Onterreo Smith faces suspension...

[VonErich Lives]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=1863483

By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com

Second-year running back Onterrio Smith, expected to assume some of the Minnesota Vikings' running game workload from starter Michael Bennett, faces a league-mandated four-game suspension for a repeat violation of its substance abuse policy, NFL and team officials confirmed Thursday night.

The Vikings have been notified of the suspension, but the sanction cannot be enacted until the appeals process is completed. If an appeal is unsuccessful, Smith likely will miss the first four games of the regular season and forfeit $71,765 of his scheduled $305,000 salary.


According to league protocol in such matters, Smith will be able to continue practicing with the team and playing in preseason games. Minnesota plays at Atlanta on Friday, its second preseason game.


It is uncertain when the violation occurred, but the fact Smith is subject to suspension means he has violated the policy twice, possibly three times. One source hinted that Smith may have entered the NFL in phase one of the program because of off-field problems in his college career.


Those problems were one reason Smith transferred to Oregon following the 1999 season, after starting his career at Tennessee. At Oregon, he was a two-time all-Pac 10 player and finished with 2,388 rushing yards.


Smith, 23, dropped into the fourth round of the 2003 draft before the Vikings finally put an end to his free-fall. Certainly his draft stock slipped in large part because of the off-field issues.


As a rookie, Smith appeared in 15 games and started three times, carrying 107 times for 579 yards and five touchdowns. He was the Vikings' second-leading rusher and his 5.4-yard average was the best among Minnesota running backs.


With former Pro Bowl performer Bennett coming off a foot injury that limited him to just eight games in 2003, Smith, a slashing tailback with great balance and vision, was likely to have his playing time increased in 2004.


Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer at ESPN.com.

I just don't get it w/ the guys getting busted for weed, especially someone like Smith, he know he'll get in trouble and it's not like he makes a ton of money (for an nfl player)... stupid is as stupid does...

[road doggy dogg]

Yeah wtf, heard about that on the halftime show during the preseason game but couldn't find anything about it on the 'net. :o

Pretty stupid really. If you're playing at that level I'd imagine that smoking would kind of hinder your performance anyways, let alone the whole "being illegal" aspect of it. But oh well, his life, his decisions. Bennett's healthy now, and they still have Williams, so this won't be AS big of a deal as it potentially could have been.

[MoRcHeEbA]

yeah aslong as Bennet and Williams stay healthy I don't see them missing him much for 4 games.

[Y2Ant]

WTF, why are players such dickheads :mad:

[AlphaBean]

I bet you if he mattered, he wouldn't do that.

i.e. our jobbers on defense keep getting caught drunk driving and shit...

And Onterrio is 3rd-string, with Mewelde Moore proving that he can be a more than adequate backup. :love:

But look at Randy Moss. Tice sat him down and said, listen, you're the best player on our team. We need you to be a leader, to set an example, to lead on and off the field, and to prove your worth.

Moss knew he was the centerpiece of the MN offense... so what did he do? He cleaned up his act, and hasn't said shit for a couple of years -- except when some Miami newspaper started spreading rumors that Tice called him a nut. But that's all cleared up.

Onterrio just doesn't feel wanted. 4th round pick, and a backup, despite "playing well." I'd be a pothead too. :'(



However, I don't agree with Darrion Scott bordering on being made inactive for the season. He bulked up because he thought he would be playing Tackle, and the Vikings are really down on him for that. It's not like he just let himself go and got fat. He bulked up. At least he was trying. And now he's losing the weight as fast as he can. Granted, he's behind schedule, but what the hell, give him a chance. Football players aren't known for their intelligence. :foc: Vikings management.

[MoRcHeEbA]

not to mention that whole moss running a metermaid over in his car :shifty:

[BCWWF]

It's not like most NFL players aren't on coke when they're playing anyway

[BCWWF]

Anyway, meh

[AlphaBean]

not to mention that whole moss running a metermaid over in his car :shifty:
Yeah, he didn't run her over, and after he did it, Tice had a talk with him, and it's been TWO YEARS and there hasn't been anything about Moss in the news.

Oh and, the VIkings are horrible. What the fuck. Matt Schaub is the best QB ever.

WE NEED CB DEPTH

SOMEONE CALL DEION SANDERS!

[Gonzo]

Primetime. :cool:

[AlphaBean]

Past-his
Primetime. :cool:
Yus.

Also, what the fuck. How does Matt Schaub dominate?

What the fuck.

:suicide:

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

It's not like most NFL players aren't on coke when they're playing anywayI think you mean weed

[AlphaBean]

I think you mean weed
Wait, are you trying to tell me it's not the early 90s?

[BCWWF]

A lot of football players are on speed or coke or one of those type of drugs when they play, I'm sure a lot of them smoke weed too, a lot of basketball players do, but coke is pretty common in the NFL.

[road doggy dogg]

And what are you basing all these certainties off of? :wtf:

[BCWWF]

Facts, facts bitch plain old facts.

Anyway, of course there aren't going to be any people admittedly doing it, but from what I've heard numbers as much as 1/3 of NBA players play high, and that a lot of NFL guys, I think like wide recievers and those type mainly, take coke. It would make some sense if you look at what they do to you, but no, I have no facts to back it up.

[road doggy dogg]

Well then why the hell should anybody believe a word you say?

Oh, because "people say" they do, and you've "heard numbers". Well that's all fine and well I guess.

[AlphaBean]

He's right, guys.

I saw it on Playmakers.

[VonErich Lives]

Facts, facts bitch plain old facts.

Anyway, of course there aren't going to be any people admittedly doing it, but from what I've heard numbers as much as 1/3 of NBA players play high, and that a lot of NFL guys, I think like wide recievers and those type mainly, take coke. It would make some sense if you look at what they do to you, but no, I have no facts to back it up.

He's right, guys.

I saw it on Playmakers.


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Yeah, the NFL has some of the toughest drug testing of any major sport, probably the toughest, the effect of coke on their heart w/ their workout schedule and just game conditioning they'd be droping left and right.

I'm sure there were some, LT claims he was on drugs for over 1/2 his games, but most people who knew him (even teammates) came out and said he was making it up for his book.

[BCWWF]

Quincy Carter?

Trent Tucker, former NBA player and current Lakers announcer: "At least a third of the NBA players play high stay high"

Is that good enough for you RDD? I forgot everyone here was experts posting 100% proven facts, my bad.

[VonErich Lives]

Quincy Carter?

Trent Tucker, former NBA player and current Lakers announcer: "At least a third of the NBA players play high stay high"

Is that good enough for you RDD? I forgot everyone here was experts posting 100% proven facts, my bad.

No, but when you claim your posting something because it's a fact and have no facts to back it up.... kinda kills whatever argument you have going.

[road doggy dogg]

Shitttttt yeah. Fuck, Quincy Carter was on coke so it's pretty common I guess. :-\

[VonErich Lives]

Shitttttt yeah. Fuck, Quincy Carter was on coke so it's pretty common I guess. :-\


and even that's a rumor, the other one is it was weed which he had a problem w/ in college.

[BCWWF]

I guess RDD is really naive and thinks that all athletes are perfect role models who always make the right decision

[VonErich Lives]

I guess RDD is really naive and thinks that all athletes are perfect role models who always make the right decision

ofcourse he does, I mean he's only said that about 10 times in this thread...

(re-reads thread.... reads it again) oh wait, actually he didn't.

It's simple, you stated something as FACT then went on to say you have no facts to back it up and then the only source you pull is a former player/current announcer who you heard say something that only refrences one of the two sports you were talking about.

If you had said "I think" then it's an opinion, but when you state something as "fact" and have no facts to back it up...

[Y2Ant]

Why can't they all stay clean, like wrestlers :shifty:

[road doggy dogg]

Yes BCWWF, since I don't believe that every player in the NFL is a cokehead, I want them to be a perfect father figure. Are you fucking retarded? What the hell, did you read too many Kane Knight posts or something? Stop trying to go to extremes when someone doesn't agree with your shitty empty opinions. You think you're so smart because you think people will listen to the shit you're spewing about NFL players and drugs, when you don't know what the hell you're talking about. Retard.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Yea seriously, saying half the players are on coke is ridiculous. I can see a lot of guys smoking weed and thats what everyone gets in trouble for. Doing coke and trying to play in the NFL probably isn't the best idea. I don't know a lot of "casual" coke users, but you can be a "casual" weed smoker and it wont really effect your game THAT much.

One guy gets caught for drugs, RUMOR going around that it was coke, others are saying its weed. LT is the only other guy I have ever really heard of associated with coke, and like Vel said people feel he made up a lot of it to sell his book.

And what does that Tucker quote have to do with anything? I am sure he is talking about weed there

[The Outlaw]

LOL yeah I don't see guys being able to play while on coke or speed.