Tomlin: Steelers were prepared for Bryant suspension as far back as draft

[polamalubeast]

The Steelers knew about wide receiver Martavis Bryant's possible four-game suspension long enough that it affected how they approached the NFL Draft in early May.

Mike Tomlin on Monday acknowledged that one of the reasons the organization felt the need to use a third-round draft choice on wide receiver Sammie Coates was because of Bryant's uncertainty and impending suspension.

“We are not surprised by it,” Tomlin said. “We have known about the possibility of it for some time and in a lot of ways it directed our course of action throughout the offseason, specifically the drafting of Sammie Coates, because of the potential of this event.”


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[teegre]

It's also why they would have taken DeVante Parker (if he had fallen that far).

[katmandu]

“We are not surprised by it,” Tomlin said. “We have known about the possibility of it for some time and in a lot of ways it directed our course of action throughout the offseason, specifically the drafting of Sammie Coates, because of the potential of this event.”

After Bryant's 2nd failed drug test they should have done an Intervention and FORCED his ass in to Rehab.

[TD's & Beer]

After Bryant's 2nd failed drug test they should have done an Intervention and FORCED his ass in to Rehab.

It's not really a physical addiction - forget all the psychobabble and just send him to live with Harrison since he's too immature to be on his own. Have Debo kick his ass every time he even thinks about firing one up.

[katmandu]

It's not really a physical addiction - forget all the psychobabble....

He has an addiction period. Mental/Physical....doesn't matter. He's got an addiction. Just because you don't understand it, doesn't mean it does not exists.

https://www.google.com/search?q=addi...m=122&ie=UTF-8

Addiction is a condition that results when a person ingests a substance (e.g., alcohol, cocaine, nicotine) or engages in an activity (e.g., gambling, sex, shopping) that can be pleasurable but the continued use/act of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities, such as work, ..

Yes, and do I agree with your treatment option.

Harrison and his other teammates need to sit him down and kick his ass. Metaphorically speaking....aka INTERVENTION.

[TD's & Beer]

yeah - coddle that pup some more


Tomlin said he's got bigger problems than football but didn't bench him for Sunday's game.

[teegre]

I'm not sure whether weed is addictive or not. But, I think that this has more to do with addictive personalities.

For example, I know someone close to me who was doing all sorts of drugs in the 60s and 70s (who didn't?). Then, she got hired by a bank, and had to quit the drugs... which she did.

Instead of drugs, she transferred her addiction to alcohol (which is legal and allowed by companies). A bottle per night was alright.

Then, her daughter had kids, and in order to watch the grandkids, she had spot quit drinking... which she did.

Instead of alcohol, she transferred her addiction to shopping. Her paychecks were gone on the first day, and her credit cards were always maxed out.

SUMMATION:
This person had an addictive personality. She was not addicted to any one thing; instead, the thing to which she was addicted changed by decade: drugs became alcohol became shopping.

ANALYSIS:
Bryant has an addictive personality.... Bryant needs to transfer his addiction to football. He needs to become obsessed** with improving his game. It would be a positive "addiction."

**(Think: Peyton Manning and/or James Harrison.)

[steelreserve]

Addiction is definitely the wrong label. It's a mentality of hanging out with your little weed crew all the time and being caught up in some dumb metagame of one-upping each other at not giving a fuck. Which means the ante is smoking all the time, and winning a round means smoking at the most brazenly inappropriate times - before work, in public, before an exam, before court, etc.

It's not an addiction. Addicts do some really fucked up things; potheads are just really, really dumb about when they get high, and they never do the dishes.


Source: Smoking plenty of weed in my day and knowing a bunch of serious potheads.

[86WARD]

Addiction is definitely the wrong label. It's a mentality of hanging out with your little weed crew all the time and being caught up in some dumb metagame of one-upping each other at not giving a fuck. Which means the ante is smoking all the time, and winning a round means smoking at the most brazenly inappropriate times - before work, in public, before an exam, before court, etc.

It's not an addiction. Addicts do some really fucked up things; potheads are just really, really dumb about when they get high, and they never do the dishes.


Source: Smoking plenty of weed in my day and knowing a bunch of serious potheads.

Speaks the truth!!

[Cyphon25]

Addicts do some really fucked up things

You mean like throwing away multi-million dollar careers because you can't stop smoking for a few weeks at a time? Yeah, Bryant is an addict. Whether you want to call weed addictive or go the Teegre route and talk about him having an addictive personality, he is an addict one way or the other.

On a side not, whatever happened to all of that Colbert talk about getting players you want instead of chasing ones you need? Maybe they wanted Coates but he definitely became a need considering Bryant and Tomlin openly admitted that played a role. I mean, I think we all knew Colbert was full of shit but this basically proves it lol.

[TD's & Beer]

Addiction is definitely the wrong label. It's a mentality of hanging out with your little weed crew all the time

there ya go

[Craic]

Addiction is definitely the wrong label. It's a mentality of hanging out with your little weed crew all the time and being caught up in some dumb metagame of one-upping each other at not giving a fuck. Which means the ante is smoking all the time, and winning a round means smoking at the most brazenly inappropriate times - before work, in public, before an exam, before court, etc.

It's not an addiction. Addicts do some really fucked up things; potheads are just really, really dumb about when they get high, and they never do the dishes.


Source: Smoking plenty of weed in my day and knowing a bunch of serious potheads.

No. It's addiction.

Source: a ton of clinical studies, not to mention 1 out of 5 intakes into treatment facilities currently is for marijuana. In fact, for some of the new ways of using marijuana, both the addiction rates and the destruction it causes in the mind and body rival crack. SR, it's not your 80s or early 90s after-school toke anymore. Some of the crap happening today with marijuana is literally on par with the hardest drugs you can imagine (for instance, 60-95% THC levels in BHOs—whereas your pot probably had 3-5% THC levels, or 5-8% if it was in the early 90s).

Trust me, it's as addictive as hell, and hell getting off it as well.

[Craic]

It's not really a physical addiction - forget all the psychobabble and just send him to live with Harrison since he's too immature to be on his own. Have Debo kick his ass every time he even thinks about firing one up.

Wrong. (this link based on clinical work) http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/a...cal-dependence


Instead of posting a bunch of things here, I'll just leave with this: know anyone who had these after quitting smoking pot?

• Irritability
• Sleeplessness
• Lack of appetite, which can lead to weight loss
• Anxiety
• Drug cravings

That is called physical addiction, as not getting the cannabis in your system creates a systemic response that goes away when a person again smokes it. Sorry, but the science is very much against you here.

- - - Updated - - -

It's not really a physical addiction - forget all the psychobabble and just send him to live with Harrison since he's too immature to be on his own. Have Debo kick his ass every time he even thinks about firing one up.

Wrong. (this link based on clinical work) http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/news/20001127/heavy-pot-use-can-cause-physical-dependence


Instead of posting a bunch of things here, I'll just leave with this: know anyone who had these after quitting smoking pot?

• Irritability
• Sleeplessness
• Lack of appetite, which can lead to weight loss
• Anxiety
• Drug cravings

That is called physical addiction, as not getting the cannabis in your system creates a systemic response that goes away when a person again smokes it. Sorry, but the science is very much against you here.

[fansince'76]

Trust me, it's as addictive as hell, and hell getting off it as well.

Sorry, but no it's not.

I used to smoke more than my share of weed when I was younger too and quitting it was a breeze. I just decided I didn't enjoy it as much anymore and was tired of paying $100 a quarter for it. Bammo, I quit. And I didn't suffer any physical or psychological withdrawal symptoms afterward, either. You can throw all the scientific/medical journal articles on the subject at me you want, but speaking from my own personal experience, marijuana is really not addictive.

Cigarettes, now THOSE were hell getting off of.

[TD's & Beer]

Is Marijuana Addictive?

The age old question is still being debated today

Marijuana.. Addictive or no?

That question has been batted back and forth for decades. While many, especially regular users, say, "Absolutely not!" others are convinced that the answer is a resounding "Yes!" So which is it? Marijuana is a political hot button, thus much research has concentrated on the addictive properties of this plant.

The vast majority of those who use marijuana do so occasionally and exhibit no addictive symptoms — no increased tolerance, no cravings and no withdrawal. In other words, they can take it or leave it.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...uana-addictive

----------------

Of course they want to treat everyone for addiction - they make money off it.

[steelreserve]

You mean like throwing away multi-million dollar careers because you can't stop smoking for a few weeks at a time? Yeah, Bryant is an addict. Whether you want to call weed addictive or go the Teegre route and talk about him having an addictive personality, he is an addict one way or the other.

No, addicts don't do things like throw away their careers because they can't stop using. They do things like stab you because they can't stop using. They're also unreliable, drive off cliffs, die in a ditch, things like that. Potheads just get busted with pot all the time and fail drug tests, and have trouble remembering to show up for things.

On a side not, whatever happened to all of that Colbert talk about getting players you want instead of chasing ones you need? Maybe they wanted Coates but he definitely became a need considering Bryant and Tomlin openly admitted that played a role. I mean, I think we all knew Colbert was full of shit but this basically proves it lol.

Yeah, this is obviously one case where the inside information was a big deal. A month ago, we all thought this was about Brown's contract, if it wasn't a straight-up luxury pick. There have been plenty of times in the not too distant past (Shazier, Archer, Worilds) when I've thought we were drafting guys we didn't need, but this one is in a completely different light now.

[Psycho Ward 86]

my stars.

I had no idea we had this many doctors on the board.

[Craic]

Sorry, but no it's not.

I used to smoke more than my share of weed when I was younger too and quitting it was a breeze. I just decided I didn't enjoy it as much anymore and was tired of paying $100 a quarter for it. Bammo, I quit. And I didn't suffer any physical or psychological withdrawal symptoms afterward, either. You can throw all the scientific/medical journal articles on the subject at me you want, but speaking from my own personal experience, marijuana is really not addictive.

Cigarettes, now THOSE were hell getting off of.

Anecdotal information isn't good information, especially when there's a difference of a decade or more. As I posted below, what you and I used to smoke (and yes, I did a little bit) is nothing like what's being smoked today, and most definitely not like what some are turning it into. Check out BHO and the problems it causes. The only drug in it is pot, but the THC is stripped out and upped to be so potent by condensing it that it's literally like doing crack when it comes to addiction.

Is Marijuana Addictive?

The age old question is still being debated today

Marijuana.. Addictive or no?

That question has been batted back and forth for decades. While many, especially regular users, say, "Absolutely not!" others are convinced that the answer is a resounding "Yes!" So which is it? Marijuana is a political hot button, thus much research has concentrated on the addictive properties of this plant.

The vast majority of those who use marijuana do so occasionally and exhibit no addictive symptoms — no increased tolerance, no cravings and no withdrawal. In other words, they can take it or leave it.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...uana-addictive

----------------

Of course they want to treat everyone for addiction - they make money off it.

Never said everyone gets addicted. I said marijuana is addictive, and that includes physical addiction. As for treated for addiction and making money, no. You do realize most of the people who deal with that have little insurance, so the state pays, and the state pays a pittance compared to private insurance. Or, they go into outpatient programs ran by agencies that are volunteer or non-pay facilities that are funded by grants.

[fansince'76]

Check out BHO and the problems it causes. The only drug in it is pot, but the THC is stripped out and upped to be so potent by condensing it that it's literally like doing crack when it comes to addiction.

Yeah, I can agree with that. Never tried BHO and never would try it for the same reason I'd never try meth - it's not really "natural." If there's some kind of effed up "laboratory" sort of process it has to be put through to make, I'd want no part of it.

Never said everyone gets addicted. I said marijuana is addictive, and that includes physical addiction.

I also agree, but would like to add the following caveat, courtesy of Scientific American:

Given the drug’s growing popularity, many people have long been concerned about its potential dangers and, in particular, whether it can be addictive. People tend to use “addiction” and “dependence” interchangeably, although drug experts now favor the term “dependence.” In the current version of the mental health profession’s “bible,” the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a diagnosis of cannabis dependence (a type of substance dependence) requires a person to meet at least three of seven criteria.

A number of investigators have addressed this issue and found that only a relatively small percentage of those who try marijuana will become addicted. For example, in a large-scale survey published in 1994 epidemiologist James Anthony, then at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and his colleagues asked more than 8,000 people between the ages of 15 and 64 about their use of marijuana and other drugs. The researchers found that of those who had tried marijuana at least once, about 9 percent eventually fit a diagnosis of cannabis dependence. The corresponding figure for alcohol was 15 percent; for cocaine, 17 percent; for heroin, 23 percent; and for nicotine, 32 percent. So although marijuana may be addictive for some, 91 percent of those who try it do not get hooked. Further, marijuana is less addictive than many other legal and illegal drugs.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...uth-about-pot/

[Cyphon25]

No, addicts don't do things like throw away their careers because they can't stop using.

I am pretty sure that is exactly what they do. Just recently there was something about Scott Storch blowing millions and millions on coke and now he is bankrupt. You are talking about one of the biggest rap producers there for awhile just snorting away millions and basically becoming irrelevant in the music industry. I am sure there are other obvious examples involving celebrities that I can't think of off of the top of my head.

[steelreserve]

I am pretty sure that is exactly what they do. Just recently there was something about Scott Storch blowing millions and millions on coke and now he is bankrupt. You are talking about one of the biggest rap producers there for awhile just snorting away millions and basically becoming irrelevant in the music industry. I am sure there are other obvious examples involving celebrities that I can't think of off of the top of my head.

My thinking was that most real addicts don't have careers to begin with; they are that messed up.

Guys who smoke pot in the NFL lose their careers because they get busted, not because the drug is causing them problems that in turn lead to losing their jobs from poor performance. It's strictly the rule that does it. Addicts are so messed up they can't hold down a job by any standard. That's the difference.

[Cyphon25]

My thinking was that most real addicts don't have careers to begin with; they are that messed up.

Guys who smoke pot in the NFL lose their careers because they get busted, not because the drug is causing them problems that in turn lead to losing their jobs from poor performance. It's strictly the rule that does it. Addicts are so messed up they can't hold down a job by any standard. That's the difference.

You can become an addict after having a career and many people in good positions often destroy their lives because of an addiction. There isn't a such thing as a "real" addict. You either are or you aren't.

As for your 2nd part....The drug is causing him problems. It is causing him to miss the first 4 games of the season. And no performance in the NFL is poor performance. The team is getting nothing in return for their money and time invested. So not only does he hurt himself but he is hurting those around them. Another common trait of an addict.