Josh Howard admits smoking pot during the offseason

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by cinemablend

I'm going to go out and buy 2.

It's a sad world in which people are punished simply for being honest about doing something that everyone does... and which has absolutely nothing to do with anything he does at his job.

Yea...especially when it's against the law and his employer has a drug policy. Yea...sad....

[cinemablend]

Originally Posted by dude1394

Yea...especially when it's against the law and his employer has a drug policy. Yea...sad....

A law which few obey anymore, and a law which broken harms absolutely no one.

Make that three Josh Howard jerseys.

[twelli]

Originally Posted by cinemablend

It's a sad world in which people are punished simply for being honest about doing something that everyone does... and which has absolutely nothing to do with anything he does at his job.

First of all you can be honest without telling everyone about your personal life.

Second, if you keep it to yourself and nobody knows about it, and it doesn't effect your performance at the job, nobody cares. But the minute you talk about it, it has a lot to do with your job. Part of his job is representing the NBA, another part is being a role model for kids. Kind of difficult to combine breaking the law (and talking about it in public) and doing what you are paid for handsomely by the NBA.

Smoking weed might not be worse than drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes, but that doesn't make it good either. I personally think it makes you less energetic and it clouds your brain more than it enlightens you.

[rmacomic]

Seems to me, Josh is in the right town for it. Did anyone else find it ironic that he's being questioned about pot on Michael "Crack" Irving's show?

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by cinemablend

A law which few obey anymore, and a law which broken harms absolutely no one.

Make that three Josh Howard jerseys.

A law which "few" obey? I mean it was that way when I was 20 but I daresay you might be pretty myopic about it. How do you define few 70-80%? I don't really know the figures but I expect neither do you. To supply 20% of our 300million population would require what ..

300million * .2 people/20(pushers per person?) ---> 3000000 pushers?

[mary]

This is not a debate about the validity of the criminalization of marijuana.

Its about Josh Howard having diarrhea of the mouth at the absolute worst time.

The dude needs to learn to shut the hell up.

Many things are much more important than him looking cool to his peeps...or Michael Irvin...or "keepin it real" or whatever the eff he thought he was doing.

Sometimes you have to recognize that the world extends beyond your own personal agenda.

Anyone who thinks this was okay for JHO to run his mouth about his recreational drug use, is just as much of an idiot as he is.

[dude1394]

The bannana brings the hammer.

[ghazi]

To be honest I wouldn't have minded what JHo did as much if he wasn't sucking total ass lately.

But in any case, I thought it was poor judgment.

[DavidDaMonkey]

Here's a little SAT action for you

JHo smoking pot is to the NBA playoff's as Obama's absent flag pin is to the presidential race.

[MaVs 41 BaLler]

Lol did you guys see devin in the stands yesterday!
they asked him about j-ho smoking pot and he just said the josh would say whatevers on his mind.

[bernardos70]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...yhoo&type=lgns

Howard’s no dope on marijuana

By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports
14 hours, 30 minutes ago


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 tests until a player’s third positive. 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.

[rabbitproof]

Timing sucked but the honesty is refreshing. Some might call it poor judgement but most people couldn't (or wouldn't) be that honest about their faults or personal lives.

[LonghornDub]

Count me as one who doesn't see what the big deal is. I don't think Josh's struggles on the court have anything to do with him smoking weed, so I couldn't care less what he does in his spare time.

[alexamenos]

Originally Posted by MavsWiLLHaVeRinGs

The real question is does Cubes light it up with the boys, wouldn't surprise me.

cubes said he wasn't going to have any big to-do with J-Smoke because anything he said would be hypocritical. doesn't take great vision to read between those lines.

if these guys must, i wish they'd do meth or pcp or something other than a weed which causes one to want to set on the couch and eat oreos while watching nature shows.

[LonghornDub]

Originally Posted by alexamenos

cubes said he wasn't going to have any big to-do with J-Smoke because anything he said would be hypocritical. doesn't take great vision to read between those lines.

if these guys must, i wish they'd do meth or pcp or something other than a weed which causes one to want to set on the couch and eat oreos while watching nature shows.

Yeah, it'd be much better to have our guys on PCP. That way they can experience depersonalization and hopefully get some holes in their brains.

[alexamenos]

Originally Posted by ProdigyDub

Yeah, it'd be much better to have our guys on PCP. That way they can experience depersonalization and hopefully get some holes in their brains.

would a hole in J-Ho's brain really make things any worse?

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Pot isn't a big deal, and I like Howard's frankness with it. I, however, don't like his tact.

[slowmo]

Now when JToke has a bad game he can just blame it on bad weed! His pusher stiffed him on the good stuff.

[mary]

Originally Posted by slowmo

Now when JToke has a bad game he can just blame it on bad weed! His pusher stiffed him on the good stuff.

I think you have it backwards.

[Flacolaco]

Anyone who thinks "pot" isn't a big deal hasn't ever been around people who smoke a lot. It's just as disruptive, destructive, and distracting as any other drug.

[alexamenos]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

Anyone who thinks "pot" isn't a big deal hasn't ever been around people who smoke a lot. It's just as disruptive, destructive, and distracting as any other drug.

and smelly.

[untitled]

Pot isn't a big deal. I've been around it a hell of a lot - everyday as an undergrad, in fact. It hasn't significantly disrupted, destroyed, or distracted me or any of my friends/acquaintances in our social lives or career paths.

Temperance is a good thing, folks. Just because you knew some hippie pothead in college that lived just so he/she could get high everyday doesn't mean that everyone is equally undisciplined or hedonistic.

Seems to me that Josh has his head on straight, for the most part. I believe him when he says that he only partakes in the offseason, so I don't see it as a problem. I do, however, have a problem with his lack of tact, as another poster put it. This is not something that ever needs to be discussed in public, especially during the playoffs. Hopefully he'll learn from this, and we'll never see him on the cover of High Times.

[rabbitproof]

Hehe @ "pot"

[horse900703]

BAD JOSH~~~

[ghazi]

cigarettes and alcohol are worse.

my pot is stale

[Jack.Kerr]

If Cuban is acknowledging drug use, NOW I understand the trade with the Nets.

[Dim499]

Originally Posted by untitled

Pot isn't a big deal. I've been around it a hell of a lot - everyday as an undergrad, in fact. It hasn't significantly disrupted, destroyed, or distracted me or any of my friends/acquaintances in our social lives or career paths.

Temperance is a good thing, folks. Just because you knew some hippie pothead in college that lived just so he/she could get high everyday doesn't mean that everyone is equally undisciplined or hedonistic.

I don't know. It does SOMETHING to your body and mind doesn't it? Seems like in every group of friends there is a guy who goes over the top with this stuff and that guy WILL get Dikembe Mutombo voice after a couple of years.
It's puzzling to me how accepted it is everywhere. There are health nut people who might even be vegetarians, would never touch a cigarette, but they still think "doing the pot" is good for you when it's not.

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by Dim499

It's puzzling to me how accepted it is everywhere. There are health nut people who might even be vegetarians, would never touch a cigarette, but they still think "doing the pot" is good for you when it's not.

In your case, I'm sure it couldn't hurt.

[Flacolaco]

Originally Posted by dude1394

Yea...especially when it's against the law and his employer has a drug policy. Yea...sad....

These kids don't want to hear your relentless logic!!

"I'm in college, I'm voting for change!! and I know lots of guys who smoke, and they seem pretty alright!!!"

Yeah well, those kids are going to end up working at Kohls.

I don't know anyone in the corporate world (i.e. where people make money, have families and own land) who smokes weed.

[untitled]

Originally Posted by Dim499

I don't know. It does SOMETHING to your body and mind doesn't it? Seems like in every group of friends there is a guy who goes over the top with this stuff and that guy WILL get Dikembe Mutombo voice after a couple of years.
It's puzzling to me how accepted it is everywhere. There are health nut people who might even be vegetarians, would never touch a cigarette, but they still think "doing the pot" is good for you when it's not.

Well, yeah, of course it does something to your body and mind - why else would Josh (or anyone) do it? It's a drug, like alcohol, coke, tobacco, caffeine, etc., and the main draw is the physiological effect it has on you.

As far a Dikembe voices go, my experience has indicated that it is the pack-a-day tobacco smokers that usually suffer from that (I've never met anyone that smokes 20 joints a day), although I suspect a regular smoker of any drug will more than likely develop some respiratory problems.

And you're right about certain individuals not knowing when to stop, but I can't control what other people do with their lives. And as I stated earlier, temperance is a good thing, and as long as I keep myself in check, then I figure I'll be alright.

Also, with regard to your vegetarian example, who ever said it was good for you? I'm drinking a Stone IPA right now that I can assure you is not "good" for me. But just like a greasy slice of pizza or a pint of beer, the reason one partakes is not to improve one's overall health - it's just something people enjoy. *shrug*

[Dirkadirkastan]

Originally Posted by mary

I think you have it backwards.

Josh Howard gives pot a bad name.

[untitled]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

I don't know anyone in the corporate world (i.e. where people make money, have families and own land) who smokes weed.

You need to work on your networking skills, then.

I don't know a single UNT grad that hasn't smoked weed regularly at some point in their life, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. In fact, I know that they do exist.

I do, however, know attorneys, physicians, an engineer, a field communications supervisor for a French helicopter manufacturer, a Porsche mechanic, a realtor, etc. that all smoke regularly. Of course, I also know the some of the usual suspects - students, artists, an Austin-based radio station employee, etc. that smoke, but I don't see how their lack of corporate-world experience makes them any less successful than the others.

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

I don't know anyone in the corporate world (i.e. where people make money, have families and own land) who smokes weed.

Dude, didn't you watch Wall Street? Or read American Psycho?

[twelli]

Drugs are used to temporarily escape reality, instead of dealing with it. So if you feel the need to drug yourself with whatever drug, you probably have some problems in the real world you find difficult to overcome. The problem with any drug is the risk that you become dependent on it and you start a vicious circle of using more and more, making you feel worse and worse.

Basically I am against using any kind of drug and for finding healthier ways to dealing with problems in your life. Doing sports is one way of actively enhancing your well-being and making you more capable of solving life's problems. And that's why professional athletes doing drugs is so contradictory. They should get a lot of highs doing what they do as athletes. And they send a very wrong message to all the kids out there showing them that you can do drugs and still be an elite athlete. That's not what a responsible professional athlete should do.

[twelli]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

I don't know anyone in the corporate world (i.e. where people make money, have families and own land) who smokes weed.

People making a lot of money prefer cocaine?

[DavidDaMonkey]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

I don't know anyone in the corporate world (i.e. where people make money, have families and own land) who smokes weed.

Correction:

You don't KNOW that you know anyone in the corporate world who smokes weed.

[Bookit]

Originally Posted by untitled

You need to work on your networking skills, then.

I don't know a single UNT grad that hasn't smoked weed regularly at some point in their life, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. In fact, I know that they do exist.

I do, however, know attorneys, physicians, an engineer, a field communications supervisor for a French helicopter manufacturer, a Porsche mechanic, a realtor, etc. that all smoke regularly. Of course, I also know the some of the usual suspects - students, artists, an Austin-based radio station employee, etc. that smoke, but I don't see how their lack of corporate-world experience makes them any less successful than the others.

When you smoke pot regularly you are addicted imo. Of course most pot smokers will never admit this. After hearing Josh's interview it sounds like he has a problem and probably smokes a lot of pot and smokes during the season and before games. If you talk about pot openly you have adopted it as a part of your life imo. It sounds like Josh is a pothead. And I am a UNT grad and have a good friend who is also and neither of us has smoked pot much after college. Of course there was some smoking in school but there is a time and place for it. The Mavs and their fans depend on Josh not to be high. BTW, didn't Robert Parish get busted with a fedex pot package? Anybody who has dope delivered by fedex has got a problem.

[untitled]

Originally Posted by Bookit

And I am a UNT grad and have a good friend who is also and neither of us has smoked pot much after college. Of course there was some smoking in school but there is a time and place for it.

100% agreed. If Josh does in fact limit his use to the offseason, then I'd say he is doing exactly what you'd want him to do - smoking at the appropriate time and place, if there is one for a professional athlete.

[twelli]

Originally Posted by Bookit

If you talk about pot openly you have adopted it as a part of your life imo. It sounds like Josh is a pothead.

That's what I was thinking. Anyone thinks his good old buddy Marquis has the same problem? He always has this funny look on his face. It could also explain his lake of energy/interest in second halves of games.

[cinemablend]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

Anyone who thinks "pot" isn't a big deal hasn't ever been around people who smoke a lot. It's just as disruptive, destructive, and distracting as any other drug.

Like alcohol or cigarrettes. Except those are even worse.

Yawn. This is such a non-story.

It's like watching the media attack Barack Obama for his "clinging" comments. Pathetic. And anyone who cares about this is equally pathetic.