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

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Alcohol is a great drug. Many would say the best drug. Cannabis is a favorite of low end smoldering types.

I've seen people have their lives taken over by cannabis addiction. I've seen a lot more people have their lives ruined due to alcohol addiction. And none of the addiction seemed to have anything to do with status or class or income or intelligence on the part of the addict. I've come to the conclusion that addiction is no respecter of persons.

[Moonie]

I've seen people have their lives taken over by cannabis addiction. I've seen a lot more people have their lives ruined due to alcohol addiction. And none of the addiction seemed to have anything to do with status or class or income or intelligence on the part of the addict. I've come to the conclusion that addiction is no respecter of persons.

A legal drug would likely have more addicts reporting or observed than an illegal one, yes. In any case, while addiction level may be a factor, it is not the only factor, nor even an important factor, in determining whether a drug is a great drug or not. Many, including me, consider alcohol to be a great drug.

[RuthlessBurgher]

By Josh Alper
August 7, 2016, 12:05 PM EDT
Le’Veon Bell feels he has all his speed back

The Steelers aren’t certain when they’ll have running back Le’Veon Bell on the field in the regular season yet, but he says they’ll be getting a player at full strength when they do.

Bell is now nine months removed from the right knee injury that ended his 2015 season and says that his leg feels “crazy strong” when he’s on the field. Friday’s practice, in particular, left him feeling like he’s ready to resume his role as the lead back in Pittsburgh.

“I feel that I got all my speed back, and I am confident cutting,” Bell said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “[Friday] was crazy because it was really the first day I wasn’t even thinking about running. When I was running the football, I wasn’t thinking anything about my knee. That’s the point I want to get to. My jump-cutting and jumping, if I decide that I want to jump over somebody or dive into the end zone, I feel I would be able to do that because my leg feels great.”

Bell is appealing a four-game suspension for violating the substance-abuse policy and is expected to know his fate in a couple of weeks. He doesn’t know how that uncertainty or the team’s desire to limit stress on the knee will affect his preseason work, but that isn’t dimming his confidence about regaining his form.

[hausparty]

Did anyone watch the High School Practice coverage on ESPN?
The ESPN reporter interviewed Bell and he said he refused to talk about the suspension but then said I did speak with Steelers TOP BRASS and "They are pretty confident that they will have him Week 1, so that's what the Steelers are telling us," said Sal Pal. ...

I'm not sure what any of that means "BUT" it sounds pretty encouraging to me! My guess is Bell told the team of his new cell number and they have proof that he did contact someone. Maybe it doesn't totally excuse him but maybe the Steelers organization kinda dropped the ball a little on this one as well. Why would the Steelers allow him to miss 3 tests? Wouldn't the league contact both the player and the team in regard to testing? If you paid millions for this Running Back would you allow him to miss 3 straight tests?

My gut says he's playing week 1.

[Slapstick]

It's possible that Bell and his agent updated his contact info to the Steelers and the league at the same time. If that's the case, then it could have been a paperwork SNAFU on the part of the NFL. That's pretty much his only chance to avoid suspension...