Calvin Pace Failed Drug Test Not His Fault?

I’ve always been a guy that thinks steroids and other performance enhancing drugs used in football haven’t fully come to the surface yet. I don’t have any hard evidence but I think the drug testing in the NFL is a little bit lax. I’m not saying it’s like what baseball was in the late 90’s but I think there are more football players than we realize using performance enhancing drugs. I’ve heard different rumors and stories about how players figure out ways around being caught, so it makes me suspicious of a lot of guys in the NFL.

With that being said… Former Arizona Cardinal Calvin Pace who was recently hit with a four game suspension for violating the leagues drug policy said he didn’t know the substance he used was illegal. As fans we’re only left speculating whether the player is telling the truth or not. I think we as fans are often being ignorant when we believe a player didn’t know the supplement he was taking was illegal. The teams trainers extensively go over what substances are banned and what are good to take. So it would take a real brain lapse or great amount of irresponsibility to not know what you were taking.

But in some cases I wonder if these players are telling the truth? I recently put up a blog post and video on former Arizona Cardinal Obafemi Ayanbadejo who was released by the team in 2006 when the Cardinals became aware of a possible suspension due to a failed drug test. As explained in this interview with Obafemi’s attorney, Ayanbadejo didn’t know there was any illegal substances in the supplement he was taking because the company did not properly label its product. Because of this the company was sued by Ayanbadejo and his attorney. The former Cardinal fullback took the victory on the case because the company realized it did indeed mislabel its product.

Maybe some of these players are telling the truth. Maybe Manny Ramirez really didn’t know it was wrong to take womens fertility drugs (I doubt it). I’d explain why I don’t buy his excuse but I don’t have time because I have to get back to work, but I digress. I’m not saying what happened to Ayanbadejo is what happened with Calvin Pace but you never know. But I do know that most of these players have a good idea of what they’re putting in their bodies. So they have to be held accountable for when they break the rules.

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