I think this is debunked, but I also saw elsewhere that Bell would need to flunk a few tests before he'd be suspended, so even if true, no need to panic.
No. Journalists are among the least respected professionals for a reason, particularly political journalists that for the most part are liars, hacks and agenda driven propagandists. Sports journalists are prone to spreading a fair amount of gossip, but at least they are not altering people's perceptions of reality on issues outside of entertainment.
It is also an incredibly overrated field in terms of intellectual achievement. Journalists are paid to write down what other people say and, if they are doing their jobs right, maybe make some phone calls and pull some documents to make sure those things are true before they write them. With the exception of actual investigative reporting, this is not that difficult a job. And these scumbags act like they are some priestly caste, when in reality most of them obtain their information from sources who are using them to spread tainted information for their own benefit. And the price of spreading that information is protecting the source. And when they are not spreading rumors and lies for profit, they are openly fanning the flames of conflict and division for profit (think of the coverage of Zimmerman, Ferguson, etc).
Sorry for the rant, but it's always been a big pet peeve of mine how there is next to zero accountability for journalists. They can literally ruin people's lives and even get people killed and hide behind the First Amendment.
Actually that is not correct. When he was suspended for pleading guilty to DUI (of marijuana) that violation fell under the NFL/NFLPA previous drug policy, but her was penalized under the new policy which resulted in a 3 game suspension for a first DUI offense. He appealed it down to a 2 game suspension, but it only counted on the new policy as his entry into the drug intervention program because the date put it under the previous policy (he really should not have been suspended at all based on when it happened; the previous policy carried no suspension for a first offense).
Now, a player actually has to fail or miss SIX tests to be subject to a year's suspension.
The DUI triggered his entry into the program, but under current policy would carry no other penalty.
Fines at the 2nd and 3rd missed / failed tests.
Four game suspension at the 4th missed / failed test.
Ten game suspension at the 5th missed / failed test.
Full season suspension at the 6th missed / failed test.
His DUI counted as his first failed test. He would need to have missed FIVE tests since his DUI to get a full season suspension.
Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying, and it's been reported in multiple places that he must have failed 6 tests. I would bet that he had already failed or missed four tests when they picked Sammie Coates in 2015 draft to be suspended first 4-games of season, otherwise why pick a receiver that is basically the same as Bryant? I would further guess that his "injury" that kept him off the field for the first half of his rookie year may have been an unofficial team discipline (as in, they can't actually discipline him beyond what the league already handed down in fines, but they can make him inactive).
Bookmarks