Posted on 12/05/2003 4:40:50 PM PST by ex-Texan
Marijuana: The Trail Blazers' Toughest Foe
Player mentor says there is 'definitely some kind of problem here'
So, do the Portland Trail Blazers have a pot problem on their hands?
Nearly everyone agrees that they do, considering that four players -- including Zach Randolph, arrested this week on charges including driving under the influence of intoxicants -- have been booked on marijuana charges during the last 13 months.
Team management begs to differ. President Steve Patterson was very careful Wednesday when he responded to questions about the Blazers and marijuana.
"In all fairness, there is a cultural marijuana issue in the United States and in youth culture for the last 40 years in this country," Patterson said. "We are also living in a state that has some of the most liberal laws in the country, so we have a considerable mixed message in this whole thing.
"Even so, our efforts have been toward enforcing a stricter policy on our players than the collective bargaining agreement (between the NBA and the players association) would lead you to believe is permissible."
Patterson said the team can't administer punitive measures on its own:
"It's a collectively bargained issue between the union and the league. We can't just go out and suspend Zach at this time, with the lack of information that we have."
Randolph was arrested early Tuesday in Northeast Portland while driving his 2003 Cadillac Escalade. He was stopped for a traffic violation, and the officer said he smelled burning marijuana coming from the vehicle.
Randolph also was charged with not having an Oregon driver's license and driving while uninsured. The results of a urinalysis test are expected to be released next week.
He apologized to his teammates and fans in a brief statement Wednesday but said nothing about his arrest or behavior.
Jerome Kersey, the former Blazer who was hired earlier this year as director of player programs, acknowledged that the team has a problem and said it probably stems from a lack of leadership.
"Judging by the redundancy, there is definitely some kind of problem here, and probably has been since the J.R. Rider days" (1996-99), he said. It would help if there weren't a dearth of veteran leadership to show young players the way, he said.
"When I played with the Blazers, we had guys to keep us in line, players like Jim Paxson, Kenny Carr, Mychal Thompson, Caldwell Jones," Kersey said. "Then when Clyde (Drexler), Terry (Porter) and Buck (Williams) were with us as veteran players, we policed the young guys. We probably have a shortage of veteran leadership on the (current) team."
Still, Patterson said, there have been some positives involving Rasheed Wallace and Damon Stoudamire, both of whom had one or more marijuana arrests since November 2002.
"Rasheed has fulfilled his obligations in the Washington case," he said. "We worked very hard with Damon to have him go to a rehab program that was far more extensive than what would have been required under the NBA's program. He did his aftercare, and he has been very mature and clear-eyed and done a good job. The outcome there has been a success.
"We await the tests with Zach to find out what happens there."
Patterson wouldn't say specifically whether the team had discussed marijuana use with the players since his arrival last summer.
"We have had a lot of discussions this fall -- media issues, legal issues, financial issues, community service issues, all kinds of things to put in place an infrastructure that gets guys to comport themselves as adults and the way we expect," he said.
In a reference to the team's trade of guard Bonzi Wells, he said: "If guys aren't willing to do that, we'll do things like we did today."
When asked again about marijuana, Patterson said: "It's a part of the league's presentation every year. We have talked about all kinds of off-the-court issues and what our needs are."
Stoudamire was suspended indefinitely and fined $100,000 by the team after being arrested on a marijuana possession charge at Tucson International Airport last July. The suspension and fine were dropped after he underwent a drug rehabilitation course in Houston later in the summer.
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(Excerpt) Read more at portlandtribune.com ...
Just another case of US hypocrisy.
We need to keep reminding people that the "War on Drugs" is a War on Minority Drugs as a matter of historical fact.
I like calling it the War on (Non-WASP) Drugs to highlight the hypocrisy.
Thank you Al Sharpton for your comments. Hey Al, why don't you give a speech at the Libertarian convention.
Who cares about Tawana Brawley, just say a good word about the "wonderweed" and you will get a standing ovation.
You're quite welcome, Mr. Anslinger.
why don't you give a speech at the Libertarian convention.
That is your nightmare, and it will come true in due time.
Who cares about Tawana Brawley
I don't know who that is, so I don't care.
The "War on Drugs" is a War on Minority Drugs as a matter of historical fact.
I notice you haven't disputed this.
Whatever Al/Jesse. Play the race card, all you want. Oh BTW, it's 2003 not 1937. The reason for the modern WOD drugs is because of relatively affluent white kids of the 60's. Those kids are now the base of the modern democratic party. Nihilism run amuck.
Oh BTW, Al Sharpton was behind the Tawana Brawley hoax in 1988. Tawana Brawley was a teenager who falsely accused police of raping her and spreading feces all over her. Al Sharpton was actually found guilty in a civil suit and IIRC never paid the defendant.
Put down the bong and maybe you can learn some history.
How about the history of prohibition? Let's see, has never and will never work. But don't let that stop your zealotry. There are people to jail!
I have no idea.
BTW, why do you pro-potters always skip the 60's.
You know where the leftist/nihilist drug culture got it's start from affluent marxist leaning white kids, who today form the base of the modern democratic party.
So you are basically saying people who steal money for drugs or even alcohol, shouldn't be put in jail.
Get yourself unstuck from the 60's dude.
Oh BTW, you know that the vast majority of first time non-violent users are not in jail.
But what the hey why should that get in the way of your hyperbole.
it's 2003 not 1937. The reason for the modern WOD drugs is because of relatively affluent white kids of the 60's
Thank you, Mr. Anslinger. I'll take that as a grudging admission that vikzilla's history is correct and that my statement stands.
PS It's not the rich kids filling our jails with 1,500,000 drug offenders.
We are all prisoners, so long as a single Chong remains jailed for a glass (no, with an "l") related first offense.
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