Shawne Merriman suspended for steroids use

Raderick · 10-23-2006, 01:16 AM

Ugh.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2635475

Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman has been notified he will be suspended for four games for violating the NFL's steroids and related substances policy, league and team sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

Merriman's positive test was "definitely for steroids … not one of those supplement deals," said a source with knowledge of Merriman's suspension.
Merriman, 22, was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year last season and started in the Pro Bowl after recording 54 tackles and 10 sacks. He also finished with five passes defended and two forced fumbles. Through six games this season, Merriman was second on the Chargers with 5½ sacks.
The San Diego linebacker has acquired the nickname "Lights Out" for his hard hits and aggressive demeanor.
"Shawne, of course, he's something," Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer said after Merriman won top honors for first-year players. "He's an extremely talented young man who brings it every snap. … He's very, very competitive."
Merriman's suspension originally was to be announced last Tuesday when two other NFL players -- the Falcons' Matt Lehr and the Lions' Shaun Rogers -- were suspended for violating the policy. But Merriman reserved the right to appeal his suspension, so it was not announced.
The team was on a plane Sunday night and neither the Chargers, nor Merriman, could be reached for comment, though the team was expected to issue a statement later Sunday.
Merriman's suspension is the latest on a laundry list of on- and off-the-field issues Schottenheimer has had to deal with this season.
From a strictly football standpoint, Merriman's four-game absence decimates a San Diego defense already reeling from injuries.
Linebacker Steve Foley was shot in the leg by a off-duty police officer on Sept. 3 and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. Foley's replacement, Shaun Phillips, injured his right calf in Sunday's 30-27 loss to Kansas City and will be out four to six weeks.
In addition, defensive end Igor Olshansky is out after having arthroscopic knee surgery and is likely to miss a month.
Off the field, the situation has been at least as devastating.

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
Shawne Merriman, a first-round pick out of Maryland in 2004, has quickly become a top defender.

Safety Terrence Kiel is currently facing five felony drug charges relating to the shipping and possession of large quantities of prescription cough syrup, which is a controlled substance. Although Drug Enforcement Administration investigators said Kiel admitted he shipped at least two packages and knew of the contents, Kiel pleaded not guilty at his arraignment earlier this month.
Foley, meanwhile, has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor DUI stemming from his confrontation with an off-duty Coronado, Calif., police officer.
Police said that Foley, who, according to his agent, David Levine, is currently unable to walk or stand without assistance, had been partying in downtown San Diego and registered a blood-alcohol level of .233 percent, nearly three times California's legal limit of .08 percent.
The charges carry enhancements that include being charged with DUI within 10 years of a prior conviction and having a blood-alcohol level exceeding .15.
Foley has been arrested at least five times since 1999, including cases that police say involved alcohol and confrontations with officers.

kq76 · 10-23-2006, 01:21 AM

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...d.php?t=133088

Is Merriman that same player who grew up homeless or something having lived through three fires and is now helping the homeless some way or another? If so, this is a really really bad story with him being such a good story before.

marc · 10-23-2006, 01:38 AM

Now we know why he acted like a freakin psycho after every tackle.

marc · 10-23-2006, 01:40 AM

Seriously though Raderick, I feel for ya. I'm sure you're a big fan of his and while I always suspected David Boston was doing something fishy when he got to the NFL, it still sucked when it was confirmed.

Hopefully he gets off this stuff cuz it ruined Boston's career.

Goody · 10-23-2006, 04:23 AM

The suspensions are awfully light for using an illegal drug to enhance your power, IMO.

QuestGAV · 10-23-2006, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9lives

The suspensions are awfully light for using an illegal drug to enhance your power, IMO.

1/4 of the season when the average NFL career is only a couple years? It's pretty hefty, IMO. Not too hefty, but just about right for a first time offender when there exists the possibility that the ingestion was accidental - though it may not be in this case.

Raidergoo · 10-23-2006, 10:21 AM

Just when I was starting to notice the guy...

Hmm, what a waste.

marc · 10-23-2006, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9lives

The suspensions are awfully light for using an illegal drug to enhance your power, IMO.

I'd be willing to bet there's as much steroid use in the NFL as there was in MLB. Kinda funny how the NFL gets away with it.

phenom · 10-23-2006, 04:28 PM

Steroids?

In the NFL??

JDOldSchool · 10-23-2006, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marc

I'd be willing to bet there's as much steroid use in the NFL as there was in MLB. Kinda funny how the NFL gets away with it.

As much? LOL!

I'd bet every last dime I had that the steroid/HGH use in the NFL is at least 50% and probably closer to 75-80%. I don't think baseball ever got close to 50%.

I think the fact people care so much more about MLB is because, aside from the numbers, deep down baseball is still the #1 sport in this country. Football might get better ratings, but people still cling to the ideals of baseball. It just so happens that those ideals are all poppycock anyway.

marc · 10-23-2006, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDOldSchool

As much? LOL!

I'd bet every last dime I had that the steroid/HGH use in the NFL is at least 50% and probably closer to 75-80%. I don't think baseball ever got close to 50%.

I think the fact people care so much more about MLB is because, aside from the numbers, deep down baseball is still the #1 sport in this country. Football might get better ratings, but people still cling to the ideals of baseball. It just so happens that those ideals are all poppycock anyway.

Agree with everything until you got to baseball being #1. I don't know why people care so much about baseball, I think it truly is because of the "magical" numbers that football doesn't have. Football is also a violent collision sport where baseball is not and I think that gives baseball more of a sense of "purity" than football. Just my non-expert analysis.

Cowboys3356 · 10-24-2006, 12:30 AM

Steriod use by professional athletes is not a big deal especially if they are monitored by a doctor (which most are). I pay good money to be entertained and these people owe me the best product possible and if that means they make $10 million a year and need to get on the juice then so be it. As a matter of fact I think that the juice should be required on some level.

Athletes exist to amuse me, the rest of their life is not my problem. If they don't like using the juice then they should get a job at McDonalds!

Jonzard · 10-24-2006, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marc

Kinda funny how the NFL gets away with it.

If a roider showed up and ran for 3,000 yards there would be outrage. But that just isn't the case. The game isn't changed to a high enough degree for most people to care.

Raderick · 10-24-2006, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cowboys3356

Steriod use by professional athletes is not a big deal especially if they are monitored by a doctor (which most are). I pay good money to be entertained and these people owe me the best product possible and if that means they make $10 million a year and need to get on the juice then so be it. As a matter of fact I think that the juice should be required on some level.

Athletes exist to amuse me, the rest of their life is not my problem. If they don't like using the juice then they should get a job at McDonalds!

It's called against the law. You would put your own personal entertainment over the health and lives of the athletes?

Why these people are not being arrested for possession of illegal drugs is beyond me, regardless of what you think of drugs.

abailey3313 · 10-24-2006, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raidergoo

Just when I was starting to notice the guy...

Hmm, what a waste.

You'll continue to notice him. He's a great player one way or another.

Skipaway · 10-24-2006, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raderick

It's called against the law. You would put your own personal entertainment over the health and lives of the athletes?

Why these people are not being arrested for possession of illegal drugs is beyond me, regardless of what you think of drugs.

Even some police officers can stay in their posts after positive drug tests, why would you think they'd be arrested? That's not how the law works.

Raderick · 10-24-2006, 05:26 AM

Shawne will be able to play at least two more games due to the appeals process.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniont...4chargers.html

Big Willis 16 · 10-24-2006, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/nandrolone/nandc.htm

It is very similar in structure to the male hormone testosterone, and has many of the same effects in terms of increasing muscle mass, without some of the more unwanted side-effects such as increased body hair or aggressive behaviour.

I searched for the substance that he tested positive for.

http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/nandrolone/nandc.htm

TheCartel · 10-25-2006, 03:11 PM

I always had a gut feeling that Merriman was on the juice. Certainly explains the extra aggression you see out of him though.

Slackker · 10-25-2006, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCartel

I always had a gut feeling that Merriman was on the juice. Certainly explains the extra aggression you see out of him though.

I remember when people used to just assume it was "heart" and "passion". But I guess we know better now.

10-23-2006, 01:21 AM	#2
kq76 Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 11,770	http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...d.php?t=133088 Is Merriman that same player who grew up homeless or something having lived through three fires and is now helping the homeless some way or another? If so, this is a really really bad story with him being such a good story before. __________________ My OOTP Wishlist \| My FAQ List OOTP Wiki \| Your Recommended Team Nicknames, By City (A Crowdsourced Project)

10-23-2006, 01:38 AM	#3
marc Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,505	Now we know why he acted like a freakin psycho after every tackle. __________________

10-23-2006, 01:40 AM	#4
marc Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,505	Seriously though Raderick, I feel for ya. I'm sure you're a big fan of his and while I always suspected David Boston was doing something fishy when he got to the NFL, it still sucked when it was confirmed. Hopefully he gets off this stuff cuz it ruined Boston's career. __________________

10-23-2006, 04:23 AM	#5
Goody Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: South Korea Posts: 3,530	The suspensions are awfully light for using an illegal drug to enhance your power, IMO. __________________ In the past: Laseron Baseball Association creator. Present: I am Rezulm on PT and OOTP Discord. Future: I wish it was the past.

10-23-2006, 04:28 PM	#9
phenom Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Near the Great Wall. On the GOOD side. Posts: 3,763	Steroids? In the NFL?? __________________ reported

10-23-2006, 01:16 AM	#1
Raderick Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: San Diego, California Posts: 2,737	Shawne Merriman suspended for steroids use Ugh. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2635475 Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman has been notified he will be suspended for four games for violating the NFL's steroids and related substances policy, league and team sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen. Merriman's positive test was "definitely for steroids … not one of those supplement deals," said a source with knowledge of Merriman's suspension. Merriman, 22, was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year last season and started in the Pro Bowl after recording 54 tackles and 10 sacks. He also finished with five passes defended and two forced fumbles. Through six games this season, Merriman was second on the Chargers with 5½ sacks. The San Diego linebacker has acquired the nickname "Lights Out" for his hard hits and aggressive demeanor. "Shawne, of course, he's something," Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer said after Merriman won top honors for first-year players. "He's an extremely talented young man who brings it every snap. … He's very, very competitive." Merriman's suspension originally was to be announced last Tuesday when two other NFL players -- the Falcons' Matt Lehr and the Lions' Shaun Rogers -- were suspended for violating the policy. But Merriman reserved the right to appeal his suspension, so it was not announced. The team was on a plane Sunday night and neither the Chargers, nor Merriman, could be reached for comment, though the team was expected to issue a statement later Sunday. Merriman's suspension is the latest on a laundry list of on- and off-the-field issues Schottenheimer has had to deal with this season. From a strictly football standpoint, Merriman's four-game absence decimates a San Diego defense already reeling from injuries. Linebacker Steve Foley was shot in the leg by a off-duty police officer on Sept. 3 and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. Foley's replacement, Shaun Phillips, injured his right calf in Sunday's 30-27 loss to Kansas City and will be out four to six weeks. In addition, defensive end Igor Olshansky is out after having arthroscopic knee surgery and is likely to miss a month. Off the field, the situation has been at least as devastating. Stephen Dunn/Getty Images Shawne Merriman, a first-round pick out of Maryland in 2004, has quickly become a top defender. Safety Terrence Kiel is currently facing five felony drug charges relating to the shipping and possession of large quantities of prescription cough syrup, which is a controlled substance. Although Drug Enforcement Administration investigators said Kiel admitted he shipped at least two packages and knew of the contents, Kiel pleaded not guilty at his arraignment earlier this month. Foley, meanwhile, has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor DUI stemming from his confrontation with an off-duty Coronado, Calif., police officer. Police said that Foley, who, according to his agent, David Levine, is currently unable to walk or stand without assistance, had been partying in downtown San Diego and registered a blood-alcohol level of .233 percent, nearly three times California's legal limit of .08 percent. The charges carry enhancements that include being charged with DUI within 10 years of a prior conviction and having a blood-alcohol level exceeding .15. Foley has been arrested at least five times since 1999, including cases that police say involved alcohol and confrontations with officers. __________________

10-23-2006, 10:21 AM	#7
Raidergoo Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 9,005	Just when I was starting to notice the guy... Hmm, what a waste.

10-24-2006, 12:30 AM	#12
Cowboys3356 All Star Starter Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,572	Steriod use by professional athletes is not a big deal especially if they are monitored by a doctor (which most are). I pay good money to be entertained and these people owe me the best product possible and if that means they make $10 million a year and need to get on the juice then so be it. As a matter of fact I think that the juice should be required on some level. Athletes exist to amuse me, the rest of their life is not my problem. If they don't like using the juice then they should get a job at McDonalds!

10-24-2006, 05:26 AM	#17
Raderick Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: San Diego, California Posts: 2,737	Shawne will be able to play at least two more games due to the appeals process. http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniont...4chargers.html __________________

10-25-2006, 03:11 PM	#19
TheCartel Minors (Single A) Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 59	I always had a gut feeling that Merriman was on the juice. Certainly explains the extra aggression you see out of him though.