Pubdate: Mon, 13 Aug 2012
Source: Times, The (Shreveport, LA)
Copyright: 2012 The Times
Contact:  http://www.shreveporttimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1019
Author: Glenn Guilbeau

THE HONEY BADGER LESSON

BATON ROUGE - If anything good comes out of the expulsion of Tyrann 
Mathieu as far as the LSU football team is concerned, it will be this.

Current athletes in any sport continuing to smoke marijuana or 
synthetic marijuana or partaking in any other drug use, better light 
up their brains with some smarts. If LSU is going to kick the Honey 
Badger - one of its greatest players in history - it will surely 
dismiss anyone else in a heartbeat.

Tailback Spencer Ware and cornerback Tharold Simon were both 
suspended for a game last season because of positive drug tests that 
revealed marijuana use. They could be next, and they better know that.

Marijuana is prevalent among athletes of all sports - high school, 
college and pro. Yes, it's prevalent in "society," too but that is 
one of the most pitiful excuses on record, often used by coaches. 
"This is society's problem." Blah, blah, blah.

Many athletes love marijuana as stress relief or for recreation or 
for both because it does not give the hangover, the bloating or the 
calories that a few beers or drinks will. Marijuana also has a 
calming, medicinal element moreso than alcohol. Athletes like to come 
down from the hype and stress from a game, practice, film session or 
taskmaster coach. Booze can have the opposite result.

And, also, many people just like marijuana. Even though it is seen by 
some as a healthier and even more cerebral choice than alcohol, it is 
against the law. And it is constantly tested for at colleges 
according to NCAA, conference and each school's substance abuse 
policy in random fashion.

Mathieu was not "cerebral" enough to stop. Maybe he will now. Maybe 
not. If others at LSU follow his example, they will be out of major 
college athletics, too.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom