Larry Sanders advocates for pot after ban

[rambunctiousrowdyram]

I think Larry honestly needed another year to mature. Like it was good he left as his mind was on the nba and I don’t think we get to the final four if he stays but he really needed time. He saw the dollar signs and was getting media hype which just was too much. It was shame but unfortunately in the nba you have to mature quickly and keep your head down or you can be gone real fast.

 

[TampaKAP]

I don't think the NBA was ever a "goal" for Larry as much as it was a tool. Larry has been an artist for a lot longer than he has been a basketball player. The NBA money has allowed him to not be a starving artist while pursuing his artistic passions.

 

[MobileMunchies]

I 100% feel him on everything he's saying. 4 years working acute care in a psyc hospital lords knows I've seen it in too many ways to sum up in one post, seriously, I could write a book. Imagine if you can, multiple shifts sitting 1to1 with a patient on 24 different meds, mostly administered like dominoes to cover what behaviorally are essentially individual or cumulative side effects of the previous.. being taken off all at once, cold turkey.
And we shouldn't think just because someone is good at something they're obligated in any way to do that thing for the rest of eternity. We should expect and respect someone deciding to step aside after a couple years, and open the door for the next young person in line. Not everyone is cut out to be a lifelong servant to a sport or cause.

 

[WillWeaverRVA]

I 100% feel him on everything he's saying. 4 years working acute care in a psyc hospital lords knows I've seen it in too many ways to sum up in one post, seriously, I could write a book. Imagine if you can, multiple shifts sitting 1to1 with a patient on 24 different meds, mostly administered like dominoes to cover what behaviorally are essentially individual or cumulative side effects of the previous.. being taken off all at once, cold turkey.
And we shouldn't think just because someone is good at something they're obligated in any way to do that thing for the rest of eternity. We should expect and respect someone deciding to step aside after a couple years, and open the door for the next young person in line. Not everyone is cut out to be a lifelong servant to a sport or cause.

The abuse he got from Jason Kidd certainly did not help Larry's mental health struggles either.

 

[MobileMunchies]

The abuse he got from Jason Kidd certainly did not help Larry's mental health struggles either.

It was the perfect way to send a person like him packing once and for all.

 

[buckwheat]

I 100% feel him on everything he's saying. 4 years working acute care in a psyc hospital lords knows I've seen it in too many ways to sum up in one post, seriously, I could write a book. Imagine if you can, multiple shifts sitting 1to1 with a patient on 24 different meds, mostly administered like dominoes to cover what behaviorally are essentially individual or cumulative side effects of the previous.. being taken off all at once, cold turkey.
And we shouldn't think just because someone is good at something they're obligated in any way to do that thing for the rest of eternity. We should expect and respect someone deciding to step aside after a couple years, and open the door for the next young person in line. Not everyone is cut out to be a lifelong servant to a sport or cause.

Good post, and I agree. My wife is a psychologist and we have these types of discussions quite frequently.

There is still such a mental health stigma in this country. The openness to discuss and ability to understand without judgment is severely lacking, IMO.

 

[Mistachill]

Unfortunately we live in a society that has rules (whether fair or unfair) that we either have to conform to, change them and/or suffer the consequences for breaking them. I always felt weed should be legal but until it was if you wanted to play ball you took a risk getting high. It's sad that Larry didn't fulfill his potential as an athlete but he seems content so who am I to judge. I'm just glad to see life seems to be treating him well.

Man it's hard to believe it's been that long since he played here. Time flies!

 

[Reddic-ulous]

Unfortunately we live in a society that has rules (whether fair or unfair) that we either have to conform to, change them and/or suffer the consequences for breaking them. I always felt weed should be legal but until it was if you wanted to play ball you took a risk getting high. It's sad that Larry didn't fulfill his potential as an athlete but he seems content so who am I to judge. I'm just glad to see life seems to be treating him well.

Man it's hard to believe it's been that long since he played here. Time flies!

Weed use in a physical league always comes down to liability. The leagues want to protect themselves in the case that a player does something that could result in a lawsuit. It’s the same reason so many companies still ban it. I think Larry probably could have found a way to “pass” the testing like so many other players have but probably just got to a point where he didn’t care. Got paid and got the free time to do whatever he wanted to do. The man is enjoying his life and now making money on onlyfans. Good for him.

 

[Mistachill]

Weed use in a physical league always comes down to liability. The leagues want to protect themselves in the case that a player does something that could result in a lawsuit. It’s the same reason so many companies still ban it. I think Larry probably could have found a way to “pass” the testing like so many other players have but probably just got to a point where he didn’t care. Got paid and got the free time to do whatever he wanted to do. The man is enjoying his life and now making money on onlyfans. Good for him.

What type of liability are you referring to? Does the same liability exist with alcohol consumption?

 

[Reddic-ulous]

What type of liability are you referring to? Does the same liability exist with alcohol consumption?

Yes, they are actually tested for alcohol at the same time they get the drug test. It’s just that alcohol stays in your body for such a small time that it only comes as a positive if you were actually drinking. It’s basically the same as typical “random” drug tests.

Hypothetical example: player makes a non typical basketball move and injures another player, forces them to have career ending surgery. They sue because the other player was impaired when they hurt them which made them be more aggressive or not aware of how bad of a situation they created. Then the league is on the hook because they allowed the person to be acting in an impaired state.

 

[PRock]

Yes, they are actually tested for alcohol at the same time they get the drug test. It’s just that alcohol stays in your body for such a small time that it only comes as a positive if you were actually drinking. It’s basically the same as typical “random” drug tests.

Hypothetical example: player makes a non typical basketball move and injures another player, forces them to have career ending surgery. They sue because the other player was impaired when they hurt them which made them be more aggressive or not aware of how bad of a situation they created. Then the league is on the hook because they allowed the person to be acting in an impaired state.

most of the pro leagues are not currently testing for THC and none test for alcohol. The NHL does test for THC in addition to other controlled substances, but only flags cases with unusually “high” levels. The NFL also tests for THC but only during a fixed two week window during training camp and have raised the levels that indicate a positive test to a point where a casual user likely would not ”fail“ the test. MLB removed THC from its banned substance list and the NBA has chosen not to test for it since 2020, though THC is technically banned within the current CBA.

The NFL does have some different standards for players in their disciplinary program if they have a history of dependency issues or are under a player conduct agreement. Those situations may include alcohol testing, but it is on a case by case basis.

 

[Mistachill]

Yes, they are actually tested for alcohol at the same time they get the drug test. It’s just that alcohol stays in your body for such a small time that it only comes as a positive if you were actually drinking. It’s basically the same as typical “random” drug tests.

Hypothetical example: player makes a non typical basketball move and injures another player, forces them to have career ending surgery. They sue because the other player was impaired when they hurt them which made them be more aggressive or not aware of how bad of a situation they created. Then the league is on the hook because they allowed the person to be acting in an impaired state.

If that's true, how does law enforcement employ sobriety tests? Also (and I have zero knowledge of this issue), isn't alcohol more likely to cause someone to do something out of character versus weed? I mean, I would think an athlete loaded up on Red Bull is more incline to do what you're describing versus someone on weed. It was always my understanding, if anything, weed would tend to make you calmer on the court or possibly even lethargic. I'm having a hard time following the logic.

 

[rammad90]

Unfortunately we live in a society that has rules (whether fair or unfair) that we either have to conform to, change them and/or suffer the consequences for breaking them. I always felt weed should be legal but until it was if you wanted to play ball you took a risk getting high. It's sad that Larry didn't fulfill his potential as an athlete but he seems content so who am I to judge. I'm just glad to see life seems to be treating him well.

Man it's hard to believe it's been that long since he played here. Time flies!

As someone with legal training it always makes me laugh when someone espouses the "we live in a society of rules blah blah, blah". I've seen that its never that simple if it were, life would be pretty easy.

One person stated that Larry needed another year to mature. Maturation wasnt his issue,. Mental health and healing were his issues. The kid needed intensive counseling from the day he arrived on campus and before.

For those of us not afflicted its easy to judge. Its easy to some Larry's issues as a choice between wants, desires and the requirement to conform. First, its tougher for guys like Larry as they are allowed to break rules without consequence as long as they are winning. Second, the man was severely traumatized as a child. Millions of dollars and adulation of fans wont fix that. You are just a guy who cannot cope and you have a larger platform to act out.

My point is for a person with Larry's issues it wasnt that simple and never binary choice. The choice was and is much more complicated.

 

[Reddic-ulous]

If that's true, how does law enforcement employ sobriety tests? Also (and I have zero knowledge of this issue), isn't alcohol more likely to cause someone to do something out of character versus weed? I mean, I would think an athlete loaded up on Red Bull is more incline to do what you're describing versus someone on weed. It was always my understanding, if anything, weed would tend to make you calmer on the court or possibly even lethargic. I'm having a hard time following the logic.

So on typical drug screenings, an infrequent user of weed can test positive even if they haven’t smoked for a few days. More frequent users a month. People will probably chime in that there are other tests which sure but also most of those are more intrusive and would definitely have a tough time getting approval from the players association. Alcohol can test positive like 12-24 hours which of course can drop more of their body works it off.

I’m not saying one is worse than the other, both would be flagged on a drug test and lead to a suspension. But the difference is a player could drink and smoke the night before with only the weed showing up after a game. From the tests typically done, they would not be able to tell if he blazed up right before the game and was impaired while at work or the night before.

 

[Reddic-ulous]

most of the pro leagues are not currently testing for THC and none test for alcohol. The NHL does test for THC in addition to other controlled substances, but only flags cases with unusually “high” levels. The NFL also tests for THC but only during a fixed two week window during training camp and have raised the levels that indicate a positive test to a point where a casual user likely would not ”fail“ the test. MLB removed THC from its banned substance list and the NBA has chosen not to test for it since 2020, though THC is technically banned within the current CBA.

The NFL does have some different standards for players in their disciplinary program if they have a history of dependency issues or are under a player conduct agreement. Those situations may include alcohol testing, but it is on a case by case basis.

I stand corrected. I thought it was still included in the game day or after game “drug” screens.