This is worth reading because the gist of it is to mention how many other players on John Fox's teams at Carolina and in Denver also received suspensions for using PEDS.
Five Carolina players involved either receiving suspensions or national exposure on 60 Minutes include Pep and Brentson Buckner, and two OL and their Punter with having steroid prescriptions illegally filled just prior to games.
In Denver it was 6 players including Von Miller and Wes Welker who received suspensions during Fox's four year term as HC. So that's 11 total prior to coming to Chicago.
In the 12 years from 2001-2013 only four Bears players have tested positive for PEDS. In the 18 months of Fox's tenure we've had four more. Coincidence? Not likely especially not when added to AJs struggle staying on the field last year and once again finding himself playing for that long term deal. I don't think it's a coincidence at all.
We can either take this at face value or discard it due to the source if this report but others back it up. In my book it's just one more log on the fire of John Fox's termination as HC. He's failed at his job and this kind of shit seems to follow him wherever he goes.
It is interesting. I wonder if they've done a similar article on Pete Carrol? Would coaches encourage players to get an edge in any way possible? I can't say they wouldn't...my strength coach in college basically told me I should start saucing. He said "I should talk to "player x" because he's got a really good weight gaining regimen". Player X was a steroid guy and everyone knew it. So is it possible here? Sure is. And had I had a legit shot at making it to the league, I very well may have went and talked to player X, but I didn't...so my decision was pretty easy. Now...I'm gonna pull the curtain back here a bit and let you know that a lot of these guys take something. There's no way they are functioning the next day without it, and to be honest I have no real problem with it. I know pro guys who had their test levels tested when they were playing and they had the test level of a 60 year old man(which is caused by a myriad of factors that come with playing the game)! They should be able to take something for that. I have never recommended anything illegal to any of my players, but that doesn't mean I don't know whats going on in season.
I'm not naive enough to think Fox is the only NFL HC who may have suggested or leaned on guys to juice or use prohibited supplements. But the thrust here is whether or not AJ may have been encouraged to do it because of his 2015 injuries and the need to not go through another year like that.
How much influence Fox may have had in all that we can't say but again his reputation precedes him so it begs the question of whether or not it's a mere coincidence. The fact that he's had 4 players tested positive in 18 months vs only 4 Bears players in the previous 12 years raises some suspicions.
Then again maybe it's this new high-tech super science training staff since they arrived when Fox and Pace did. It may be unfair to point the finger at anyone but AJ but it's the old "where there's smoke there's fire"thing. Ultimately AJ pays the price but you still have to wonder if hints were dropped and someone got careless.
I'm not naive enough to think Fox is the only NFL HC who may have suggested or leaned on guys to juice or use prohibited supplements. But the thrust here is whether or not AJ may have been encouraged to do it because of his 2015 injuries and the need to not go through another year like that.
How much influence Fox may have had in all that we can't say but again his reputation precedes him so it begs the question of whether or not it's a mere coincidence. The fact that he's had 4 players tested positive in 18 months vs only 4 Bears players in the previous 12 years raises some suspicions.
Then again maybe it's this new high-tech super science training staff since they arrived when Fox and Pace did. It may be unfair to point the finger at anyone but AJ but it's the old "where there's smoke there's fire"thing. Ultimately AJ pays the price but you still have to wonder if hints were dropped and someone got careless.
I'm fine with folks who want Fox fired for not getting the job done here. But PED use isn't something exclusive to any one sport, or team or coach. Just look up the stats. Every team in the NFL has had athletes suspended for drug violations (just this year's 2016 list is pretty long). In fact, this is an issue that goes well beyond the NFL athletes.
Blaming John Fox for what Alshon Jeffery puts into his body is a bit of a stretch for me. LOL, I wish there was a "pill" that Fox could take to help him coach better :-)
I personally won't put much thought into this lol it could be as simple as Fox treats his players like adults and doesn't babysit them every minute....idk
I'm not naive enough to think Fox is the only NFL HC who may have suggested or leaned on guys to juice or use prohibited supplements. But the thrust here is whether or not AJ may have been encouraged to do it because of his 2015 injuries and the need to not go through another year like that.
How much influence Fox may have had in all that we can't say but again his reputation precedes him so it begs the question of whether or not it's a mere coincidence. The fact that he's had 4 players tested positive in 18 months vs only 4 Bears players in the previous 12 years raises some suspicions.
Then again maybe it's this new high-tech super science training staff since they arrived when Fox and Pace did. It may be unfair to point the finger at anyone but AJ but it's the old "where there's smoke there's fire"thing. Ultimately AJ pays the price but you still have to wonder if hints were dropped and someone got careless.
I'm fine with folks who want Fox fired for not getting the job done here. But PED use isn't something exclusive to any one sport, or team or coach. Just look up the stats. Every team in the NFL has had athletes suspended for drug violations (just this year's 2016 list is pretty long). In fact, this is an issue that goes well beyond the NFL athletes.
Blaming John Fox for what Alshon Jeffery puts into his body is a bit of a stretch for me. LOL, I wish there was a "pill" that Fox could take to help him coach better :-)
The entire article is speculative. I agree. It simply raises the question of why this type of thing seems to follow John Fox wherever he coaches and it's had it's impact on All Pro level players as much as it has on third stringers simply trying to hold onto their jobs.
AJ, Pep, Miller, Welker and Buckner aren't back end of the roster guys.
It is interesting. I wonder if they've done a similar article on Pete Carrol? Would coaches encourage players to get an edge in any way possible? I can't say they wouldn't...my strength coach in college basically told me I should start saucing. He said "I should talk to "player x" because he's got a really good weight gaining regimen". Player X was a steroid guy and everyone knew it. So is it possible here? Sure is. And had I had a legit shot at making it to the league, I very well may have went and talked to player X, but I didn't...so my decision was pretty easy. Now...I'm gonna pull the curtain back here a bit and let you know that a lot of these guys take something. There's no way they are functioning the next day without it, and to be honest I have no real problem with it. I know pro guys who had their test levels tested when they were playing and they had the test level of a 60 year old man(which is caused by a myriad of factors that come with playing the game)! They should be able to take something for that. I have never recommended anything illegal to any of my players, but that doesn't mean I don't know whats going on in season.
They should let these guys smoke weed . It helps with pain , helps you eat & helps you sleep . But nah - it's always been " hey we know you can't eat , can't sleep , you feel like shit , you don't even feel like walking ... but c'mon out here and let ur mates pound on you some more , quit complaining , everybodys doing it ... now go out there and play like a champion " . Dumb . Seriously it's dumb . Alcohols worse on the body , but it's 'legal' ... so it's ok - but since we're still stuck in archaic 'thinking' about weed it's still verboten . Ufb .