Ray Thompson suspended four games

[Brian in Mesa]

Originally posted by Krangthebrain
Sure, it was stupid, but is he really costing the team much?

How many strikes does he get and what happens the next time he gets into trouble, or fails a required test? It could hurt the team down the road if he doesn't keep himself clean...

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by Krangthebrain
I don't blame the guy too much. Sure, it was stupid, but is he really costing the team much? I mean, c'mon we suck, and Ray in the lineup isn't going to change that much.

I don't know. The guy HAS BEEN our pass rush the past couple weeks.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by Brian in Mesa
How many strikes does he get and what happens the next time he gets into trouble, or fails a required test? It could hurt the team down the road if he doesn't keep himself clean...

Ask Dale Carter. One more failed test and he gets a "Lifetime Ban" from the NFL, to be recinded in 12 months.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Originally posted by Lex
BIM- stay away from the beer my friend.

You drunk, would be a very, very bad thing.

Beef- you could get therapy for your back...

but there is no cure for being Jewish! Already had surgery on the back - twice! Funny story on that - as a functioning and veteran drug user - even in the hospital - after they royally screwed up my first back surgery which led to a nasty staph infection - I was in the hospital again loaded on painkillers when an orderly came in and told they were taking my IV out and getting me ready for surgery again. I told him if he wants to take my IV out - he will have to pry it from my dead arm because they had just discovered the infection and it needed time to clean itself (like a two week period) according to one of my doctors - who apparently failed to tell the cosmetic doctor who was patching me back up - the orderly didn't believe me and I pretty much refused to give him my arm and he left the room - ten minutes later he came back and said - "What do you know - you're not having surgery today."

After two more weeks of bedrest and someone poking at the inch deep hole in my back three times a day and a string of watching the absolute worst movies of all time (I'm talking about days that went like this: Pootie Tang, Lucky Numbers, The Stupids, and GLITTER) I finally got patched back up when the infection was gone.

What's the moral or point of this story - even on drugs I'm the SMARTEST PERSON ALIVE! (makes sense though seeing as that i'm Jewish!)

Never watch GLITTER - it's worse than a Cardinals road game.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Originally posted by Brian in Mesa
How many strikes does he get and what happens the next time he gets into trouble, or fails a required test? It could hurt the team down the road if he doesn't keep himself clean...

Very true, but to be honest, it could be addition through subtraction if this is really a problem.

Gerald Hayes has looked like a good LB every time he has played. Maybe Hayes could be better than Ray?

I like Ray, he's a pretty good player, but he isn't even close to being an elite player.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Originally posted by cheesebeef
that's funny - but you missed the entire point of what I wrote - which was that if I was getting paid millions of dollars (which I'm not) and in a SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM (which I'm not) - I would be an idiot to have a drink - I thought my friend who was in a substance abuse program - who wasn't a football was an idiot I often told him so because he was still using - what is your point - I would be an idiot if I got a DUI and was in a susbtance abuse program and I kept using - agree? But I'm not - so I can do whatever I want! HAHA!

Good point. I didn't mean to talk sh%t, you're right Ray either made a mistake or he's a complete moron. The thing that pissed me off was how some people have this moral grandstanding on this issue about how he should be off the team and how he let down the city of Phoenix when all we really know is that he got a DUI three years ago and had some drinks on Sat. night before the game. Seeing how competitive Ray is on the field and reading some of his quotes after the games, I'm sure he is very angry and disappointed in himself.

On a side note, Ray gets suspended for four games because of this yet Pittman is free to play every game after continually beating the piss out of his wife and endangering the life of his child and nanny. Good job NFL.

 

[Lex]

I think the third offense is a year suspension.

If he has a problem with the sauce, it won't go away. He has time to beat this thing by training camp, well at least get it under control. If he can prevent a possible future tragedy in his life, and become a good story in the NFL, perhaps there will turn out to be a silver lining in this cloud over Ray's life.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Here is a major concern of mine that just occurred to me. They are saying that Ray tested for this on September 29th - correct and that he was already in a substance abuse program - now - when exactly did his contract extension get done - because right now - if it got done afterward - knowing that he was going to face a 4 game suspension and be one more strike away from a long vacation - this looks like a very suspect move from Graves - this is not to bash - but something to think about - this a contract extension for someone who was not only in an abuse program - but then screwed up once in it - I thought Graves was about character guys - does anyone know when that contract got finalized - because if it was after he tested positive - my faith and belief in Graves starts taking a hit - you don't give a guy a new contract who has just broken the rules and is one step from being out of the league for a year.

 

[Lex]

Beef-

You think you're the smartest person alive... BECAUSE YOU'RE ON DRUGS.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Originally posted by MaoTosiFanClub
Good point. I didn't mean to talk sh%t, you're right Ray either made a mistake or he's a complete moron. The thing that pissed me off was how some people have this moral grandstanding on this issue about how he should be off the team and how he let down the city of Phoenix when all we really know is that he got a DUI three years ago and had some drinks on Sat. night before the game. Seeing how competitive Ray is on the field and reading some of his quotes after the games, I'm sure he is very angry and disappointed in himself.

On a side note, Ray gets suspended for four games because of this yet Pittman is free to play every game after continually beating the piss out of his wife and endangering the life of his child and nanny. Good job NFL.

The Pittman stuff is complete BS - that guy is a menace to society. As far as Ray testing positive AFTER a game - he must have been TRASHED Saturday night to have still had alcohol in his system at least 14 hours later - and what the hell is he doing - playing on ateam that had been horrible up to that point drinking the night before a game - this team can't afford anyone out there with even the lsightest bit of a hangover.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Originally posted by Lex
Beef-

You think you're the smartest person alive... BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT!

I agree.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Originally posted by cheesebeef
As far as Ray testing positive AFTER a game - he must have been TRASHED Saturday night to have still had alcohol in his system at least 14 hours later - and what the hell is he doing - playing on ateam that had been horrible up to that point drinking the night before a game - this team can't afford anyone out there with even the lsightest bit of a hangover.

Hey it worked for Lawrence Taylor.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Originally posted by MaoTosiFanClub
Hey it worked for Lawrence Taylor.

but LT was on Coke! And Ray ain't no LT!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Originally posted by Jim Omohundro
Isn't that the point of the suspension?

No one can stop a player from using a banned substance but the player himself.

but that doesn't mean you have to reward him with a contract extension if you have that prior knowledge (mind you i said IF). funny, we let miller, a MUCH better LB (imho), get away for similar reasons. stupidity runs rampant! we are the cardinals! amazing, just amazing...

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Originally posted by MaoTosiFanClub
This coming from a guy who admitted to be a marijuana user and a functioning alcoholic on another board. Sweet.

he doesn't get paid NOT to be those things. raynoch is paid to stay away from drinking. he didn't. i echo 'beef's comments. this makes ray an idiot. if you don't agree, do you mind giving me $291,000+ like ray's giving the nfl?

 

[Jim O]

Originally posted by Ouchie-Z-Clown
but that doesn't mean you have to reward him with a contract extension if you have that prior knowledge (mind you i said IF). funny, we let miller, a MUCH better LB (imho), get away for similar reasons. stupidity runs rampant! we are the cardinals! amazing, just amazing...

I have not heard any details about dates but if he was tested on Monday, September 29, I would bet that the results would not have been back by the time his contract extension was announced on Friday, October 3.

 

[Mrospi]

With so many problems with the NFL players in general there should be clauses added to protect the team, just as there are to protect the players.... there should be certain things that would allow the team to opt out in case a guy decides to cover any freakish behavior until he signs a big deal ( see David Boston).....

with no salary cap problems

 

[Rivercard]

Could the Cards have inked the deal so that it would be null & void under these circumstances?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Originally posted by Lex
Beef- you could get therapy for your back...

it's beyond therapy. he's had two surgeries. one of which had to leave a hole remaining exposed for a week to aerate (sp?). he's done. stick a fork in him.

 

[AZCB34]

I doesn;t matter if it was "just" alcohol. He was in the program and knew the rules of the program.

To those who say it doesn't matter because it doesn;t hurt the team. Sorry but it does. Because maybe now there will be questions about if Ray can actually be relied on by his teammates. This may be the tip of a much bigger problem for Ray. Everything every player does effects the team.

Remember this:

He is an alergy attack away from accidentally taking a banned OTC and receiving a year suspension

He is one lousy beer before a random test away from being suspended for a year

He is being exposed to second hand marijuana smoke away from being suspended for one year.

Sorry but this hurts the team. He should have known better. If he couldn't stop himself for the benefit of himself, his teammates and the fans here who generally think quite highly of him, then he needs professional help. Hope he gets it.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Originally posted by Jim Omohundro
I have not heard any details about dates but if he was tested on Monday, September 29, I would bet that the results would not have been back by the time his contract extension was announced on Friday, October 3.

i hope you're right.

 

[Redheart]

Originally posted by Mrospi
...there should be certain things that would allow the team to opt out in case a guy decides to cover any freakish behavior until he signs a big deal ( see David Boston).....

with no salary cap problems

The "any freakish behavior" part cracked me up.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Id rather a player have a coke problem than a roid problem. Im not saying thats what ray was doing by any means.

I just think roids is cheating. Coke is a personal problem.

 

[Mrospi]

You could stop all the non-sense these players get involved in if you threatened the Money they are making..... every NFL contract should have an opt out clause for the team if the player does anything detrimental to the organization

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Originally posted by cheesebeef
I'm the SMARTEST PERSON ALIVE!

If this were true you would know how to spell rhubarb.