Pete Carroll: Matthews/Cushing rumors false

I realize this isn't a USC blog, but given what we've already posted on the front page, I thought I'd throw this up as well to get all sides of the story.

almost 3 years ago David Fucillo 13 comments 0 recs |

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Hey Carroll

Cushy was notified

02/23/09 – Cushing walked up to the podium at his news conference on Saturday afternoon and looked serious, spoke seriously and looked agitated. He knew what was eventually coming, and before long, indeed, it did. "I don’t understand where it is coming from, I was tested last December at USC and passed, one of several tests I have passed. I was tested this morning here at the combine and those results should be out in a couple of weeks to a month, I believe. I think people are trying to find something, anything, that would detract from what I have done on the field. You learn in life if it’s not one thing, it’s the other. I hope once I pass the test here that this will be put behind me. I’m really hoping for that." And that is key. If the combine test shows Cushing steroids free, that should resolve this issue, this whisper turned into rumor turned into questions. He is not the first player at the combine to endure such scrutiny. He will not be the last. It is out there. It has stuck. An NFL general manager, requesting anonymity, said: "We’ve been warned it is an issue and might have been one since high school. We are considering that. As unpleasant as it is, this is an issue with this player that only a negative test here is going to clear up right now. It’s unfortunate, because no one wants to kill the kid, but the issue is a reality." – Thomas George, NFL.com

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=57013&draftyear=2009&genpos=OLB

http://www.49ersboard.blogspot.com

by supraman on Apr 3, 2009 3:39 PM PDT reply actions

notified?

That doesn’t say he was notified of a positive test. It just says rumors popped up and he’s taken drug tests. Nothing about him actually being notified of a positive test.

by David Fucillo on Apr 3, 2009 3:49 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah that doesn't necessarily mean anything

Unfortunately, looks like the rumors of a positive test are false.

I don’t know about Matthews, but to me, Cushing is a lot like Bonds (and while I’m not an $C fan, I love the Giants). For the longest time, there was no concrete proof that he was doing anything wrong, but it doesn’t take a doctor or a human anatomy professor to realize that people’s bodies don’t naturally grow like that. Sure, he’s innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, but for what it’s worth, in the sharkbit12’s court of justice, he’s guilty as charged.

If Matthews is truly innocent, I feel bad for his name being dragged through the mud. But Cushing…he’s had it coming.

by Sharkbit12 on Apr 3, 2009 3:53 PM PDT up reply actions

Guilt vs. Innocence

While he may have “had it coming,” I’m very curious to see how NFLDraftBible addresses this, if in fact the positive tests turn out to be false. That’s one reason I wanted to make sure any posts here only referred to their report (as opposed to stating that they tested positive).

by David Fucillo on Apr 3, 2009 3:58 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah

If they’re threatened with legal action after being presented with proof that the tests were negative, I’d love the drama that would result if they revealed their sources.

by Sharkbit12 on Apr 3, 2009 4:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Differences

Bond’s was always thought to have taken undetectable banned substances.

Cushing more like A-Roid rumors are that he failed a drug test.

Cushing was notified of these “Rumors.”(whether he was in denial at the time, even after being told be league officals is in question). Pete Carroll said the
Anonymous NFL GM

An NFL general manager, requesting anonymity, said: “We’ve been warned it is an issue and might have been one since high school. We are considering that. As unpleasant as it is, this is an issue with this player that only a negative test here is going to clear up right now. It’s unfortunate, because no one wants to kill the kid, but the issue is a reality.”

Pete Carroll

“These rumors are absolutely false,” Carroll said this afternoon. “If they were found positive, Clay and Cush would have been notified three weeks ago, which they weren’t, and all of the NFL teams would have been notified too, which they weren’t.”

We’ve been warned(anonymous NFL GM) = all of the NFL teams(Pete Carroll)

These 2 things go together, don’t they?

http://www.49ersboard.blogspot.com

by supraman on Apr 3, 2009 4:17 PM PDT up reply actions

Typo

~~Pete Carroll said the~~

http://www.49ersboard.blogspot.com

by supraman on Apr 3, 2009 4:20 PM PDT up reply actions

"warned"

It says nothing about who warned them. And what Carroll was talking about the NFL officially notifying a player and the league that the player failed the test. Two completely different things.

There are plenty of rumors about Cushing, but taking those two comments together is mixing apples and oranges.

by David Fucillo on Apr 3, 2009 4:29 PM PDT up reply actions

Okay, if you want to assume

just some random guy is out to destroy Cushing’s life, called up all the NFL teams and warned them of a ~~definite~~ “suspected” positive drug test. Then that’s fine with me.

http://www.49ersboard.blogspot.com

by supraman on Apr 3, 2009 5:07 PM PDT up reply actions

i'm not assuming anything

I’m just analyzing the facts as they’re presented. It wouldn’t surprise me if he failed the drug test. Even if not, it wouldn’t surprise me that he’s used steroids in the past (given the historical accusations and the idea that where there’s smoke there’s fire). At the same time, in this particular instance, there is one independent website stating something with not a single confirmation anywhere else.

by David Fucillo on Apr 3, 2009 5:58 PM PDT up reply actions