Chris Andersen?

[raspsa]

I just read an article on Chris Andersen who's serving a 2-year expulsion from the NBA for drug abuse.. he's admited his mistake and cleaned up his act.. he's keeping in shape and looks forward to returning to the league.. basically a good kid and he's from Texas as well .. I always liked his energy and enthusiasm for the game..he would fire up the crowd and provide a much needed spark ala Manu.. athletic, can really jump and run the floor and he's even working on his jumpshot.. I'd be willing to gamble on him as a Spur for the future.

[Brutalis]

Forget it. Won't happen.

[Guru of Nothing]

Suddenly my seventh round pick in the ST keeper league draft tomorrow is in jeopardy.

Damn you!!

[Zunni]

A white guy who can jump out of the gym, looks EXTREMELY puffy on closeup vids, and is busted out for substance abuse. Only one thing comes to my mind: steroids. No thanks. He'll be watched VERY closely when he attempts his comeback, and with no 'roids? No enhanced jumping ability. That's really his only weapon.

[Guru of Nothing]

I don't think Anderson was booted out of basketball for 2 years for a steriod first offense charge ... just my gut feeling.

Missing 5,845 uncontested lay-ups in a row is more telling.

[Zunni]

I don't think Anderson was booted out of basketball for 2 years for a steriod first offense charge ... just my gut feeling.

Missing 5,845 uncontested lay-ups in a row is more telling.
You don't get booted for two years for a first offense of ANY substance. You also don't get puffy and bloated by using for a short time.

[Solid D]

You don't get booted for two years for a first offense of ANY substance. You also don't get puffy and bloated by using for a short time.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2308918

NEW YORK -- New Orleans Hornets forward Chris Andersen was dismissed and disqualified from the NBA on Friday for violating the league's drug policy.

Gregory Shamus/NBAE via Getty Images
The "Birdman" is the first NBA player banned for drug violations since Stanley Roberts in 1999.

Andersen must wait two years before he can apply for reinstatement, the league said.

According to the league's collective bargaining agreement, a player can only be disqualified for a fourth positive test for performance-enhancing drugs, or a first positive test for "drugs of abuse."

The drugs on that list are amphetamine and its analogs, which include methamphetamine; cocaine; LSD; opiates, including heroin, codeine and morphine; and PCP.

Andersen has not previously been suspended for steroid use.

[Marklar MM]

Birdman put them ninjas in a trashcan. Leave em outside of your door, I'm your trashman.

[Zunni]

Andersen has not previously been suspended for steroid use.
I'm surprised at you Solid. Your takes are usually pretty bullet proof. Nowhere does it say that he must be suspended for previous positive tests of performance enhancing drugs, just that they must happen.

[SpursWillOwn]

birdman=chris anderson?
wtf he sucks i used to think that birdman was larry bird

[Marklar MM]

birdman=chris anderson?
wtf he sucks i used to think that birdman was larry bird

Yes. "His swooping dunks, shot-blocking skills and rare athleticism for his size", earned him "The Birdman".

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

:lmao

[Guru of Nothing]

You don't get booted for two years for a first offense of ANY substance.

Is that your final answer?

[Solid D]

You don't get booted for two years for a first offense of ANY substance. You also don't get puffy and bloated by using for a short time.


According to the league's collective bargaining agreement, a player can only be disqualified for a fourth positive test for performance-enhancing drugs, or a first positive test for "drugs of abuse."

The drugs on that list are amphetamine and its analogs, which include methamphetamine; cocaine; LSD; opiates, including heroin, codeine and morphine; and PCP.

"ANY substance" includes "drugs of abuse" according to the NBA CBA.

[raspsa]

A white guy who can jump out of the gym, looks EXTREMELY puffy on closeup vids, and is busted out for substance abuse. Only one thing comes to my mind: steroids. No thanks. He'll be watched VERY closely when he attempts his comeback, and with no 'roids? No enhanced jumping ability. That's really his only weapon.

From what I read, he tried reinventing himself to get stronger in the post by putting on more weight but this only led to injuries, frustration and drug abuse.. he should have stuck with waht got him into the NBA in the first place.. rebounding, defense and athleticism.. I really think his energy is something the Spurs would benefit from.. he has the speed and size and atleticism and agility to thrive in a small ball game.. who knows, could give Dirk something to worry about.. shouldn't be that expensive to acquire either.

[gospursgojas]

Remember back in the 05 dunk contest when he had about 15 attempts at a easy dunk. I mean so did Nate Robinson but hes 5'8 and Andersen is like 6 10

[SPURS21]

Andersen sucks but you guys have a few things wrong here.....

1. steroids hardly increase your jumping ability
2. you don't need to be a long term user to be bloated, 2 weeks of pumping testosterone will bloat anyone
3. it was never actually released what drug he was using/abusing

[Zunni]

1. steroids hardly increase your jumping ability
Thank you. Now go sit in the back of the class. Steroids increase strength. Increased strength leads to increases in all atheltic abilities: speed, vertical, quickness...the list goes on. No, they never said he used steroids, or anything else for that matter. They can't because of confidentiality agreements with the players association.

[Guru of Nothing]

Steroids increase strength.

Is that your final answer?

[Kori Ellis]

Umm.. Chris Andersen wasn't kicked out for steroids. SPED= Steroids and performance enhancing drugs. If he was, then that would have been his third violation and a one year suspension. And we would have known of prior violations because he would have been suspended for those.


(A) For the first such violation, the player shall be suspended for ten (10) games and required to enter the SPED Program;

(B) For the second such violation, the player shall be suspended for twenty-five (25) games and, if the player is not then subject to in-patient or aftercare treatment in the SPED Program, be required to enter the SPED Program;

(C) for the third such violation, the player shall be suspended for one (1) year from the date of such violation and, if the player is not then subject to in-patient or aftercare treatment in the SPED Program, be required to enter the SPED Program; and

(D) for the fourth such violation, the player shall be immediately dismissed and disqualified from any association with the NBA or any of its Teams in accordance with the provisions of Section 11(a) below. ...


He was kicked out for Drugs of Abuse as Solid D said.

[Kori Ellis]

Here's the info on Drugs of Abuse. First offense and you are kicked out. You can apply for reinstatement in 2 years, which is exactly his situation.



In the event that a Veteran Player tests positive for a Drug of Abuse pursuant to this Section 6, he shall immediately be dismissed and disqualified from any association with the NBA or any of its Teams in accordance with the provisions of Section 11(a) below



Section 11. Dismissal and Disqualification.
(a) A player who, under the terms of this Agreement, is “dismissed and disqualified from any association with the NBA or any of its Teams in accordance with the provisions of Section 11(a)” shall, without exception, immediately be so dismissed and disqualified for a period of not less than two (2) years, and such player’s Player Contract shall be rendered null and void and of no further force or effect (subject to the provisions of paragraph 8 of the Uniform Player Contract). Such dismissal and disqualification shall be mandatory and may not be rescinded or reduced by the player’s Team or the NBA.

[joeyjfive]

Theres a lot of upside to this guy, with his athleticism and all but when it comes down to it. The man has a drug problem

[ChumpDumper]

Dude's 28. not much upside left. He's still an ok player.

[FromWayDowntown]

The interview in SI makes it abundantly clear that the issue wasn't performance-enhancers. If you think he was suspended for performance-enhancing drugs, even Chris Andersen disagrees with you.

The SI piece on Andersen says that he encountered a lot of personal issues during the summer of 2005 (the end of a relationship with a long-term girlfriend, an issue with his mother, the destruction of his home in New Orleans by Katrina) and that he showed up to camp overweight. He said the added weight caused him to underperform, which led him to drink. In drinking, he "moved beyond alcohol," but won't say which drug he used other than to say that "all the [excess] weight went away." L. Jon Wertheim, Flightless Bird, Sports Illustrated, 10/23/06.

I can't say it for fact, but I'm fairly certain that all of the drug problems of the late 70's and early 80's -- look up Micheal Ray Richardson if you want an example -- as well as the Len Bias situation in 1986 gave rise to a no-tolerance policy for drugs of abuse like cocaine. For a league that faced those demons head-on for the better part of a decade and a half, it's understandable that the league would be much,much harsher on those who are caught using those drugs than on performance-enhancers; there's never been much proof or even suggestion of steroid or other performance-enhancer use by NBA players.

Andersen's use was disclosed by the random testing that each player undergoes and, to his credit, he's apparently never tried to suggest that the test was wrong. It sounds like he's gotten his life in order, which is a great thing even if he never plays another second in the NBA.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

According to the league's collective bargaining agreement, a player can only be disqualified for a fourth positive test for performance-enhancing drugs, or a first positive test for "drugs of abuse."

The drugs on that list are amphetamine and its analogs, which include methamphetamine; cocaine; LSD; opiates, including heroin, codeine and morphine; and PCP.

Something here strikes me as a bit fishy. Isn't it odd that you are only suspended on your 4th positive test for performance enhancers - that is drugs that allow you to cheat - but if you make a mistake with a drug of abuse you are gone first time!? Shouldn't it be the other way around, or like 2nd time for both?

That is all outta wack! One class of drugs allows you to be a cheat and a fraud and gain unfair advantage (and shrivel your testicles, give you 'roid rage, etc.), and the other is illegal but generally detracts from your performance (you are not cheating or a fraud but do have a drug problem), and yet the former is seen as 1/4 as serious as the latter!?!? Regardless of the history behind the policy, I think this is a ridiculous double standard.

BTW, I know why this is. People see roids as "less harmful" than "drugs of abuse", however this is a false double standard. 'Roids have serious health effects and ARE ILLEGAL outside prescribed medical use! Yet another case of PR being more important than truth.

[Kori Ellis]

Something here strikes me as a bit fishy. Isn't it odd that you are only suspended on your 4th positive test for performance enhancers - that is drugs that allow you to cheat - but if you make a mistake with a drug of abuse you are gone first time!? .

You are suspended for 10 games for performance enhancers for the first failed test and put in a program. 25 games for the 2nd time. 1 year for the 3rd time and dismissed from the league for the 4th time.

Drugs like cocaine and heroin are automatic dismissal for a variety of reasons, but a big one being because of how rampant a problem there was with cocaine in the NBA back in the day.

[wildbill2u]

People forget that many Spurs players were into coke in a big way back in the cocaine heyday. It may have ended the careers of several players prematurely or at least ruined their last years.

[TDMVPDPOY]

i prefer to see if we can sign foster/mihm since there contracts are nearly up, better than the crap frontcourt we just acquisition during the summer of 06

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

You are suspended for 10 games for performance enhancers for the first failed test and put in a program. 25 games for the 2nd time. 1 year for the 3rd time and dismissed from the league for the 4th time.

Drugs like cocaine and heroin are automatic dismissal for a variety of reasons, but a big one being because of how rampant a problem there was with cocaine in the NBA back in the day.

Fair enough, I guess, but why the ever so gradual scale for performance enhancers? It should be 25 games first time, out the second.

Notice that pot is not mentioned in the "drugs of abuse". If they turfed every NBA player who smoked a bit of weed they'd have no league... :lol

[Kori Ellis]

Notice that pot is not mentioned in the "drugs of abuse". If they turfed every NBA player who smoked a bit of weed they'd have no league... :lol


There's marijuana testing and a program for that too. I just didn't list the ramifications for that. They address 3 separate things: Marijuana, SPED, and Drugs of Abuse.

[TDMVPDPOY]

how come the nba has more problems than soccer in general??

THUG LIFE?

[FromWayDowntown]

Fair enough, I guess, but why the ever so gradual scale for performance enhancers? It should be 25 games first time, out the second.

Like I said before, I think the gradual penalties for performance enhancing drugs is there because the league has never really had to face wide-spread use of those sorts of drugs by players. It's in the agreement to provide a deterrent, but the reality is that there's never been a significant SPED problem, so there's little need to aggressively punish.


Notice that pot is not mentioned in the "drugs of abuse". If they turfed every NBA player who smoked a bit of weed they'd have no league... :lol

The inclusion of marijuana testing for NBA players was a major source of contention between the players and owners in one of the recent collective bargaining agreements. Separate treatment of marijuana is undoubtedly a byproduct of a compromise -- players can be tested, but they can't be punished for use in the same way that they could be punished for using cocaine. I'm sure the owners would love to change that, but the players seem extremely unlikely to budge on that one.

[raspsa]

i prefer to see if we can sign foster/mihm since there contracts are nearly up, better than the crap frontcourt we just acquisition during the summer of 06

I'd love to have either, specilly Foster but it will boil down to affordability.. we could get the birdman for cheap IMO so its minimal risk with possibly a big payoff if things work out