Browns' Ryan Tucker suspended for four games

[Al.]

BEREA, Ohio (AP) - Desperate to resume his career, a "down and out" Ryan Tucker risked his football future by taking steroids.
He'll pay for it — and so will the Browns.
Tucker, Cleveland's rock-solid right offensive tackle, was suspended Friday for the first four games of the season for violating the NFL's policy on anabolic steroids and related substances.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7086806?MSNHPHMA

[MUCSteelers5xSuperChamp]

Al.

Steroids will NEVER beat the Pittsburgh Steelers (1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 2005 world champions)!

I have to go update my Steelers website and let everyone know what has just happened! Tucker will never learn and if he was trying to juice up...he just suffered greatly!

Go Steelers! Now I'm really going to strut my new Steelers stuff now come week 1!!

[longtimefirsttime]

I had heard some buzz about this a few weeks back but when I didn't see anything in the press, I figured it was just rumor. Unfortunately it's true. He has issues.

[RAPTOR]

Cleveland's whole team has issues!

[The Butler]

Wonder if this had anything to do with last years "mental disorder"?

[DAWGH8R]

At least he MANNED UP, and admitted that he did something wrong. He gets more respect from me for that.

At least he didn't use the : " I didn't know ! ",, or " I got a bad batch of vitamins" defense .

[austinsm11]

At least he MANNED UP, and admitted that he did something wrong. He gets more respect from me for that.

At least he didn't use the : " I didn't know ! ",, or " I got a bad batch of vitamins" defense .

I thought the same thing.

From what I have read it does relate to the mental disorder. He was very depressed and didn't think he would make it back to the football field. He felt steroids were the only thing that would help him get back.

[Kamd50]

Please don't make any excuses for the man. His selfish acts just cost the whole team. It's not like he is some kid that didn't know any better:thumbsdown:

[austinsm11]

Please don't make any excuses for the man. His selfish acts just cost the whole team. It's not like he is some kid that didn't know any better:thumbsdown:

It was serious enough for him to miss how many games last year. He may have realized it was wrong but depression and other things can make you do all kinds of things you normally won't. From as serious as it was, the Browns are lucky he will be playing at all this year.

[Kamd50]

Obviously his depression is public knowledge, which would include the team physicians, etc., not to mention the coaches and owners. In which case, his medical condition certainly would have been given attention to and should have included treatment with legal and prescribed medication for the explicit treatment of depression; along with professional counseling. If this would have been done, (and maybe it was), he would not have any excuse such as suffering from depression as an excuse to use steroids.

I know perfectly all too well about clinical depression and still do not accept that as an excuse for doing something that puts himself and his team's future at risk. I have no use for any of these professional athletes who set such a ****poor example for America's youth. They make me sick!

Bye the way, I don't recall anyone offering any excuses for that wrestler's use of steroids when he committed that murder/suicide a little while back. People were quite hostile towards him. Should we be more tolerant of athletes who get caught using steroids as long as they have not hurt anyone else? I don't like the message that sends.

Personally, I wish they would boot these guys out on their ear when they get caught juicing. I am sure that they all know that isn't what is going to happen to them right away if they do get caught, so they do as they please and take their chances. He is the one that is lucky he will be playing at all this year. Boy, this really makes me wanna sit there with my son and cheer for him to do well when he does get out there to play for our favorite team now:bomb:

[austinsm11]

Obviously his depression is public knowledge, which would include the team physicians, etc., not to mention the coaches and owners. In which case, his medical condition certainly would have been given attention to and should have included treatment with legal and prescribed medication for the explicit treatment of depression; along with professional counseling. If this would have been done, (and maybe it was), he would not have any excuse such as suffering from depression as an excuse to use steroids.

I know perfectly all too well about clinical depression and still do not accept that as an excuse for doing something that puts himself and his team's future at risk.

So then you are probably aware then that it can take a long time to get it under control then with trying different medicines until they find one that works for the particular patient. We are talking several months here, sometimes longer. (BTW, do we even know for sure it was depression or could it have been something else?) You are probably also aware that many people with depression have no energy and are tired a lot. They also have problems with decision making. If he was too tired to lift and keep in shape, maybe he viewed this as the only way to get his career back and made a poor decision. We are talking about someone's carreer and how they support their family.

Should we be more tolerant of athletes who get caught using steroids as long as they have not hurt anyone else?
Ummmm....yeah. You are going to view someone who cheated the same as someone who cheated and then committed murder? I don't care for people who get sloppy drunk out at bars or clubs, act like fools, and throw up all over the place and a (sober)friend drives them home. I'm not going to put them in the same category as someone who has too many drinks and then drives home and kills an innocent person.


This is a guy struggling with mental issues who viewed this as the only way to get his career back. It was wrong. At least he admitted it and didn't blame others (kenny peterson). At least he is taking his punishment as a man and not trying to appeal the decision (shawne merriman?).

This man made a mistake and is paying for it. Everyone makes mistakes.

[Kamd50]

Oh please, "talking about someone's career and how he supports his family"..... these guys make more in one year than a lot of people do in their entire lifetime:thumbsdown:

[Tiger2001]

...but it is how he supports his family. 20K a year or 20Mil a year. Dont be jelouse.

[MRSDAWGH8R]

A LOT of guys take them, few get caught.

At least this guy OWNED up to his wrongdoings. Unlike most of the spineless donkeys that blame EVERYONE else.

If you don't see a difference in the two, I can't help you.:scratchchin:

Be careful in that glass house !!!

[austinsm11]

Oh please, "talking about someone's career and how he supports his family"..... these guys make more in one year than a lot of people do in their entire lifetime:thumbsdown:

Oh please is right. You didn't respond to anything I said except to bring money into the situation,which has nothing to do with it. Why does it matter how much he makes? So is this more wrong because he makes a few million a year? I guess it isn't as bad for the minor league ball player scraping to get by that does steroids to try to get an edge since he doesn't make as much.

Also, are you putting him into the same category as Benoit? A guy who does steroids and a guy who does steroids AND kills someone are the same? That is what you implied.

The only person he really hurt was himself. As far as him hurting the team,the team was prepared to play without him if needed. The guy just missed 7 games the previous year from a mental disorder. You think they weren't preparing for a similiar situation this year, just in case?

I guess the point is that if you are a MAN and make a few MILLIONS you aren't allowed to make mistakes like the rest of us.

[Kamd50]

Double "oh please"....If you noticed, I stated that I wish that they would boot ALL of these guys out on their ear when they get caught taking steroids or anything illegal for that matter. I don't give a crap what level they are on. I am sick of their bs, their excuses, and other's excuses for them just because they are athletes. BFD! You brought up the money situation, not me. I didn't say one word about it being "more wrong...." It's all wrong, period. Why do you think that all of these athletes continue to use steroids even in spite of all of the media coverage and bad pr? It's because everyone makes excuses for them and just gives them a slap on the wrist. The whole while sending the message to our American youth, that it is ok to go against the law and the rules because nothing of significance will really happen to you. You can still walk away with millions of dollars and laugh all the way to the bank and in everyone's faces who had faith in you. Great message.It is disgusting!

Gee, maybe Benoit was just a depressed wrestler who just took steroids at first,Before he resorted to murder/suicide. Perhaps he has been on them for a while but only got caught now. Maybe taking steroids is what caused him to be depressed. Unless you know for a fact that he hadn't taken them prior.So I guess when everyone faces a difficult or possibly life-altering decision in their life, that we all have a free pass to do whatever illegal activity it is that we choose to partake in since it is a difficult time to have to deal with.

Maybe Billy Relford was depressed and he too just made a mistake. Why not make excuses for all the people in our society who are doing wrong and breaking the law for that matter? Hell, they are probably all depressed and suffering from mental disorders that drove them to do whatever illegal or inappropriate mistake it was that they chose to make.

As far as him not hurting the team, how do you know? They haven't even played any games yet. That is just your opinion, that is not a fact.

As long as people offer and accept excuses for grown adutls who know better,we will just keep on seeing more of the same and hearing more of the same excuses.

[austinsm11]

You brought up the money situation, not me.

Really? Show me where I ever mentioned the money before you brought it up.

It's because everyone makes excuses for them and just gives them a slap on the wrist.
Really? Who is making excuses other than the athletes? The only one making excuses are the ones who are caught and say, "Oh, I must have got a bad batch of supplement." My point is what Tucker did was wrong, but given the situation he was coming from, I understand why he did it. And he was a man about it and admitted it. NO excuses and NO appeals. If you have such a problem with the league policies and high salaries (it is obvious from your earlier statements that you don't agree with their salaries), maybe you should boycott all major league sports. No....one person won't make a difference, but at least you would know that your money wasn't supporting these mulitimillinaires and the leagues' poor drug policies.

So I guess when everyone faces a difficult or possibly life-altering decision in their life, that we all have a free pass to do whatever illegal activity it is that we choose to partake in since it is a difficult time to have to deal with.
How did Tucker get a free pass? He is paying for what he did, just like every other NFL player to be suspended. Please explain.

Maybe Billy Relford was depressed and he too just made a mistake. Why not make excuses for all the people in our society who are doing wrong and breaking the law for that matter? Hell, they are probably all depressed and suffering from mental disorders that drove them to do whatever illegal or inappropriate mistake it was that they chose to make.

You don't really believe that.


What I find sad is that you claim to have a good knowledge of mental disorders and clinical depression but don't sympathize for this man having this type of disorder. He made a mistake with judgement that may have been clouded by this mental illness. He is paying the same price as any other person caught on steroids. He didn't get any breaks as far as punishment. You are so against steroids in the NFL and other sports, yet not one word about it on the Kenny Peterson thread? That's strange. ESPECIALLY with the excuses he came up with.

[austinsm11]

Also, knowing Tucker's problems with mental illness, you honestly don't think the team was prepared to go on without him just in case? Maybe that is part of the reason they kept Shaffer around.

[Kamd50]

Bulletin, ie. the K Peterson thread, I don't actually read every thread just because someone posts it on here. I actually read a lot of other websites also, lol

[MUCSteelers5xSuperChamp]

Kamd50 speaks the Kamd-icious truth when she mentioned that Tucker's action cost the Browns!

And while I'm at it...she just got her diploma from Forceful University with a degree in Millerist rancor with her last direct but truthful posts! I can tell the blood of Dennis Miller is definitely in her 100%.

SHAME ON RYAN TUCKER!

[austinsm11]

http://www.ohio.com/sports/browns/8959417.html?page=all&c=y

The banned substance that led to Ryan Tucker's suspension was taken as part of his medical regimen when he fought mental health issues last season, Tucker said Monday.

''In no way was I taking anything to gain an unfair advantage or an advantage on the field of play,'' Tucker said.

[longtimefirsttime]

"Because his levels were low, Tucker said, he took a banned substance to increase his testosterone."

So can I assume he made this decision on his own? I had wondered why a team or personal physician would prescribe something in direct violation of NFL rules.