CubanMustGo
10-28-2008, 10:51 PM
I guess if you played on a team that sucked as bad as these guys do, you'd do drugs too. Time to end the Todd "hey I could outcoach any high school team as long as I had more resources" Dodge Era.
http://www.star-telegram.com/288/story/1003204.html
DENTON — Todd Dodge has declared war on drugs at North Texas — at least on his football team.
Dodge and university officials acknowledged Tuesday that 86 UNT football players were tested for recreational drugs in the past month, with 15 tests coming back positive.
All 15 players are now taking part in drug/alcohol education, are on one year’s probation and will submit to further random testing at Dodge’s discretion.
Additional penalties for failing a second or multiple subsequent tests include suspensions, mandatory counseling and/or rehabilitation, and dismissal from the team for a fourth positive test, according to athletic department policy.
Dodge said he consulted with assistant coaches and athletic director Rick Villarreal last month and determined that "it was appropriate to test everyone." UNT and most other schools randomly test smaller samples of athletes in all sports for recreational drugs.
As per most scholarship agreements, coaches in any sport have the authority to test as many athletes, whenever they see fit.
"I considered there to be concern to take that kind of step," Dodge said. "You get information from it. I get information that I can do something about. Maybe at some other place I can’t do anything and my hands are tied. If I can do something about it ... all I did was what any Division I head coach has the right to do on his team at any time."
NCAA officials tested several UNT players last month for performance-enhancing drugs as part of their usual national testing. Dodge, whose team is 0-8 this season, said performance "de-hancing" in a number of players led him and assistant coaches to suspect drug use.
"The stuff we tested for was definitely not performance-enhancing or life-enhancing," Dodge said. "Maybe that tells you what we tested for."
Federal privacy law prohibits UNT from releasing names of those who test positive or for what substance. The sample total and number of positive tests, though, are public information. UNT spent around $2,500 for the 86 tests.
Villarreal refused to comment on the testing and released no statement.
Receiver Kevin Dickerson, a graduate of Fort Worth Calvary Academy and the son of a minister, said he couldn’t speak to the level of drug use on UNT’s team. He didn’t test positive but knows deterring use isn’t easy on college campuses.
"The bottom line is it’s totally illegal," Dickerson said. "But it’s pretty widespread in America, not just on our team or at our school, but everybody. It is what it is."
Dodge said that drug use won’t be allowed on his team if he can stop it, but testing the team every year — he intends to do so as long as he’s UNT’s coach — will serve a purpose other than policing.
"If one young man on my team that has a problem is really, truly crying out for help and no one knows about it," Dodge said, "and he gets help and can avoid going in the wrong direction, whether it’s addiction, leading to other drugs, incarceration or death ... all of it was worth it if it keeps one from going down that road."
Dodge said none of the 15 who tested positive have refused the first-step penalties or left the team.
"This is an opportunity for all the guys I deal with to say no to peer pressure," he said. "[They will] if playing football at this university at a full, approximately $100,000 scholarship is important."
http://www.star-telegram.com/288/story/1003204.html
DENTON — Todd Dodge has declared war on drugs at North Texas — at least on his football team.
Dodge and university officials acknowledged Tuesday that 86 UNT football players were tested for recreational drugs in the past month, with 15 tests coming back positive.
All 15 players are now taking part in drug/alcohol education, are on one year’s probation and will submit to further random testing at Dodge’s discretion.
Additional penalties for failing a second or multiple subsequent tests include suspensions, mandatory counseling and/or rehabilitation, and dismissal from the team for a fourth positive test, according to athletic department policy.
Dodge said he consulted with assistant coaches and athletic director Rick Villarreal last month and determined that "it was appropriate to test everyone." UNT and most other schools randomly test smaller samples of athletes in all sports for recreational drugs.
As per most scholarship agreements, coaches in any sport have the authority to test as many athletes, whenever they see fit.
"I considered there to be concern to take that kind of step," Dodge said. "You get information from it. I get information that I can do something about. Maybe at some other place I can’t do anything and my hands are tied. If I can do something about it ... all I did was what any Division I head coach has the right to do on his team at any time."
NCAA officials tested several UNT players last month for performance-enhancing drugs as part of their usual national testing. Dodge, whose team is 0-8 this season, said performance "de-hancing" in a number of players led him and assistant coaches to suspect drug use.
"The stuff we tested for was definitely not performance-enhancing or life-enhancing," Dodge said. "Maybe that tells you what we tested for."
Federal privacy law prohibits UNT from releasing names of those who test positive or for what substance. The sample total and number of positive tests, though, are public information. UNT spent around $2,500 for the 86 tests.
Villarreal refused to comment on the testing and released no statement.
Receiver Kevin Dickerson, a graduate of Fort Worth Calvary Academy and the son of a minister, said he couldn’t speak to the level of drug use on UNT’s team. He didn’t test positive but knows deterring use isn’t easy on college campuses.
"The bottom line is it’s totally illegal," Dickerson said. "But it’s pretty widespread in America, not just on our team or at our school, but everybody. It is what it is."
Dodge said that drug use won’t be allowed on his team if he can stop it, but testing the team every year — he intends to do so as long as he’s UNT’s coach — will serve a purpose other than policing.
"If one young man on my team that has a problem is really, truly crying out for help and no one knows about it," Dodge said, "and he gets help and can avoid going in the wrong direction, whether it’s addiction, leading to other drugs, incarceration or death ... all of it was worth it if it keeps one from going down that road."
Dodge said none of the 15 who tested positive have refused the first-step penalties or left the team.
"This is an opportunity for all the guys I deal with to say no to peer pressure," he said. "[They will] if playing football at this university at a full, approximately $100,000 scholarship is important."