I am not a golfer and it is one of the sports that I least enjoy watching. However, it does occasionally supply an interesting legal controversy. Pro golfer Dustin Johnson this week is taking a leave of absence from the PGA tour (the Washington Post is calling it a suspension). The reason is intriguing. He failed three drug tests and allegedly has been sleeping with the wives of other players. The drug tests however were reportedly for marijuana and cocaine. Since those are not performance enhancing drugs, I do not understand why the PGA even tests for them or why Johnson being a cad is an issue for the PGA.
Johnson failed three drug tests in the past five years, including a positive test for marijuana in 2009 and two positive tests for cocaine in 2012 and 2014. However, I know of no study showing that such drugs give him an advantage on the course. Moreover, he does not play for a team where his conduct has a material impact on teammates. Golf is a singular pursuit of athletes. Likewise, why does it matter that Johnson “had a sexual indiscretion with at least one wife of a PGA Tour player.” Isn’t that a matter between Johnson and the married couple?
I do not understand why golfers are treated as representing the PGA, which is just the umbrella organization for these games.
Johnson, 30, will miss the PGA Championship this coming weekend. That will honestly have no impact on me since I would rather drink molten lead than watch the PGA Championship. However, I remain confused as to why these particular acts are material in whether he will appear.
Source: Washington Post
I’m betting his bedroom romps are more the trigger….
Ladies & Gents;
It buggers me greatly, to read this banter incongruous, on enhancing.
Do we all not try to eat Better? Some of U.S. consume vitamins. Many (I presume) drink coffee. (Be careful, the wrong answer here could crumble Starbucks stock price).
The point is, if athletes DON”T partake of enhancing –
Wins turns to losses (or tosses out of the games).
It’s a personal choice. As we could (erh) ask Lyle Alzado
Nick – I see through the wee wee of the mind readers.
Like some of the judges in my cases……..
Sheeessshhh
We all need those psychic’s to do so REAL telling (like the lotto numbers);
and faith healers to do such on hospital death rows (where the plate is not being passed around – and s t a n d ins are not so easy planted therein)
Paul, that’s not true. If the gov’t would not send SWAT teams to “bust” people for growing a few plants in their backyard, the black market would not be needed. More death and destruction has been a result of the US backed war on drugs and prohibition than as a result of the drugs themselves. Mexico was once a relatively safe place until Calderon (and the US) declared war on the cartels. It’s been all downhill from there.
Regarding the Olympic definition, it’s all subjective and most certainly written by those with a “reefer madness” mentality. These are the same people who would replace wrestling with yachting for crying out loud. Decisions like those make the olympic committee hard to take seriously by most thinking people.
BTW, I do not capitalize olympic committee because they don’t deserve it.
Len – using SWAT teams has come a lot later than the drug problem. And much as I hate the SWAT teams used for minor problems, they have become de jour because of drug violence. So, all illegal drug users have a hand in the drug violence and drug deaths.
PCS, Bill Clinton and Tiger Woods were frauds before their fans and the world. When they are first introduced, the presumption is that individuals are fundamentally decent and honest.
I find it preposterous to say you enjoy watching or voting for someone who has been fraudulent, deceitful to and manipulative of not only his wife and family, those closest, but the entire world.
What did you think of Bernie Madoff? Do you still take his investment newsletter? Do you wear cyclist attire with the Lance Armstrong name on it?
Bill Clinton did nothing but ride the Reagan wave and seduce women as he pretended to the whole world that he really had a wife and that he was truthful and honest with her and that he had a family – one daughter – with whom he was honest and whom he respected. If that were someone close to you, would it not alter your relationship?
Tiger Woods used PE drugs as did Lance Armstrong, et. al., according to the previously posted article.
The guy is a complete fraud and cad who can’t win without the PE drugs, in my opinion. Interestingly, he absolutely silenced his ex-wife in a settlement – when he told her to shut up, he really meant it. She hasn’t said a word since. That’s just a little bizarre, in my opinion.
Perhaps there is something else in play here if you enjoy watching someone with a less than stellar reputation who tenuously held, in the past, a lead over competition that was differentiated by only a small stroke count. It’s not like there aren’t other heroes in golf.
John – when they prove that Tiger was taking PED then he loses my respect as an athlete. He really does not have my respect as a person, but he is trying to put his life back together, so I give him credit for that.
I went to the 1984 Olympics where I got to watch athletes from various nations compete at the top of their game. It was glorious. People clapped hard for the winners regardless of the country they were from. In fact, one time the ground crew was about to put away the winners podium and decided to stand on it and try it themselves. The entire stadium rose to their feet and clapped for them. 🙂 Watching athletes at the level of Tiger Woods is to watch a work of art in motion. I don’t have to like him, but I can appreciate him.
I am not a golfer either and I truly don’t understand the PGA’s concern with propriety. The pro tour is not the NFL, the NHL, the NBA, or the WWF. Fans are not going to toss detritus at the competitors from the gallery after consuming large quantities of alcoholic beverages. Golf fans are a different breed. They will not interrupt the competition. They will remain polite and, more importantly, will continue to follow the sport and buy expensive golf gear as long as the golfer in question continues to win.
Vince J – You clearly have not been to the Phx Open. It is a mad house.
Squeaky, we certainly found an area of agreement. Sorry this response took so long; I dozed off watching a golf match.
As for Ray Rice, the suspension was for the action, but also because he’s under some sort of deferred adjudication from the court. It is a ridiculously short suspension, and Nick, I’m in agreement with you on this. If he kills her, Goodell will find a way to defer his punishment until after the season, I’m certain.
I’m shocked that Nathan’s doesn’t test!! Some pot would certainly stimulate the appetite!!! maxcat out.
Nathan’s does not test for cannabis @ their annual July 4th hot dog eating contest.
BTW, the only time that cannabis is a PED is if the prize was a 10′ Oreo on the 19th hole.
Len – see the official statement from the Olympic Committee on cannabis being a PED
Paul, the deaths on the border are a result of prohibition and the war on drugs. Not this golfer’s use.
Len – all drug users are ultimately responsible for the deaths and destruction brought on by illegal drug use and abuse.
Laser, The PC playbook and rules are secret. I KNOW thug is not racist, but they have ways of reading minds.
DJ got caught with his pants down. Should be an interest “round” of divorces for playing a “round” rather than playing a round of golf. He probably got confused, as to what playing a “round” means. Blame it on the drugs.
If he is porking other golf players wives then why are not the other players being suspended for having such wives? I mean, look if there is some relationship to husband and wife and this guy is evil for porking the wife then the husband guy is bad too. He has a bad wife. But, if was me I would promulgate a rule in the PGA which says Pork em if ya gottem. PGA stands for Pork Girls Anytime. What a dumb sport it is anyway.
BarkinDog – the guys are members of the PGA, their wives are not. I am not a fan of golf but I do enjoy watching Tiger play because when he is on he is just a masterful athlete.
It was reported that Tiger Woods crashed his vehicle while DUI of Ambien. Can you say philander? HIs wife did before her very lucrative settlement muted her.
The PGA sustained the severely tainted Tiger Woods to the best of its ability because the PGA knows which side its bread is buttered on.
*******************************************************************************************
“”New book says Tiger Woods paid controversial doctor Anthony Galea $76K for 14 visits By Sam Weinman
A new book that examines baseball star Alex Rodriguez’s use of performance-enhancing drugs also sheds new light on the treatment Tiger Woods received from the controversial Canadian doctor Anthony Galea.””
As one who was the only Caucasian in a NYC school, during desegregation: i’m perplexed at how silly the argument is that “thug” is PC incorrect.
Unless (as we felt it meant then) you are referring to mobsters/collectors.
Thanks for the head’s up. We-uns out here in these Appalachians frequently use “thug” instead of “meanie.” “Meaniedom” just don’t sound right. We have other words, but I do not spell them very well.
slohrss, JT, myself and others were castigated by the PC police for using “thug.” It’s RAAAAACIST! It’s really not. But, some perpetually offended victim may try and tag you w/ it.
Cannabis is a performance enhancing drug in pie eating contests. Is that an Olympic event along w/ synchronized swimming and ribbon dancing?
LOL – Squeaky – your a riot’r…
“won’t wake up the audience”
Priceless!
People with real drug issues will eventually mess up on the job and can then be fired. Otherwise, what they do on their own time is their own business. Golf requires concentration, steady hands, and consistency. Johnson would have started missing cuts and moving himself out of the PGA realm. Infidelity is also not the business of the PGA.
There’s probably more to the story, e.g. a morals clause as described by Groty and/or several warnings that he clean up his act.