Steelers RB Le'Veon Bell facing 4-game ban for missed drug test

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Maybe he's fishwacked.

Moonie already made that diagnosis on page 3 of this thread.

[Slapstick]

Bell is the better player...

It's up to Bell to stay on the field...

[fordfixer]

Moonie already made that diagnosis on page 3 of this thread.

Well he maybe right

[Flasteel]

So as of this moment, we have ESPN citing an unnamed source and a month-old Madden report also using an unnamed source. Those are the only two outlets reporting that Bell has missed scheduled UA tests...correct?

I find it odd that if Mark Madden could learn from some unnamed source a month ago that Bell had missed drug tests, that we would be sitting here today with still no league announcement. You'd think missing a drug test, or especially a series of tests, would not require a month to sort out and be addressed by the league office.

Add to that the fact that Bell has now twice publicly stated that he will not be missing any games. He is either privy to something that is being addressed behind the scenes to adequately explain this or he is among the most delusional and idiotic human beings on the planet. Other than Bell, there has been no announcement or reaction by anyone associated with the league or the team. Nothing on the Steelers website and no comments from teammates or anyone outside the peanut gallery. Again...odd.

It seems very plausible to me that some "source" found out about the missed tests and an initial reaction by the league, but had no knowledge of whatever it is that Bell seems so confident in. Whomever the source is has already proven themself to be of questionable character based on the release of this information. Hopefully he or she turns out to have equally questionable accuracy.

[Slapstick]

The Steelers did comment. They are simply waiting for the process to complete itself...

[Flasteel]

The Steelers did comment. They are simply waiting for the process to complete itself...

Where? I have seen nothing and have been actively looking. Did the team comment express disappointment or any other indication of Bell's guilt?

I understand that the team wouldn't want to comment until something was officially announced by the league, but these rumors go back a month and have been front page for the past 4 days. I'm just saying that I find it odd. All told, it makes me believe that there is a lot more going on than Bell just missing some drug tests. He made some pretty confident statements refuting any looming suspension.

[Slapstick]

Here is what I read:

[url]http://pit.247sports.com/Bolt/Steelers-respond-to-LeVeon-Bells-suspension-46423623[/url]

[Flasteel]

Here is what I read:

[URL]http://pit.247sports.com/Bolt/Steelers-respond-to-LeVeon-Bells-suspension-46423623[/URL]

Pretty tame stuff and really, only Labriola with a bunch of informed speculation.

On a closely related note, it appears that Bell's confident stance is due to the fact that he changed phone numbers and was never informed of the tests. If so, he would still face a suspension because it was on him to inform the medical officer in his testing protocol. All of that is in a Steelers Depot article that appeared last night. We'll see how it shakes out.

[Steelwolf]

Pretty tame stuff and really, only Labriola with a bunch of informed speculation.

On a closely related note, it appears that Bell's confident stance is due to the fact that he changed phone numbers and was never informed of the tests. If so, he would still face a suspension because it was on him to inform the medical officer in his testing protocol. All of that is in a Steelers Depot article that appeared last night. We'll see how it shakes out.

Dudes in denial lol....

[Slapstick]

Unless he did inform them. If he and his agent informed them and can show that, then he may have a point.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Pretty tame stuff and really, only Labriola with a bunch of informed speculation.

On a closely related note, it appears that Bell's confident stance is due to the fact that he changed phone numbers and was never informed of the tests. If so, he would still face a suspension because it was on him to inform the medical officer in his testing protocol. All of that is in a Steelers Depot article that appeared last night. We'll see how it shakes out.

I know. I saw the headline and then read and wondered when Bob Labriola started speaking on behalf of the Steelers.

Had not heard the phone number thing. Is that really the only way that the league contacts players about a test? No call/email to the agent? To the team? Considering how much a missed test can effect the team I am shocked that they are not notified.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Unless he did inform them. If he and his agent informed them and can show that, then he may have a point.

That is the only way that I can imagine that such a suspension would legitimately be overturned on appeal.

Le'Veon gets a new phone and informs the team and the league about the new phone number in case they need to reach him for any offseason testing, then some clerical error at the league level results in them only attempting to contact Bell at his old number, which he is unable to access anymore, thereby resulting in missed test(s).

If this is case, he would have a point. But if that's not the case, I can't think of any other excuse that could get him out of this.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Here is a changed phone number story:

[url]http://pit.247sports.com/Bolt/Report-New-phone-number-led-to-LeVeon-Bells-missed-drug-tests-46431820[/url]

[Moonie]

It's the NFL's fault. They could have called Le'Veon's dealer and asked for the new contact info.

[Slapstick]

We'll just have to see how it plays out...