Brown Hoping for Reduced Suspension

[ramsplaya16]

Brown Hoping for Reduced Suspension
Monday, July 30, 2007

By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer

For all of his football playing life, Fakhir Brown has
spent his preseasons preparing for the season opener.
This year, things are a bit different and the
adjustment has been tough for the Rams’ cornerback.

“I had been thinking about it and I just kind of
prepared myself for it,” Brown said. “It’s been a long
time going into a camp knowing that I wasn’t going to
be able to play so it’s kind of difficult.”

Brown’s training camp difficulties stem from a July 13
suspension from the league for what was termed a
“violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy.” The
suspension has Brown scheduled to miss the first four
games of the NFL season.

But Brown has appealed the suspension and is hopeful
that his side of the story will be enough to get it
reduced or, best case scenario, eliminated altogether.
At the time of the suspension, the league did not give
details on the suspension, but Brown says he did not
fail any kind of drug test.

Rather, Brown says a miscommunication between he and
the NFL’s testing services led to a missed test which
in turn resulted in a suspension.

“I was out of town and things get mixed up, there’s
new guys working and they are just doing what they are
told,” Brown said. “It’s just a misunderstanding.”

The NFL drug testing policy allows the testers to come
to a player’s home and administer a test to players in
the program without warning or notice. If a player is
out on vacation or somewhere other than the address he
has given the testing service, he must call and tell
the testers at what address he can be found.

In Brown’s case, he says he informed the testers he
would be out of town for the Fakhir Brown Football
Camp in his hometown of Mansfield, Louisiana. Brown
says he gave an address in Shreveport, where he was
staying while the camp was in Mansfield.

When the testers came, Brown was nowhere to be found
and says he was suspended for missing the test.
Because Brown was already in the program, the missed
test is a suspendable offense.

“It’s tough,” Brown said. “But that’s just how life
is. Sometimes when you are in the right you get
accused of doing something wrong and there are times
when you are wrong and you get away with it. That’s
life. You just have to deal with it.”

While the Rams are moving forward as though they will
be without Brown for the first four games, he is
maintaining hope that he will be allowed back. He is
practicing with the team during training camp, but his
repetitions have been up and down as the team is
trying to prepare someone else to handle the starting
duties at the beginning of the season.

“We get a lot of repetitions so you can get Fakhir enough,” coach Scott Linehan said. “We worked him the
last two practices a little more with the first unit
so he is in there and getting his reps he is going to
need. He is going to be playing in the preseason a lot
too so he’s going to get a lot of snaps as well so
that he doesn’t miss out on the snaps he is going to
need when he gets back.”

Brown is also acting as the wise veteran for the young
cornerbacks such as Tye Hill, Ron Bartell and Jonathan
Wade. He spent the first few practices getting limited
repetitions and when he did get them, he got them with
the third team defense.

In the past two days, though, Brown has been getting
more and more opportunities with the starters as the
Rams find a balance between getting Brown ready for
his return and someone else ready to fill in for him
in the meantime.

While Brown isn’t sure when it will happen, he is
anticipating a meeting with Commissioner Roger
Goodell. In that meeting, Brown hopes to plead his
case.

“We have a lot of new workers that are working for the
NFL and they are just doing their job so I am going to
have to wait to talk to the head man and just go from
there,” Brown said.

Meanwhile, Brown is hoping to do enough to ensure that
he still has a starting spot when he does return to
the field full time.

“That’s just how it is,” Brown said. “If you are not
in camp working with the first team you can get your
job taken away. I’m just going to have to go with
whatever the coaches decide to do. Hopefully I have a
good chance.”

[jjigga3000]

Guess some of you have to take back what you said about Fahkir

[ramsanddodgers]

Well, there it seems is Fakhir's side of the story and the side I'd like to believe.

More likely though is the absolute truth lies somewhere midways between the two, and I hope, for Fakhir's sake, he is closer than is the NFL henchmen.

[ramsplaya16]

like a famous saying (i think its famous?)

theres 3 sides to a story, your story, their story and the truth

[RamsFan16]

I hope that Fakhir appeals, and his appeal is won. If indeed thats the reason why he wasn't there (that he was attending his youth camp) and he got suspended for that. Its not fair and I think the appeal should be won by him.

Good luck Fakhir.

[laram0]

Who? Fakhir Brown

What? Drug Test

Where? Some address in Shreveport,La.

When? No day or time info given??????????????????

Poor communication? Or lack thereof?

[helorm341]

I'm guessing it would be pretty easy to prove wether or not he was at his own football camp or not. Doesn't sound like he was on the run from drug testing, I hope for him and the Rams he wins this appeal.

And these drugs testers will come to anywhere in the world if you're on vacation? Wow, I didn't think it was that exstensive.

[general counsel]

Here is my view. If he claims its a misunderstanding and he missed the test only because he was at another location (ie a football camp), he should have been in the nfl office the next day with his tripod unslung and ready, willing and able to immediately drain the main vein into a cup. That way, while he might be penalized for technically violating the policy, the league would at least know that he was clean since masking in a 24 hour period is pretty unlikely. Missing the test and then not testing immediately after the fact makes you look very very guilty.

I dont know the specific facts, but i would sure love to know whether he tested immediately after the date he missed the appointment.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[Fargo Ram Fan]

It makes no sense really. He has known for WEEKS that he's suspended for the 'missed test'. Suddenly...TODAY... he comes out with this "I was just helpin the kids, man" defense.
If this were me I would have called a presser and SCREAMED my innocence (if I WERE innocent) to the world the day the league smacked me with the suspension. Why do you wait so long? Additionally, MANY masking agents are readily available which will produce a clear pee test within a scant few HOURS of drinking it. Perhaps the league is testing blood as well as urine...in which case...youre screwed no matter what you do.

[VegasRam]

Gotta agree with the above posts. Why's he wait so long, and..... he is ALREADY in the program.

Personally, I don't have a big problem with grass, but...Rules is Rules. He's probably guilty, and took three weeks to come up with a story.

[jjigga3000]

Could it have been he wasn't allowed to talk about it until then. Man people are so ready to judge. I have to wonder if the color of his skin has to do anything with it. There are many ways to fail a drug test, Cough Syrup, Certain kinds of headache medacine, weed, coke, missed appointment.

I don't know this guy to be a liar, so I have no reason than to believe his word. That's all a man has is his word, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

We'll never know the truth fully so at this point I'll believe the fact that it was a breakdown in communication. I would never want any of you as my peers, if I was wrongfully accused.

[r8rh8rmike]

There is no doubt that this could be a simple misunderstanding, but it's impossible to determin without knowing what the procedures are. To what lengths are the testers required to go through to track down palyers for testing? Do they have phone numbers to access the players or their agents? Was the testing date pre-determined or was it a surprise visit, because Brown certainly can't be expected to be in a specific location 24 hours a day. The NFLPA and the league have to have set guidelines for the process and obviously, something was not properly followed.

I want to give Brown the benefit of the doubt and there has got to be way more to the story. I hope it works out for him, but I have my doubts.

[VegasRam]

Jigga - I hope you're right. I was actually glad to see he's appealing the ruling.

On the other hand, I think our questions or reservations or whatever are valid and reasonable, so the race card shouldn't be an issue.

[Keenum]

If he had FAILED the test, then I would have seen no problem with the suspension. Since there was a MISCOMMUNICATION that did not appear to be his fault, I don't see a reason for a suspension.
Hopefully the NFL will review his case and do the right thing.

[RebelYell]

missing a drug test is equal to failing a drug test for one simple and obvious reason. He will not get his suspension reduced. If the NFL allows this every player who suspects he might fail will just not show up for the test.