Why are NCAA athletes drug tested?

[VolFan4Life87]

Very simple question that I hope spawns a little discussion. I was listening to TSR this morning and there was a lot of talk about athletes failing drug tests, what's done at the college level vs pro's and to me the real question is why are collegiate athletes drug tested to begin with?

How many stud football players have "ruined their careers" over something as harmless as smoking marijuana? I get it in the NFL, the players are employees of a company. I got drug tested prior to gaining employment at every one of my jobs in my life. But these are collegiate athletes, not paid employees. And before you say "they're paid in scholarships, grants, etc." - I got a grant, I wasn't drug tested. I know plenty of people on full academic scholarships, they're not drug tested.

I think collegiate athletes should be tested for performance enhancing drugs as a means of ensuring a level athletic playing field, and that's it. It's not the NCAA's or the individual universities' business who is smoking weed and who isn't, IMHO.

 

[utvolpj]

they receive money from the AD for their education and agree to the terms before accepting. The AD agrees to terms set by the NCAA

if someone doesn't want to live under those rules then don't accept the money

 

[VolFan4Life87]

they receive money from the AD for their education and agree to the terms before accepting. The AD agrees to terms set by the NCAA

if someone doesn't want to live under those rules then don't accept the money

Right, so why is the NCAA setting these terms? Why aren't these the terms for academic scholarships? How do drugs affect sports in a manner that they apparently do not affect academics?

Your argument is basically "Cuz so-n-so said so"

Not bashing, I just want to hear a legitimate reason, because some really good football players have lost golden opportunities because of something I (and many others) feel has ZERO impact on sports.

 

[golfballs]

Right, so why is the NCAA setting these terms? Why aren't these the terms for academic scholarships? How do drugs affect sports in a manner that they apparently do not affect academics?

Your argument is basically "Cuz so-n-so said so"

Not bashing, I just want to hear a legitimate reason, because some really good football players have lost golden opportunities because of something I (and many others) feel has ZERO impact on sports.

Because the NCAA doesn't have anything to do with academic scholarships.

 

[DC Vol]

Also the drugs they are using are, at this point in time, illegal. It doesn't matter if it has an impact on sports or academics.

It is illegal to use.

And I'm not saying I agree with it being illegal... but that's just the way it is.

 

[VolFan4Life87]

Because the NCAA doesn't have anything to do with academic scholarships.

Touche! I suppose I need my morning cup of coffee. That addresses the athletic vs academic scholarship position of mine. I'm still of the position that the NCAA should only worry about anabolic steroids, HGH, etc. Performance enhancing substances.

 

[utvolpj]

Not bashing, I just want to hear a legitimate reason, because some really good football players have lost golden opportunities because of something I (and many others) feel has ZERO impact on sports.

no they lost the opportunities because they were stupid.

when I had a company car I was subject to a drug test if anything happened while I was driving. Now, I could take the chance and hope that no one would rear end me at a red light or I could make the choice to not even chance it because I enjoyed the benefit.

you're trying to make a "pot isn't bad" argument where it doesn't fit

 

[VolFan4Life87]

Also the drugs they are using are, at this point in time, illegal. It doesn't matter if it has an impact on sports or academics.

It is illegal to use.

It absolutely is illegal and I don't condone the use of illegal substances. But why should the NCAA take it upon themselves to actively search for individuals smoking dope?

 

[DC Vol]

no they lost the opportunities because they were stupid.

when I had a company car I was subject to a drug test if anything happened while I was driving. Now, I could take the chance and hope that no one would rear end me at a red light or I could make the choice to not even chance it because I enjoyed the benefit.

Exactly.

If I toked up tonight and got tested on Monday... my arse would be out the door and on the street by COB the day the results came back.

Does that affect my job? No.

Did I use an illegal substance? Yes.

Did I get fired for using an illegal substance? Yes.

 

[DC Vol]

It absolutely is illegal and I don't condone the use of illegal substances. But why should the NCAA take it upon themselves to actively search for individuals smoking dope?

If the NCAA piss tests are anything like the ones the USG uses they test for everything.

Pot, HGH, diuretics... everything.

If it is in your bloodstream and isn't there as a product of your body... they're testing for it.

So they are probably testing for HGH and other performance enhancing drugs and notice marijuana traces. This is almost never a 1st Strike policy but, again, these are athletes that are having their education paid for so they're subject to a different set of rules.

That's just the way it is. I have to abide by those set of rules in my job. I would like to be able to smoke pot but I know that if I get pulled for a test my career is done.

So I don't smoke pot. It's that simple.

My career >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> pot

 

[LebanonVolunteer]

I am fine with random drug testing athletes. I would also be fine with random drug testing regular students who are on scholarship. Hold them accountable and it would clean things up a bit. JMO

 

[TrueOrange]

Also the drugs they are using are, at this point in time, illegal. It doesn't matter if it has an impact on sports or academics.

It is illegal to use.

And I'm not saying I agree with it being illegal... but that's just the way it is.

Bingo bango

 

[snake_anthony]

I bet most people who are "against" marijuana know someone who has been in an alcoholic related car accident.

I don't think Pot would make me beat the $**t out of my wife and kids, for one.

 

[utvolpj]

I bet most people who are "against" marijuana know someone who has been in an alcoholic related car accident.

I don't think Pot would make me beat the $**t out of my wife and kids, for one.

I'm not against pot but the players are entering into a contract where they know the requirements. Complaining about it being unfair after they get caught breaking it is a bit ridiculous. So is complaining about enforcing things they agreed to

 

[TooLegit2Quit]

You're not answering his questions repeating, "they knew the terms of the contract and accepted them so deal with it" over and over. Why do those terms exist in the first place? The NCAA does it for their image, plain and simple. Blah blah blah, focus on the "student" part of "student athlete". No reason they should be tested for stuff outside of performance enhancing drugs.

I'll agree though it's hard to feel sorry for these guys that bust out because they can't sacrifice something so simple for a few years.

 

[utvolpj]

You're not answering his questions repeating, "they knew the terms of the contract and accepted them so deal with it" over and over. Why do those terms exist in the first place? The NCAA does it for their image, plain and simple. Blah blah blah, focus on the "student" part of "student athlete". No reason they should be tested for stuff outside of performance enhancing drugs.

I'll agree though it's hard to feel sorry for these guys that bust out because they can't sacrifice something so simple for a few years.

the reason why is because at this time it's an illegal substance. Not sure that's up for debate

why do companies all over the US test for it? Does me smoking on Sat night affect my job performance on Monday morning?

 

[TooLegit2Quit]

the reason why is because at this time it's an illegal substance. Not sure that's up for debate

why do companies all over the US test for it? Does me smoking on Sat night affect my job performance on Monday morning?

This isn't a job, they're students. Non-athletic scholarship students aren't tested for drugs.

 

[utvolpj]

This isn't a job, they're students. Non-athletic scholarship students aren't tested for drugs.

they are trading services for money

other scholarships aren't subject to the NCAA guidelines

 

[TooLegit2Quit]

they are trading services for money

other scholarships aren't subject to the NCAA guidelines

There's the question again: why does the NCAA force drug testing on athletes?

"It's illegal" doesn't answer that question.

The NCAA trying to pad its image all I can come up with. It really doesn't make much sense when you think about it, but I guess that's the norm for the NCAA.

off-topic: Can you change the name in this thread title to "Andrew" rather than "Patrick"?

 

[utvolpj]

There's the question again: why does the NCAA force drug testing on athletes?

"It's illegal" doesn't answer that question.

The NCAA trying to pad its image all I can come up with. It really doesn't make much sense when you think about it, but I guess that's the norm for the NCAA.

off-topic: Can you change the name in this thread title to "Andrew" rather than "Patrick"?

why does any corp do drug testing? Not sure I understand why that is the sticking point. They test their athletes for illegal substances and that is one of the qualification for competing in D-I athletics. Athletes are given a break on admissions requirements so maybe this makes up for it

thread title changed

 

[therealUT]

Also the drugs they are using are, at this point in time, illegal. It doesn't matter if it has an impact on sports or academics.

It is illegal to use.

And I'm not saying I agree with it being illegal... but that's just the way it is.

Right, but they are just as illegal for an individual on an athletic scholly as an academic scholly. Individuals on the latter are not drug tested. I think this is the point of the OP.

Further, if looking at this from an investment standpoint, the initial investment in the student and in the student-athlete is nearly identical. The expected return, of course, is monumental from most student-athletes (both while they are in school in terms of revenue and afterward in terms of donations), where it is much less from the student on an academic scholarship (donate some from a much smaller salary). However, the return expected from the student-athlete has hardly anything to do with said student-athlete's mental capacity; it is a return based on their physical ability. Most of the risks of illegal drugs are risks to mental ability (at least as far as I understand it). Thus, from the perspective of expected return on investment, it would be much wiser to test the kid on the academic scholarship.

The bottom line is that the NCAA wants to market itself as the exact opposite of what it is. The NCAA is an exploitative organization that cares little about the actual welfare and/or performance of student-athletes as compared to the revenue it can generate through sponsorship. Now, this revenue is maximally generated by feigning that the NCAA actually cares about turning these kids into upstanding citizens: thus, drug-testing and promoting "family-values" by working to get rid of alcohol in plenty of on-campus venues (I think all on-campus venues, right?)

 

[utvolpj]

from everything I've ever been told about the process, you have to be a moron to fail enough tests to get kicked out. Based on personal experience while at UT I believe this to be 99.9% true

 

[govols/cc]

I bet most people who are "against" marijuana know someone who has been in an alcoholic related car accident.

I don't think Pot would make me beat the $**t out of my wife and kids, for one.

If you beat the $**t out of your wife & kids you got bigger problems than pot or alcohol. It's the same old pothead song & dance though.

 

[VolFan4Life87]

You're not answering his questions repeating, "they knew the terms of the contract and accepted them so deal with it" over and over. Why do those terms exist in the first place? The NCAA does it for their image, plain and simple. Blah blah blah, focus on the "student" part of "student athlete". No reason they should be tested for stuff outside of performance enhancing drugs.

I'll agree though it's hard to feel sorry for these guys that bust out because they can't sacrifice something so simple for a few years.

Yeah I agree it's hard to feel sorry for them but it does piss me off still because I just feel like it's not the NCAA's business really, unless the athlete is just blatant about it and then it has to be their business.

Also I remember some of the good players we lost because of this and I'm thinking...damn man, if only it was legal or they didn't test.

 

[snake_anthony]

I wish Onterrio had smoked weed here.