Drugs: What To Do!
It’s hard enough to win on the field. Who needs this?
This actually happened last July. as coaches tolerate? and he’s big.
This Running Back was caught by police with a revolver, a semiautomatic weapon, and a loaded shotgun with the safety latch unlocked. Also on the table was five pounds of cocaine. Anthony (not his real name) was reared under poor circumstances. He did not know who his father was and had no support from his mother. Anthony was a Proposition 48 student and became one under curious circumstances. The last page was missing from his test. But Anthony was a blue chip athlete and was recruited by all the biggies, but they decided not to take a chance. Finally, one school did. The head coach told me, “Greg, I thought we could save him.”
Anthony did make it through the first year and became eligible and had a great Sophomore year. “Anthony was a legitimate number-one draft pick,” remarked his Running Back coach. However, Anthony got a girl pregnant and had no money. The coaches got him a job and, to his credit, one day his car broke down and he took a bus to get to work. But, the lure of fast money was too great. Anthony left spring football incognito and went back to his home area in a big city. He was offered $5,000 to bring back a package. You don’t have to be a prophet to figure out what was in the package. The coaches made Anthony sign a three-page contract before taking him back. Anthony reported every day at 6:30 a.m.
and was asked, “Got your assignments done? Are you going to class? Are you drug free? Are you dealing drugs?” Anthony answered like he was a Boy Scout. Anthony took a urinalysis on the first Monday of each month and the coaches warned him that he was being watched by more than just the local authorities. One coach reflected back, “Most kids would stop when a warning came about the Feds, but Anthony felt invincible.” The police stated, “It’s a different game now. You've got sellers and users. Sellers these days are not necessarily users.”
Since Anthony passed his urinalysis, the head coach only suspected that Anthony was selling and said, “The ACLU would have me in court so fast if I tried to do something (revoke Anthony's scholarship) on suspicion.’
An assistant coach said, “Anthony had some fraternity guys that kept calling. They literally wanted to kill Anthony: A drug dealer took $1,000 and didn’t give them their drugs.
The head football coach who got burned by Anthony They thought Anthony knew how to get the drug dealer, vows: “I’m gonna lick this thing. I’ll do whatever it takes. or get them their drugs, or that he was actually in on it.”
I'm not gonna have drugs at this university. I] guess we Anthony came in soon after the calls began and said, “Coach, I got me a gun.” coaches think we can change ‘em all. Anthony shouldn’t stop us from giving another kid a chance.” With a glimmer Stunned, the coach stammered, “You what!” of hope, he continued: “There’s a new test out which Anthony, now in a different world, cooly remarked, measures changes in eye-flutter speed. It only detects a “I'm not gonna let them get me.” foreign chemical substance in the body, it does not tell you what it is—a urinalysis is needed for that.
The advantage is team: “Men, I’m super glad you’re committed to winning a championship and working your fannies off to reach your potential. But even more than that, men, I’m proud of you for being able to TRUST YOU—that we don’t need drug that anyone can be tested at no cost every day without legal repercussions. You test for overall health problems to see if that individual is fit for practice. If the test is positive, you can give him a urinalysis because that’s probable cause.”
Did Anthony’s teammates know about his drug dealings? Of course they did! But they didn’t know what to do about it. It surely caused dissension and confusion. Minds could not have focused clearly on the objective of being the ever know. You make coaching a joy. I'll best through a team effort. The team had to be distracted. remember you like family, forever.”
We featured Lombardi Trophy-winner Chris Spielman, an Ohio State Linebacker, last year. He stood up at a team The coach looked at the picture of his family on his meeting and told his teammates that if he found out that desk and folded the playbook that he had been preparing anybody was on drugs that he’d personally take care of and slowly stood up, “You gonna shoot ‘em, Anthony?” them. Chris was adamant that he didn’t want to play next “You couldn’t scare him. My next step was to take to some druggie.
Anthony to the state pen and have him talk to the inmates, I applaud that attitude. If you really want to win, the but I was too late with this plan. I asked him Jater about the team should try to take care of things first. If that fails, the gun and he lied. Anthony told me he had gotten rid of it coaches must be informed. That should be a team rule.
Don’t accept any of the standard cop out pleas like: “What five-year sentence for heavy drug sales and another I’m doin’ ain’t that bad, I can handle it,” or “Cut me some mandatory five-year sentence for possession of loaded, slack—it’s just once in a while.” Anthony used all of these illegal war weapons. plus many more. back at the pawn shop. Anthony now faces a “You can’t get those in a pawn shop. Anthony won't Here is an AXIOM: The longer you wait to resolve a have to worry about his pro football contract now. That's drug problem, the more people get hurt and the deeper the for sure,” the coach said. hole the individual will make for himself. The time to I'm not so sure.
l’ve been around professional sports. If resolve a drug problem was yesterday. you can possibly help the team win, management will I asked Anthony’s strength coach about workouts. He quickly forgive and play the humanitarian, second-chance fired back his answer: “Anthony didn’t make his role. The absolute second you can’t help any more, you’re workouts. He didn’t make special workouts. He even came history. Hey, it took the Dallas Cowboys only a matter of late to football practice at times.” hours to try to contract Ben Johnson after Canada’s Black I’ve always felt that athletes who commit to intensive Monday.
Lawrence Taylor goes and plays golf for 30 days strength and conditioning workouts and who are always and comes back to the New York Giants. He didn’t do present are a thousand times less likely to get into drugs. That drugs during those 30 days, but he did drink alcohol. Any individual has paid a price for abilities. He’s not going to addictionologist will tell you that it is pure stupidity to go screw it up with drugs. substitute one drug for another. The problems of Lawrence College coaches need to be much more aware of who Taylor are far, far from over. Well, maybe you can’t do works and who doesn’t.
Skipping workouts should flash a anything about the pros because its purely a business that huge warning sign. | recommend that college coaches put a lives only for today. But high schools don’t need to be that kid’s work ethic and attendence record high on their way and I hope to God our colleges don’t either. recruiting criteria. I could tell you after five minutes with Continued on page 85 77 Defensive Back and co-Captain Jeffery Robinson said, DRUGS: WHAT TO DO! | Continued from page 77 “Everybody has gotten closer together since the incident.
Barry Sanders (on the front cover) that he is not going to We're all like brothers now.” The following week Santa Fe played Tallahassee have a drug problem at Oklahoma State. I was at one Southwest Conference school and the Godby High School, which was ranked in the USA Today ‘aches were trying to decide on which of two Quarter- Super 25. Santa Fe won 21-14, and Dale Scott threw a 58- backs to offer a scholarship. They had been running their films back and forth for several hours with two projectors yard touchdown pass in that upset victory. tunning at once. to reward a strong work ethic. (Anthony was much more We need to have the courage of Larry Bishop.
We need highly recruited than Barry Sanders.) Willingness to work “Dr. Shepard,” they called, “Which one is the best?” I viewed the two kids scrambling and throwing 40- hard and commit to high ideals should be more highly yard touchdown passes. The coaches were trying to regarded by recruiters. Player leadership needs to take a determine which had the faster release or better speed. | more prominent role in combating drugs. Winning teams responded: “Which is the best leader? Which is the most take care of losing problems. Drug tests become sort of a dedicated? Which has the best grades? Which is the best game.
Many will do it until they get caught and then, at the pro level, all that happens for the first offense is some citizen? And which has the best family relationship?” College coaches need to evaluate a lot more than size counseling but by that time it may be too late. Stricter and natural speed. I recommend giving a scholarship to the kid with a little less ability or potential over a better kid guidelines need to be worked out by players and coaches. with a poor work ethic or attitude. Look at the ulcers and feeling of love and concern emanating and abounding in [t should never be coaches pitted against players but a trust between all concerned.
True success and happiness tons of wasted hours spent on Anthony. can never come from drugs and we need to do whatever it It seems like drugs are everywhere and alcohol abuse takes to combat this insidious national tragedy. with athletes is epidemic. Space does not permit me to discuss the many drug/alcohol problems that occurred just this summer. Seventeen players were suspended for substance abuse by the National Footbal] League. Olympic As I finished writing this article, I picked up the diver Bruce Kimball killed two people while driving with a paper and read that David Croudip had died from 20 percent blood-alcohol level, twice the legal limit. A an apparent overdose of cocaine.
Croudip, 29, was woman was denied the opportunity to be on the gold married with a daughter, and had a promising medal] basketbal! team because of cocaine. A Senior career with the Atlanta Falcons. Croudip may have Linebacker at Rutgers faces criminal charges from a headingested more than a gram of cocaine. on collision that killed a teammate resulting from drunken WILL IT EVER END? IT’S UP TO YOU! driving. And the list goes on. However, the vast majority of kids are great and tremendously well. That’s why we try to print so many the high number that will respond. positive stories in our BFS Journal.
Agility:
USA Today reported a great story on how Larry Bishop every day on their own. My son can do it in 47 seconds, handled a crisis with his football team at Santa Fe High and most of my 31 players can do it in under 60 School in Alachua, Florida. Coach Bishop deserves a lot of seconds. If you haven’t seen the BFS Dot Drill, I can tell roses. His starting Quarterback was arrested on drug you—to see a 13-year-old whip through the BFS Dot charges. Coach Bishop suspended his Quarterback.
Drill in 50 seconds is really impressive.
Sixteen teammates walked out because they thought Speed and Plyometrics: You can teach kids at any the coach was wrong. After thinking about it, they age how to run correctly. You want an edge? Teach returned later that same day to apologize, but Coach seventh graders how to run: Less than 1 percent of our Bishop suspended them all for one game. nation’s seventh graders have had this seemingly basic Dale Scott, a Sophomore, took over at Quarterback and opportunity.
Santa Fe got ripped 56-0.
Teach kids how to jump. My son helped me with a Coach Bishop stated: “With the things we preach, it clinic in Georgia. He demonstrated Plyometrics and the would be two-faced to have someone charged with high school Senior basketball players were amazed something like that and still put him on the football field. when Matt jumped from a 20-inch box to another 20- What are the kids going to learn from that?”
Coach Bishop is right. He made a courageous move. inch box, then to another, and then finally popped up on a 38-inch desk. I was even surprised.
I'm glad his kids responded with courage.
Matt said, “Dad, that’s nothing.”
Santa Fe Running Back Orian Lumpkin said: “The coach made a decision and we didn’t understand it. We didn’t think about it enough or give him a chance to finish. We jumped a little fast and it turned out to be a mistake.”
The Seniors were reluctant to try until a 13-year old showed them how. Fifteen minutes twice per week can work wonders.
From BFS Magazine — November/December 1988. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).
