If the NFL is found to be at fault for not properly informing players that an over-the-counter dietary supplement contained a banned diuretic, we'll have to wait until the legal process has run its course.
Which is the opposite of how the league's process works when it comes to accusing its players.
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams, as well as New Orleans Saints players Charles Grant, Deuce McAllister and Will Smith, were in the news for weeks before the NFL finally decreed they would receive four-game suspensions for being in violation of the steroids and related substances policy.
At issue is Bumetanide, a diuretic contained in a supplement called StarCaps which can be used for weight loss. The problem was, Bumetanide also is considered a masking ingredient for steroid use and wasn't listed on the StarCaps label.
The NFL Player's Association's attorney contends the league knew about StarCaps containing Bumetanide since 2006 and did little or nothing to notify the players.
U.S. District Court judge Paul Magnuson blocked the five suspensions Friday until he can sort things out.
In the meantime, you wonder if the NFLPA will ever truly get serious about protecting the right to privacy of its constituency.
In theory, the process works like this — player tests positive, for either recreational drugs or steroids, files an appeal, the appeals process runs its course, then the league announces the suspension.
Even the team is not notified until the appeals process is complete.
Unless there is an arrest involved, there is no reason for the player involved to become the subject of scrutiny until the announcement of the suspension.
In actual practice, the system works differently.
By now, you know the drill. Player tests positive for either recreational drugs or steroids, files an appeal, and at some point before the process has run its course, the positive test is leaked to someone in the media.
It's almost as if the NFL makes its decision at a water cooler in its Manhattan, N.Y., office, and the guy sitting at the copy machine nearby has network "insiders" on speed dial.
You ask someone in the NFL about the leaks, and they blame the agents and the players.
Agents can be serial leakers, but usually only when it serves to drive up the price for their client on the next contract.
As for the players, it's not as if they receive their registered letter from the NFL informing them of the suspension and then run to the media to break the bad news.
It stands to reason the only side that gets any benefit from getting the information out early is the NFL, which gets additional time to pat itself on the back for its rigid enforcement of discipline upon the juicers and substance abusers.
If I'm a player, I want the incoming chief executive officer of my union to make this an issue for the next collective bargaining agreement.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/raiders/ci_11157563?nclick_check=1
