11Jun/0827
Just curious
This got some news coverage again this year and I'm curious: Do you agree with what Josh Howard said about what he does in the off-season?
Here are some of his quotes:
"What can I say? If you can do it and it's not affecting your everyday life, why stop? If I'm able to do it, but not while I play basketball, it lets you know I can quit whenever."
When asked to quantify the extent of his use, he said he got "a little crazy" in high school but uses it "less" now and never during the season.
June 11th, 2008 - 10:15
I know that you stress that you like to keep the comments clean for the kids and I don’t know how clean the drug talk is but here’s what i have heard. I have a former coworker who is close friends with two unnamed former blazers (non Frye teammates)one story involved one of the players being invited to Michael Jordans hotel room after a charity game in japan to hang out and smoke pot. There is another story about being invited to the home of life long elderly Basketball fans to talk hoops and smoke pot. supposedly these fans had been handed down for generations from player to player as cool folks to hang out with since the early days of the team. I’m not saying this to be critical. The place that I tend to get critical of athletes is how quick some of them are to back away from something they see nothing wrong with. What happened to the politically active athletes? Where are Muhamad Ali, World B. Free, Tommie Smith and John Carlos.
I understand wanting to protect your career and lively hood but athletes saying things like “republicans buy shoes too” irritates me. I am always so pleased when I hear about Channing and Greg O. speak their minds about candidates and issues and their communities. I could care less about recreational drug use by any one. But being a role model means speaking the truth even when unpopular and standing up for what you believe is right. That is the only way there has ever been change in the world
June 11th, 2008 - 10:29
Luckily Howard is not a very high profile player, so we’re not headed for another ‘I am not a role model’ Barkley incident. His comments are in line with contemporary medical thinking about Marijuana, and it’s always nice when a player speaks his mind.
On the other hand, if Howard played for anyone other than Mark Cuban, he’d have been released pretty darn quickly.
June 11th, 2008 - 11:09
if he wanted to do drugz he should’ve chosen a low-profile job in a cubicle somewhere, filling out paperwork. if you’re trying to be a sports star, you have to keep it clean for the kids. that’s all there is to it.
June 11th, 2008 - 13:21
hell yeah man, this is portland. anyway, times are changing elsewhere too.
June 11th, 2008 - 16:20
Hey,
I really don’t think its a big deal . He was just speaking his mind, which is very admirable. It’s just funny how the media blew that up.
Thanks for posting that though. It’s refreshing to see you aren’t afraid to post something that is often seen as controversial.
_sophia
June 11th, 2008 - 20:41
I like that he spoke his mind; I don’t like that he’s admitting to using drugs and not caring. No matter what you say, kids are always watching. I remember as a kid I drank in anything anyone on my favorite teams said. David Robinson happened to be my favorite player, and I find myself strikingly similar to D-Rob today. He was a huge impact in my life, as was guys like Avery Johnson, Mark Price, and a few others.
Don’t be fake and say you hate drug users and they should all be jailed for life if you’re Josh Howard, but don’t come out and say you do it all the time and it’s no big deal either.
June 11th, 2008 - 20:49
While I totally believe that smoking pot is pretty benign and non-addictive physically, he is a professional athlete. Certain professions means you have to give something up. To me, if you are an airline pilot, truck driver or any other profession where you have to rely on your reflexes or other physical attributes, you should probably give up marijuana.
Alcohol is actually worse, but the affects don’t linger as long as pot. That is if you drink responsibly.
In any case, a professional basketball career is very short lived (in comparison to other careers), so maybe pot can wait until after your career has ended.
June 11th, 2008 - 21:51
Considering other NBA athletes probably smoke pot (Damon), it shouldn’t be such a big deal.
June 11th, 2008 - 22:09
My only problem with Josh Howard’s comments was the fact that he went on a radio program during their playoff series and talked about his off-season drug use. Poor timing. I took it as an indictment against his coach. I pretty much knew at that moment that Avery was a goner. It’s been widely reported that more than half of NBA players smoke the sticky-icky. Who cares? Just don’t sabotage your team’s season by blabbing about it.
June 12th, 2008 - 01:06
The drug marijuana, and why its illegal is so silly!-serious, if your bored dig a little bit and do some research and you will be surprised for sure. People think the drug is horrible because its illegal, not actually looking at data and its effects on the body. Yes, there are negative effects: addiction, crime, etc.. BUT look at alcohol. Alcohol should be illegal if weed is. Alcohol kills hundreds of thousands of innocent americans each year. Overdose, physical abuse, and drug driving accidents!!! Its terrible. Why is it still legal?? Oh wait, because corporations make so God damn money $$$$>> thats why! Weed: cant overdose, not nearly as addictive, and it doesnt result in the driving accidents the alcohol does. Hmm….. Funny thing, you can destroy your liver with alcohol but you cannot smoke a joint?? And no I am not a pot-head, I am just a realist. We should have the freedom to smoke marijuana as long as it is not effecting other people around us.
back to Howard. As a professional athlete I feel he has given up the right to smoke ANYTHING or even drink ANYTHING that is harmful to the body in anyway. Professional sports are invested in their athletes and their health should be one hundred percent!! Marijuana does cause harm to the body, athletes rely on their body, as you know..
THis rants over, gotta keep studying for finals(not proofing this!)….
June 12th, 2008 - 08:58
wwc+cd?
what would cheech + chong do?
June 12th, 2008 - 09:41
I am no concerned with the use, but the stupidity of making the statement during the playoffs and causing a distraction for your team. That to me shows poor character. I choose not to smoke as I have seen friends lives destroyed by smoking pot. The drug itself may not be addictive, but the feeling they got while high proved to be. Medically I think Alchol and Nicotine are worse than marijuana. Our societal rules though prohibit the use of marijuana and I choose to follw that rule. To each their own just don’t be an idiot and broadcast to the world that you break the law and enjoy it.
June 12th, 2008 - 10:39
I can’t really say weather or not smoking pot affects Josh’s game but I can disagree with him making it public. From a business standpoint – it’s just idiotic.
With that said, I highly doubt less than 25% of our pro athletes don’t dabble in some kind controlled substance use during their off seasons. It’s just the state of today’s culture.
June 12th, 2008 - 12:09
Okay first of all Josh Howard made the comments a year before he was in the finals. Henry Abbot just decided to publish them during the playoffs, which was not Josh Howards fault. The link at the bottom is to Abbott talking about the interview. Secondly, about 50% of Americans have tried pot (according to a Time/CNN poll) so why should Josh Howard be criticized for not lying when he was directly asked a question? While I think that yea kids shouldn’t be told that some of their favorite players smoke pot, the outrage over the comment is the only reason why any kid has ever heard it. if everyone had just been cool with it, none of their children would have heard about it, just ridiculous.
June 13th, 2008 - 07:46
I always think twice about doing ANYTHING that might make lots of people question my judgment.
June 13th, 2008 - 13:06
There’s a whole range of things said here and I appreciate everyone speaking their opinions. However, correct me if I am wrong, please.
A person uses pot to get high. Being high impairs one’s ability to function “normally” and judgement.
What would be the “justification” if someone used pot to get high and with their judgement impaired decided to drive from point A to point B.
Enroute, they are involved in a traffic crash and someone is killed.
Can anyone come up with an answer to give the deceased person’s loved ones as to WHY I decided to get high and drive? Think about it. Same can be said for alcohol and/or any other type of drug.
I understand that athletes are role models (whether they want to be or not), but even more important than how they are perceived by the kids (or fans) is their own perception(s) of themselves.
Do the right thing.
Cuz Pete
June 15th, 2008 - 04:45
hearing carmello say republicans buy shoes too made me wanna punch that guy, hes so fake! We all know jordan said that back in the day and mello just copys him cause hes a ignorant dumbass who probably doesnt even know if the president is a republican or democrat. Once again the Denver Thuggets showing there class.
June 16th, 2008 - 09:37
I think that Josh Howard was probably ill-advised to make those comments to a reporter. Illegal drug use by celebrities – athletes included – is nothing new, but it’s not necessarily something a player or well-known personality should really bring attention to, especially in a case where it’s not forced (DUI, arrest, etc.) or spun positively (I used to do ___, but now I don’t).
Personally, I think that marijuana use should be decriminalized (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decriminalization_of_non-medical_marijuana_in_the_United_States), but at this point, it’s still illegal. While I have no problem with people using it recreationally – as people do alcohol – there are still legal ramifications that sometimes kids and teens don’t understand, especially when public figures dismiss them.
Basically, the professional sports world doesn’t need any more athletes who come across as trying to live “above” the law. We need more people, like you, to show the world that professional athletes are people – people who have talents and interests and ideas, even outside of the sports world. And if they want to do other things privately, it should be kept private.
June 16th, 2008 - 16:13
It’s never, ever refreshing or cool when celebrities speak their mind on divisive political/social issues. Let’s assume for the argument that the meathead didn’t just say something totally stupid like he uses illegal, mind altering drugs for fun. let’s just say he told everyone who he is going to vote for. He just alienated half of the people who otherwise were fans. Most Americans are smart enough to take it with a grain of salt, but even the thoughtful ones still will have that natural underlying resentment. Sports, movies and the media is a business most of all. And I wont buy the jersey (for example) of a known doper or communist. Speaking out like this is always bad business.
There’s no denying that the intelligent thing to do is if you want to abuse drugs or undermine your counrty, keep it to yourself. For the general public: Ignorance is bliss.
June 16th, 2008 - 23:31
I agree with the thin man. i don’t want to know any ones opinion on any thing. I am so easily offended by other peoples thoughts that I can hardly bare to read a book or news paper, I mean what if there is a gray area or an opinion where I expected a fact. Or worse yet a fact that contradicts something I already thought was truth. That undermines democracy! wait a second… AM I READING AN ATHLETES BLOG!?! Not only might the buffet of goodness say something that I don’t like, but he’s provided a forum where any fool might spout off on some tyrannical communist rant. I am definitely not going to buy the jersey of any pale guy with a ponytail who smokes the dope and then posts on a message board. I know that when i spend my money I vote with my dollar and there is nothing that pasty ponytail dudes value more than money. They’ve bought a 42 inch LCD plasma t.v. that needs to be payed of in at least 84 months and if they want to risk their livelihood just so that they can say something like John McCain is mentally unstable or George W. Bush and Dick Cheney are war criminals they do so at their own peril. This is the United States of America and we will not tolerate the opinion of any one delusional enough to exercise their freedom of speech. Especially if they have ever smoked pot or played basketball. Don’t get me started about golfers.
and a shout out to cuz pete I missed the part of Josh Howards interview where he talked about how much fun he has getting high and driving his car. I agree, that sounds unsafe.
June 16th, 2008 - 23:44
Cuz Pete,
Does the same thing go for alcohol in your mind?
June 17th, 2008 - 05:01
Admiralo,
Yes, same holds true for alcohol, in my opinion. I do not agree with drinking and driving, or using any “mind altering drug”, prescription or otherwise. Yes, prescription DRUGS! Ever get a script that tells you “Do not operate heavy machinery” while taking this medication?
Until / Unless the current laws are changed, one must be prepared to deal with the consequences. Other than the law, one must still be prepared to deal with the consequences. One doesn’t have to lose thier life in a traffic crash, although that is a distinct possibility. One can wind up a paraplegic or a quadraplegic (sp) or, if the cause of the crash, (usually when DUI and a life is lost) prison is an distinct possibility too.
As for myself, I prefer to remain drug free and once in awhile, I’ll have a few beers at home. If I’m outside of my home, then “The Boss” drives. No if’s, ands, or buts.
Peace
June 19th, 2008 - 18:55
I’m glad him and David Harrison both came out with some comments this year, but I think Howard’s timing was off. In my opinion the criminalization of marijuana is one of the biggest legal shams in the country.
Why are people who have a few plants put in prison at $50,000+ a year when so many of our schools are crumbling and there isn’t even money to treat people who have dangerous addictions?
The best way to reduce drug related violence is to take the financial incentive away. If drugs were legally sold, controlled, and taxed, the illicit dealers wouldn’t have the market cornered, and money could be spent on infrastructure, education, and treatment.
The warlords, paramilitaries, and “rogue nations” our ignorant leaders are threatening make the vast majority of their money by growing coca, opium, or marijuana and selling it to people halfway around the world. It’s ironic that American heroin consumption is the backbone of the Taliban and has no doubt financed actions leading to the deaths of many Americans.
June 19th, 2008 - 23:26
I teach first grade and totally promote my love of the Blazers! Your poster is up in my classroom, and I give away your team posters and old jerseys in my weekly drawing out of our treasure box. I would be sad if one of the Blazers was speaking out about what they choose to do in their off time, when what they are doing is illegal. Hopefully, Howard will learn to keep his mouth shut! Little ones idolize their basketball heroes…if I am trying to teach my little guys to be builders of PEACE, guys like Howard are NOT setting good examples.
June 20th, 2008 - 06:58
I think what a person chooses to do on his own time (esp. during the offseason) is his own business, until it affects his job. Josh Howard is an excellent ball player and an all star, and should be given the benefit of the doubt. He’s no “Jail Blazer” type, in my opinion; he’s a hard-working young man who has admited a truth about his lifestyle in a public forum. For that, I have MORE respect for him, not less.
As far as the ‘role model’ status goes, there are lots of players in both the NBA and other pro leagues that are much much worse role models than JH. I bet if you do a survey, you’ll find a surprisingly large portion of the US population has smoked pot. It’s a question of responsible use, just like with alcohol…
June 30th, 2008 - 05:47
Drugs are bad… mmmm kay…
No really they are. I have a couple of issues.
1.) I don’t understand.
I don’t understand why people feel the need to get high and escape when there are plenty of natural highs out there.
2.) It slows down your reflexes.
Damon, when he stopped smoking, came back with “wow… my reflexes are so much faster!” like he was surprised. I’d want the guys on my team to be the best they could be and that means NO SMOKING POT!!!
3.) Role model
Athletes are role models. What they say and do is mimicked by others. Coming out and stating “mmm pot is delicious in brownies” is just a bad idea.
4.) It’s illegal.
I always say that it’s important to know what the law is and why it’s there so you know what laws to break appropriately. That said, it’s still illegal.
While I may not have an issue with pot, I DO take issue with guys on the sports team I root for using it. It means that they’re not performing at their best. It means that they’re breaking the law. It means that they’re being poor roll models.
To me, that’s just not cool. I’d want any blazers that were using off the team. The Jailblazers are gone, and frankly I’d like to keep it that way.
March 9th, 2009 - 20:47
its a plant…yeah its illegal but not for long and what else are they gonna do during the off season besides relax? some people need to realize marijuana is NOT a drug