Josh Howard "I toke in the offseason, so do others..."

[Reality]

". . . What I was stating was just [in response to] a random question he asked me about the marijuana use. I just let him know that most of the players in the league use marijuana and I have and do partake in smoking weed in the offseason sometimes and that's my personal choice and my personal opinion. But I don't think that's stopping me from doing my job."
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3368139

Entire article with bolds from Cubuns etc:
DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard brought unexpected and possibly unprecedented attention to himself Friday, just hours before Game 3 of the Mavericks' first-round series with New Orleans, by openly discussing his offseason marijuana use on Dallas' ESPN Radio affiliate.

Expounding on comments about marijuana that he made over the weekend to The Dallas Morning News, Howard joined "The Michael Irvin Show" on ESPN Radio 103.3 FM on Friday afternoon and told the Hall of Fame wide receiver that he "probably" would not smoke marijuana in-season even if the league did not have a random testing program but described "smoking weed in the offseason sometimes" as his "personal choice and personal opinion."

Appearing on ESPN Radio's "The Michael Irvin Show" on Friday, Mavs forward Josh Howard admitted that he smokes marijuana during the off-season.
Listen 

"I don't think that's stopping me from doing my job," Howard told Irvin.

The 28-year-old from Wake Forest, selected by NBA commissioner David Stern to fill a roster spot created by injury on the Western Conference All-Star team in 2007, added, "I think that everybody in the media world and in the sports world knows that NBA players do smoke marijuana."

It was not immediately clear what sort of punishment Howard could face for his candor, either from the league office or his team. But one source close to the situation told ESPN.com that the league likely "can't" suspend Howard.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said any punishment from the club will be meted out "internally."

"We won't make it public," Cuban said. "But we'll deal it.
"We'll do what we need to do."

NBA players are required to undergo four random tests every season between Oct. 1 and June 30. But a player who tests positive for marijuana is not subjected to his first five-game suspension -- or even public knowledge he has failed a drug test -- until his third failed test.

There likewise appears to be no penalty precedent for a player who merely shares details about his substance abuse in the media.

Two sources close to the situation told ESPN.com Howard will almost certainly be entered immediately into the NBA's marijuana program -- which would require him to submit to much more frequent testing -- but it would appear that he is not at risk for a suspension unless he has failed two previous tests.

The league issued no response to Howard's comments Friday, citing a policy in its anti-drug agreement with the union that forbids the NBA and the Players Association from publicly discussing specifics about substance-abuse issues.

Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said during his usual pregame meeting with reporters that he would need more information before responding.  "I haven't heard the interview and I haven't spoken with Josh," Johnson said . "Once I hear the interview and talk to Josh, we'll go from there."  But, Johnson added, Howard's decision to consent to the interview and invite questions on this topic on the day of a playoff game was "what I call poor timing and poor judgment."

Dallas is already reeling from a 2-0 deficit to the Hornets entering a crucial Game 3 at home.

Howard has struggled mightily in the series, averaging 13.5 points on 26.9 percent shooting from the floor. But the discussion about marijuana with Irvin came at Howard's urging -- as the station stressed repeatedly during subsequent programming -- to clarify the statements he made to The Morning News.

Asked by Irvin's co-host, Kevin Kiley, if he fears that his struggles in this series will be linked to his marijuana admission, Howard said: "Oh yeah, I understand that. . . . I know that's not the truth."

". . . Like I was saying to the [Morning News reporter], it has nothing to do with what I do as far as basketball, when I go out there and perform," Howard said. "That's how I feel about it.

". . . What I was stating was just [in response to] a random question he asked me about the marijuana use. I just let him know that most of the players in the league use marijuana and I have and do partake in smoking weed in the offseason sometimes and that's my personal choice and my personal opinion. But I don't think that's stopping me from doing my job."

Asked why he wanted to discuss this topic, Howard said: "I was raised on being truthful and honest with myself and my family, so I can say it with no problems and go out there and perform to the best of my abilities tonight and not even think about it."

[westkoast]

Stupid thing to say to the media.  I personally don't care what he does in the off-season.  I also don't think smoking marijuana is as bad as going out to the club drinking and driving home.  Just my personal opinion.  Josh Howard is right, it is his right to do what he wants in the off-season.  Why tell the media that?   

You know what...clearly marijuana is making him retarded so I actually don't think he should be smoking it lol.  Most of the NBA players do it in the course of the off-season.  Charles Oakley said this a few years back.  Others have as well. 

[Skandery]

This article pretty much articulates my exact feeling.

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http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AktLjX5uHJyIJ3zTCSxM2Oi8vLYF?slug=aw-howard042508&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Howard?s no dope on marijuana
By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports
Apr 25, 10:38 pm EDT
 

Why yes, there were suggestions that Avery Johnson was losing his Dallas Mavericks, including the struggling Josh Howard. No more. The Mavs aren?t just listening to the coach, they?re reading him, too.

The trouble is, it appears Howard never made it past the title of Johnson?s new book, ?Aspire Higher.?

In perhaps the most stunningly honest, if ill-fated, response to a question in a long, long time in the NBA, Howard said Friday ? of all places ? on Michael Irvin?s radio show, that yes, smoking marijuana was a part of his and his peers? summer vacations.

Surprise, surprise.
 
? ? What I was stating was just [in response to] a random question [the Morning News] asked me about the marijuana use,? Howard said. ?I just let him know that most of the players in the league use marijuana, and I have and do partake in smoking weed in the offseason sometimes and that?s my personal choice and my personal opinion. But I don?t think that?s stopping me from doing my job.?

Well, this was wonderful timing for the beleaguered Mavs and surging NBA. Dallas was fighting to stay alive in its Western Conference playoff series with New Orleans, trailing 2-0 before winning Friday night?s Game 3. No Mavs had struggled worse than Howard and Jerry Stackhouse in this series, and together they still found a way to deepen the drama around Dallas.

Stackhouse ripped New Orleans coach Byron Scott, calling him ?a sucker,? but it was Howard?s stunning honesty that promises to be a story that won?t go away in these playoffs, even if the Mavs do. So far, NBA commissioner David Stern had been blessed with star power, drama and intrigue in these playoffs, and Howard sent it, well, up in smoke.

Whatever Howard?s take, he didn?t need to breathe life into a week-old newspaper story that no one noticed by volunteering to on the radio and make matters worse within hours of Game 3. Of course, one of ESPN?s NBA house organs was calling the game, chastising Howard for dragging other NBA players into the story.

Well, guess what: Howard knows the deal. It is what it is. He?ll be ripped for doing so, but he was honest. The timing was a mistake, yes, but telling the truth never is. Apparently that goes against NBA-sanctioned announcers playing make-believe in their television and radio work on the network.

?We don?t comment on any specifics related to our anti-drug program,? NBA spokesman Tim Frank said Friday night.

NBA players are tested throughout training camp and the regular season, but there are no suspensions and no public acknowledgment of positive marijuana tests until a player?s third positive. With harder drugs, you get popped right away. The NBA probably can?t suspend Howard, 27, but the league conceivably could drag him into a league-sponsored drug education program.

Back in January, few noticed when the Indiana Pacers? David Harrison, a mildly talented 7-footer, was suspended for five games for violating the league?s substance abuse program and reacted in a less than shame-on-me way.

?Is that bad?? Harrison wondered. ?That?s the question I really want people to ask themselves sometimes. Following rules blindly doesn?t mean you?re right just by following those rules. There needs to be a just rule. I mean, a long time ago George Washington sat around, didn?t want to pay taxes to the crown ? and we broke that rule and we have America today. You know, if we would?ve lost that war, George Washington would be Benedict Arnold.?

Listen, this is a debate a lot of Americans want to have on the legality, the ethics, of marijuana use. Only, athletes aren?t allowed to be part of that discussion. You know the drill: What will the kids think? And there?s truth there. For a league that is constantly fighting issues related to racial stereotypes, Stern understands that whatever intelligent conversation that someone else might want to have on the issue, it is suicidal for his sport.

Along with his suspension, this waxing of philosophy on Harrison?s part probably will make it tougher for him to find work this offseason. Yet Josh Howard isn?t David Harrison. He?s a borderline All-Star in the NBA. He?s a pretty popular player. To his credit, Howard didn?t insist that he was misquoted, or burned, or taken out of context. Yes, he said it. Maybe no one wants to hear that there?s marijuana use in the NBA ? never mind society ? but someone asked and Josh Howard answered.

?I was raised on being truthful and honest with myself and my family, so I can say it with no problems and go out there and perform to the best of my abilities (Friday) and not even think about it.?

Maybe this sounds crazy to people today, but in its own way, that?s professionalism.

[rickortreat]

It's not professional to bring it up period.  It's a stupid comment for him to make.

There are lots of inconsistencies and problems with the current system, but I don't think I want the changes to be initiated by an athlete saying he breaks out his bong in the summer time.

In the case of marijuana, an analysis of the cost of the governments programs, and their affect on private usage in the US is entirely absent from the debate or discussion.  Unless we know what the costs and alleged benefits are, how can we rationally decide whether a program is worth pursuing or not?

I suspect the War on Drugs is an abject failure, that more Americans are using illegal drugs of all types and the governments policies are not helping at all, but instead are a scam for those in the business of building jails and housing inmates, at the public's expense.

I would expect that if a clear accounting were done, even the most staunch conservative would say that the entire policy needs to be overhauled and incarceration may not be the best means to deal with the issue.

But in order for there to be a debate, we need the objective facts. Not Josh Howard talking about his off-season activities.

[Reality]

While i applaude Howards honesty, the time and place was not well chosen.  Now he did come back and have a good Game 3 immediately after the interview aired, however he bombed badly in Gm 4 as he did in the 1st two games.

3 of 4 games played very poorly by Howard and Dallas losses. 
Probably this is not going to bode well for him.

A trade to the super straightlaced and disciplined Spurs is what is in Josh Howards best interests.

[Randy]

I am always amused when people state that we should legalize marijuana because people aren't going to stop using it.  What kind of an argument is that?  We could say the same thing about many other crimes. 

There are a number of companies who would fire an employee for using marijuana -- it's part of the agreement to work there.  Why should I feel sorry for some spoiled athletes making millions of dollars?

We have a number of dumb laws on the books but I really don't want to be driving down the road with people under the influence of drugs -- including marijuana.  It's bad enough driving on roads with people who have been drinking -- legalize marijuana and then we will just have another problem, IMO.   

Howard's comments were stupid and he will get visited this summer.  Stern will probably get someone to set up a lab at Howard's house so they can get daily testing.  This kind of comment would be stupid anytime but when your team is down and you haven't been playing well -- why even go there?

[Randy]

A trade to the super straightlaced and disciplined Spurs is what is in Josh Howards best interests.

I'm sure if the Spurs offered TD for Howard the Mavs would be happy to make that trade. 

[Reality]

http://www.star-telegram.com/287/story/613223.html

[Joe Vancil]

Well, I'm sure Howard can relax and light one up now.  After all, for him, it's the off-season.

[Reality]

^^ yep

So does Howard become the new Darius Miles or does he join the Spurs, get rehabb and self control while getting off pot and getting Hooked on Defense?