Texans LB Cushing violates NFL drug policy, suspended four games

[Goldenfleece]

Houston Texans




Posted about 15 hours ago
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Texans LB Cushing violates NFL drug policy, suspended four games

NFL.com Wire Reports

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The NFL announced Friday that Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing received a four-game suspension for violating its policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Cushing, the 2009 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, can practice with the team and play in preseason games. However, he will miss regular-season contests against the Indianapolis Colts (home), Washington Redskins (road), Dallas Cowboys (home) and Oakland Raiders (road). He'll be eligible to return for an Oct. 10 home game against the New York Giants.

Kevin Bentley is the backup at outside linebacker, but the Houston Chronicle reported that Zac Diles will move from the weak side to replace Cushing for four games. Xavier Adibi, a third-year veteran, or Darryl Sharpton, a fourth-round draft pick out of Miami, will take Diles' spot.

"We were disappointed to learn that Brian has been suspended for the first four games of the 2010 season," Texans general manager Rick Smith said in a statement released by the team. "Brian is a productive member of our team and this is a significant loss, but we have to be prepared to win without him."

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Cushing was hounded by rumors of steroid use before he became a pro, but the Texans were undeterred and drafted him 15th overall last year. They said then that they found no truth to those rumors during their draft preparations, and Cushing strongly denied at the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine that he had used performance-enhancers.

"I don't understand where it is coming from," Cushing told NFL.com. "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."

Cushing had promoted a Friday night appearance on NFL Network's NFL Total Access on his Facebook page before posting the following message Friday afternoon: "Had to cancel NFL Network and all other interviews due to a family emergency. Heading to airport to fly back to NJ to be with the fam."

Cushing didn't provide any further details about the emergency. He's from New Jersey and had been in school in California this week.

Cushing posted 134 tackles, four sacks, four interceptions and two forced fumbles while helping Houston go 9-7 -- the first winning record in franchise history. He was a runaway winner over Buffalo Bills safety Jairus Byrd in NFL Defensive Player of the Year balloting. However, Bills safety Donte Whitner suggested Friday on Twitter that the honor be stripped from Cushing.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Now there's a real shocker. He should be stripped of the award. The kid barely made it to the anniversary of being drafted before he got caught.

[Rambunctious]

Just another reminder that we very well may have gotten the pick of the LB litter last year.

[fliptalianstallion]

Well it's a good thing Spags has an amazing ability to distinguish players with or without character flaws.

[RamFan_Til_I_Die]

This picture came out after him and Clay Matthews were rumored to have failed drug tests at the combine last year. You be the judge.

[JPPT1974]

Guy looked rip and it kind of showed he did used steriods.

[makersncoke]

A pro football player doing roids? Wow that's a shock!

[Goldenfleece]

Here's an update on the re-vote for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Thanks to the "Cushing 18", he got to keep the award even after it was announced that his failed test was from the beginning of the season.

On a side note, I think it's interesting that Balzer changed his vote from Orakpo to Laurinaitis.

AP NFL Defensive Rookie Voter Breakdown
By The Associated Press, New selection in parentheses
May 12, 6:32 pm EDT

KEPT BRIAN CUSHING(notes) (17)
Don Banks, Sports Illustrated.com
Bob Berger, Sporting News Radio
Chris Berman, ESPN
Steve Cohen, Sirius Satellite Radio
Frank Cooney, SportsXChange
Mark Craig, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Tom Curran, Comcast Sportsnet
Vinny Ditrani, The Record
Rick Gosselin, Dallas Morning News
Paul Gutierrez, Sacramento Bee
Clark Judge, CBSSports.com
John McClain, Houston Chronicle
Gary Myers, New York Daily News
Danny O'Neil, Seattle Times
Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com
Adam Teicher, Kansas City Star
Charean Williams Fort Worth Star-Telegram

KEPT JAIRUS BYRD(notes) (4)
Brian Allee-Walsh, New Orleans.com
Paul Domowitch, Philadelphia Daily News
Ashley Fox, Philadelphia Inquirer
Armando Salguero, Miami Herald

KEPT CLAY MATTHEWS(notes) (3)
Jim Corbett, USA Today
Tony Grossi, Cleveland Plain Dealer
Kent Somers, Arizona Republic

CHANGED TO BRIAN CUSHING (1)
Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Jairus Byrd)

CHANGED FROM BRIAN CUSHING (19)
Jarrett Bell, USA Today (Jairus Byrd)
Clifton Brown, The Sporting News (Jairus Byrd)
Rich Cimini, New York Daily News (Clay Matthews)
John Clayton, ESPN The Magazine (Clay Matthews)
Bob Costas, HBO/NBC Sports (Clay Matthews)
John Czarnecki, Fox Sports (Brian Orakpo(notes))
Boomer Esiason, CBS/Westwood One (Jairus Byrd)
Mark Gaughan, Buffalo News (Jairus Byrd)
Nancy Gay, AOL Fanhouse (Jairus Byrd)
Bob Glauber, Newsday (Jairus Byrd)
Dave Goldberg, AOL Fanhouse (Clay Matthews)
Ira Kaufman, Tampa Tribune (Jairus Byrd)
Peter King, Sports Illustrated (Clay Matthews)
Matt Maiocco, Santa Rosa Press Democrat (Clay Matthews)
Alex Marvez, Foxsports.com (Jairus Byrd)
Pat McManamon, Akron Beacon Journal (Jairus Byrd)
Dan Pompei, Chicago Tribune (Clay Matthews)
Adam Schein, Sirius NFL Radio (Brian Orakpo)
Frank Schwab, Colorado Springs Gazette (Clay Matthews)

ABSTAINED (3)
Howie Long, Fox Sports
Chris Mortensen, ESPN
Tom Silverstein, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Note: All had Cushing in the original balloting.

CHANGED FROM JAIRUS BYRD (2)
Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Brian Cushing)
David Elfin, Washington Times (Brian Orakpo)

CHANGED FROM BRIAN ORAKPO (2)
Howard Balzer, Fox Sports Net (James Laurinaitis(notes))
Len Shapiro, Miami Herald (Clay Matthews)

[Azul e Oro]

Here's an update on the re-vote for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Thanks to the "Cushing 18", he got to keep the award even after it was announced that his failed test was from the beginning of the season.

On a side note, I think it's interesting that Balzer changed his vote from Orakpo to Laurinaitis.

AP NFL Defensive Rookie Voter Breakdown
By The Associated Press, New selection in parentheses
May 12, 6:32 pm EDT

KEPT BRIAN CUSHING(notes) (17)
Don Banks, Sports Illustrated.com
Bob Berger, Sporting News Radio
Chris Berman, ESPN
Steve Cohen, Sirius Satellite Radio
Frank Cooney, SportsXChange
Mark Craig, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Tom Curran, Comcast Sportsnet
Vinny Ditrani, The Record
Rick Gosselin, Dallas Morning News
Paul Gutierrez, Sacramento Bee
Clark Judge, CBSSports.com
John McClain, Houston Chronicle
Gary Myers, New York Daily News
Danny O'Neil, Seattle Times
Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com
Adam Teicher, Kansas City Star
Charean Williams Fort Worth Star-Telegram

KEPT JAIRUS BYRD(notes) (4)
Brian Allee-Walsh, New Orleans.com
Paul Domowitch, Philadelphia Daily News
Ashley Fox, Philadelphia Inquirer
Armando Salguero, Miami Herald

KEPT CLAY MATTHEWS(notes) (3)
Jim Corbett, USA Today
Tony Grossi, Cleveland Plain Dealer
Kent Somers, Arizona Republic

CHANGED TO BRIAN CUSHING (1)
Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Jairus Byrd)

CHANGED FROM BRIAN CUSHING (19)
Jarrett Bell, USA Today (Jairus Byrd)
Clifton Brown, The Sporting News (Jairus Byrd)
Rich Cimini, New York Daily News (Clay Matthews)
John Clayton, ESPN The Magazine (Clay Matthews)
Bob Costas, HBO/NBC Sports (Clay Matthews)
John Czarnecki, Fox Sports (Brian Orakpo(notes))
Boomer Esiason, CBS/Westwood One (Jairus Byrd)
Mark Gaughan, Buffalo News (Jairus Byrd)
Nancy Gay, AOL Fanhouse (Jairus Byrd)
Bob Glauber, Newsday (Jairus Byrd)
Dave Goldberg, AOL Fanhouse (Clay Matthews)
Ira Kaufman, Tampa Tribune (Jairus Byrd)
Peter King, Sports Illustrated (Clay Matthews)
Matt Maiocco, Santa Rosa Press Democrat (Clay Matthews)
Alex Marvez, Foxsports.com (Jairus Byrd)
Pat McManamon, Akron Beacon Journal (Jairus Byrd)
Dan Pompei, Chicago Tribune (Clay Matthews)
Adam Schein, Sirius NFL Radio (Brian Orakpo)
Frank Schwab, Colorado Springs Gazette (Clay Matthews)

ABSTAINED (3)
Howie Long, Fox Sports
Chris Mortensen, ESPN
Tom Silverstein, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Note: All had Cushing in the original balloting.

CHANGED FROM JAIRUS BYRD (2)
Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Brian Cushing)
David Elfin, Washington Times (Brian Orakpo)

CHANGED FROM BRIAN ORAKPO (2)
Howard Balzer, Fox Sports Net (James Laurinaitis(notes))
Len Shapiro, Miami Herald (Clay Matthews)

Thanks for turning the light on these cynical cockroaches. That has to be a typo, though; surely Ed's name has to be spelled with a "D" as in Douchette. How could a responsible journalist change his vote to a guy accused of cheating? At least Long, Mortensen, and Silverstein had the decency to abstain.

What a sad mockery these popularity contests have become.