream....

[i32I7qyH]

This is a little tidbit from Peter King's MMQB:

5. I think sometimes the most interesting stories are the ones you don't hear much about. Remember how in the past few years, players would occasionally get suspended for four weeks for violating the league's steroid or substance-abuse policy and say, "I was taking an over-the-counter supplement. I had no idea it had anything illegal in it." Well, you haven't heard that this year. One of the big reasons is the cooperation between the NFL and NFLPA in partnering to screen all supplements these big nutrition companies put on the market to appeal to players. For instance, EAS, the Colorado nutritional-supplement producer has received orders from more than 600 players on more than 20 teams since getting certified by the NFL/NFLPA testing plan. "If the players take these [certified] products," said NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw, "this is a way for us to guarantee that what they take is what's on the label."

I usually rip on all players unions, but this is EXTREMELY smart. After reading that, I suddenly realized that there had been no "Jim Miller" incidents lately AT ALL.

Props to the NFLPA on that one!

[dosyrotsbop]

This is a little tidbit from Peter King's MMQB:

5. I think sometimes the most interesting stories are the ones you don't hear much about. Remember how in the past few years, players would occasionally get suspended for four weeks for violating the league's steroid or substance-abuse policy and say, "I was taking an over-the-counter supplement. I had no idea it had anything illegal in it." Well, you haven't heard that this year. One of the big reasons is the cooperation between the NFL and NFLPA in partnering to screen all supplements these big nutrition companies put on the market to appeal to players. For instance, EAS, the Colorado nutritional-supplement producer has received orders from more than 600 players on more than 20 teams since getting certified by the NFL/NFLPA testing plan. "If the players take these [certified] products," said NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw, "this is a way for us to guarantee that what they take is what's on the label."

I usually rip on all players unions, but this is EXTREMELY smart. After reading that, I suddenly realized that there had been no "Jim Miller" incidents lately AT ALL.

Props to the NFLPA on that one!

It's about time one of the players' unions took steps to protect its players from suspensions. This is very smart, and not all that ingenius.

The real shame is something had to happen like Korey Stringer and Kyle Bechler (Baltimore Orioles minor leaguer) dying before any one union started taking these steps.