Harrison disagrees with drug policy

[Charcoal Filtered]

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a ... 8/SPORTS04

I cannot wait for this brickhead to be gone.

"There's the politically correct thing to say, there's the basketball player thing to say and there's what I really want to say," Harrison said.
Pressed for comment, he said:
"I don't understand how they have a right to look into our lives on any level besides performance-enhancing drugs.
"It's not a rule made by government and it's not a rule made by God; it's made by an organization (the NBA). I guess they feel it will benefit that organization."

Did Ricky Williams advise him on that speach?

[jeremy1215]

Does he not know that drugs can really impair working on your game? If he was high all the time, does he really think he is worth 2-3 million a year?

[CableKC]

Harrison just doesn't know how to leave "good enough" alone.

He could have just slinked away, said nothing, show what he's capable of doing on the court and EVERYONE ( except for TPTB ) would have forgotten about this by the start of the offseason when he's looking for a new job with another GM.

But noooooo....he has to open up his mouth and say something stupid.

[mizzoupacers]

I'm sympathetic toward the privacy issues that Harrison raises. I would resent it if my employer required me to pass a drug test. I mean, I am drug-free, but I shouldn't have to prove that--my work performance should speak for itself, and what I do in my free time is really not any of my employer's business. It's a slippery slope once you start allowing employers to evaluate employees for anything other than work performance.

That said, Harrison is a dumbass.

Drug use may or may not be a contributing factor toward his poor work performance. Most likely, it is a factor. But that's on Harrison. The Pacers should be showing him the door at the end of this season based on his failure to develop as an NBA basketball player. That's all they really need to know, or really have a right to know, IMO.

[Charcoal Filtered]

The drug policy was put into the CBA for a reason though. It is Harrison's choice to play in the NBA. Failing three tests speaks volumes as to how stupid this guy is. Stupid or hard headed.

[Scoot McGroot]

Yeah, I'd be more than ok if he was moved immediately for little to nothing in return. So long as we got another expiring contract in return, pick, or trade exception, I'm ok.


He just doesn't get it. He could be a good player, but he just doesn't get it.

[mizzoupacers]

The drug policy was put into the CBA for a reason though. It is Harrison's choice to play in the NBA. Failing three tests speaks volumes as to how stupid this guy is. Stupid or hard headed.

Well I agree that if I belonged to a union, and my union consented to let management conduct drug tests, then my choices would be either to comply, or to find another place to work.

Thankfully, I am not in that situation.

[Scoot McGroot]

Yeah, we all know you're hopped up on 'goofballs' there mizzou.

[PR07]

Harrison knew the policy, got caught 3 times and is now complaining about it? If he doesn't think it's fair, then he'll just have to give away his millions (which he's basically doing right now) and go find work elsewhere. I know that if I'm an employer, and I'm paying a guy millions for his physical performance that I want him keeping his body in great shape. I don't know the extent of which drug use hurts the body...and it's not a debate I want to enter, but I know it certainly doesn't help. Harrison needs to grow up and realize that he's on a hot ticket to being jobless in the near future if he keeps this up.

[APerna]

He made a mistake by saying those things, but you know half of the league thinks the same way. Where he was really wrong was just his entire misinterpretation of laws and regulations in the country, not just the NBA.

Does he not know that marijuana possession is illegal in the United States as well as the NBA's CBA?

[Devin 1L]

I just read this on FoxSports.

David Harrison chose his words carefully, seeking refuge in political correctness. Still, the Indiana Pacers center wasn't happy with his five-game suspension for violating the NBA's drug policy. Harrison had three positive tests for marijuana and was sent home from the team's Western trip two weeks ago. "There's the politically correct thing to say, there's the basketball player thing to say and there's what I really want to say," Harrison said. Pressed for comment, he said: "I don't understand how they have a right to look into our lives on any level besides performance-enhancing drugs. "It's not a rule made by government and it's not a rule made by God; it's made by an organization (the NBA). I guess they feel it will benefit that organization."

Actually, David...

[JarrettJackSG]

He does raise an interesting point about government, especially with the recent court cases...

[IndyPacers67]

I'd love to fire up a fat one with David.

[glasket]

I don't understand why we play Harrison instead of Ike then.
If he is not going to be here next year we may as well give his minutes to Ike

[JarrettJackSG]

Harrison is bigger, is a better defender at this point, and is arguably our best blocker?

[TSC25]

But is play on the court is lazy so you had to figure he was smoking something.

[shackles10]

I guess Harrison was unaware that marijuana actually is illegal according to the US government. He's the thing about drug-testing and pot. Nobody is going to condone you doing it, but the test isn't really there to catch you smoking dope either. It's just that it's one of the things they catch when testing for the rest. Since it is illegal though they have to punish you just as they would if you were on crack or something "more serious", and I use that term loosely.

David, you belong to a union that protects you as a young millionaire. How they protect you is that the people that make it possible for you to earn millions (the fans) don't want to root for you when you're doing that for the most part, so the union discourages you from doing it and punishes you if you do. It's not because they want to pick on you and break your privacy boundaries, but go ahead and keep passing the blame of your own problems onto others. By others I mean the ones that make it possible for you to make more money in one injury-riddle, poorly played season than most of us will make in our working lives. Let me take this moment to tell you how truly sorry I am that someone made you urinate into a cup. Next time the opportunity comes to sit on the bench with a mohawk THE Reggie Miller has picked out for you, for free even, let one of us know and we'll gladly trade you places. I think we'd all be willing to pee in a cup in front of a crowd for that opportunity.

/Rant

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

What type of drugs did he use?

I'm assuming since he said "not a rule by the Government" that it wasn't anything illegal. If it wasn't illegal and wasn't performance enhancing drugs then I really don't see why it should be made a big deal. It could be pain medicine, I mean I have no clue, I'm not going to say it was this, I'm just saying some possibilities.

That being said, he still should have kept his mouth shut. Has anyone actually seen Harrison when his mouth isn't wide open?

[Devin 1L]

What type of drugs did he use?

I'm assuming since he said "not a rule by the Government" that it wasn't anything illegal. If it wasn't illegal and wasn't performance enhancing drugs then I really don't see why it should be made a big deal. It could be pain medicine, I mean I have no clue, I'm not going to say it was this, I'm just saying some possibilities.

That being said, he still should have kept his mouth shut. Has anyone actually seen Harrison when his mouth isn't wide open?

Harrison had three positive tests for marijuana and was sent home from the team's Western trip two weeks ago.

[Orlock78]

As a member of the Air Force, I take drug tests on a regular basis, and I do so that I can have the right to take home my paycheck, and have benefits for my family. Also I knew what I was signing up for, I CHOSE to join the military. Nobody MADE me do it.

Harrison will never be in harms way playing professional basketball. He gets paid millions of dollars to do something some people would do for FAR less or free. And he is pampered and protected by a union and organization that looks to protect him from himself and others. But most of all HE CHOSE to join the NBA. He could have done anything he wanted. He could have worked at Taco Bell and went home every night and Smoked Weed.

When it comes down to it, the NBA and the PACERS are a private organization, who's objective is the same as any other buisness, to make money. And if they want to drug test their employees, they have every right to do so.