For those of us that want to see Marcus Thomas a Buccaneer...

[Itchalot]

What is your school and major if I may ask, Miami?

[doobiedoright]

I would take him with the first #2.
That is after a long heart to heart talk.
I do believe his second test was to close to his first!

[miamicanes04]

What is your school and major if I may ask, Miami?

I actually am still in high school. I have been smoking for 2 years. My grades have actually drastically changed for the better.

[Uncle Stan]

It makes no difference what WE think about pot. The NFL says no in uncertain terms.
As a non NFL player what you chose to do is your business, but if you are in the NFL its theirs.

So why spend a high draft pick (who could be a starter) and then have them suspended?
Besides which he had more than one chance to get things right and CHOSE not to.

PFT today is reporting the union and the league are discussing changing the conduct policy to make it tougher.

[Uncle Stan]

Miamicanes,

If you don't care about your english and grammer, you will have a tough time being successful in the business world. Worked several years as a personel consultant and I will tell you english grammar and spelling is rated very high. You may be able to cover it up on a resume that someone else has prepared for you, but you will screw it up in the interview process.

The is a big difference between "our" and "are". They don't even sound the same like "there" and "their".

[SHIVVER]

What is your school and major if I may ask, Miami?

I actually am still in high school. I have been smoking for 2 years. My grades have actually drastically changed for the better.

***********************

Ummmm, are you on Spring Break or something?  Home Schooled or did you ditch school to get weeded?  It's about noon here in Tampa, aren't most kids supposed to be in school right now?

[Itchalot]

lol yeah!  Hey wait I'm a teacher.  I'm not supposed to be on the internet! It is my planning period though.  At least I'm not doing this with students in the room.  I could get in big trouble for that.

[PoorRichard]

Its not about the weed, its about his ultimate selfhishness as a player. As a Gator I can attest to the fact that Coach Meyer bent over backwards to keep this kid on the team even though he tested positive on 3 different occasions. His character is a big question mark. Great player indeed, but he has lots of growing up to do to make it as a professional.

OK Richard I would like to hear you elaborate on that a little bit, because there are people on this board who have the opinion that Meyer used Thomas to make an example for the other players.  That there were two tests right in a row, or that Meyer was a merciless drill sargeant. Somehow Thomas was the victim.

The facts are very clear from those with knowledge from the inside. Marcus tested positive 1 time over the summer and received a 1 game suspension. He was retested 45-60 days later and was positive again, he was suspended indefintly by Meyer when those results came out midseason. Technically, UAA and student conduct code regulations called for a 5 game suspension, but Meyer considered kicking him off the team.. He appealed his second suspension and the student conduct board found enough evidence (validity problems with 2nd test, work perfromed by student, apology for incident) to mitigate his suspension. Thomas was sentenced to go to treatment and perform community service work to stay on the football team. He walked out of counseling with the full knowledge that he would be kicked off the football team for doing so. He was suspended again and this is where the facts are unconfirmed, but a 3rd test that was taken prior to his admin review hearing allegedly came back positive. Meyer kicked him off the team. Thomas was not the victim. He received 3 chances from Meyer and the school and turned his back on both.

Everybody associated with the Gator team (coaches, players, admin) love MT. BUT, to a man, all of them (players included) felt that MT let the team down and they would be better off without him. Even his best friends J. Moss, S. Harris and others admitted that MT blew it.

Some feel that Meyer used MT to play in meaningful games when it is clear that the team and defense really took off once he was kicked off the team. His lack of maturity, commitment and investment was holding the team back. Without him they went on to greatness. With him, I doubt they would have gone as far.

This is what concerns me about MT. Who cares about weed?? I care about guys that can win tough games in December,, during the 4th quarter, in Carolina. To be that guy it takes a certain level of comitment. I may be wrong, but I don't think Marcus is that guy.

[shall555]

If you are driving a Pepsi truck or have a lawn mower repair business smoking pot will probably enhance your life. If you want to go to community college or modeling school you can probably go all the way through high on pot.

 But if you are trying to get a serious education involving things like Physics, advanced math classes, medicine, economics, foreign language being a regular pot smoker will severely hamper your ability to excel at the tough subjects.  And at the high school level it goes hand in hand with kids losing interest in their education.   Alcohol is more dangerous for driving and binge drinking, but most pot smokers are daily smokers.  It severely limits your motivation and ability to think clearly much more than alcohol. In my school the pot smokers are ones that don't give a crap.  Not the only ones,  but you just don't see a kid who is a pot smoker who is really focused on his education.

Multiply that times thousands or millions and society as a whole is adversely affected by the drain that marijuana has on the ability for us to educate our kids. For education pot is much worse. At a time when our country is falling behind in education, try to catch up with ten pound weights on your ankles and thats what pot does. 

Total horsh!t. LOL. My buddy is the biggest freakin' pothead I know. He got a degree in Electrical Engineering and aced all those difficult courses that you listed, with the exception of medicine. He didn't need to take that course. It's all about the individual and their natural motivation/ambition. Have you ever thought those unmotivated potheads could just be lazy unmotivated people in general? Not everyone in life is destined for greatness. 

[klb55]

Yeah I have been a proponent for Marcus Thomas since I realized that booger was a true joke and we needed that player inside to help out. Thomas could be that guy with our 2nd round pick. Runs daddy said it best in the fact that you traded a scrub in Booger so whats the worst you can get out of Thomas. Risk/Reward is the way its stands and we could certainly use a straight Marcus Thomas.

You've had him on your radar since what 01' or 02'.  Looks like that I too will have to start scouting high school players to keep up with you.  Kidding aside, I wouldn't mind seeing the Bucs select Thomas with 2b if we don't take Harrell at 2a.  I hope we select Griffin, Harrell, Kalil, or Timmons (if they are there and in that order) wih 2a.  Either way I will be disappointed if we don't get Harrell or Thomas in the second.

[Buc_Sid]

If you are driving a Pepsi truck or have a lawn mower repair business smoking pot will probably enhance your life. If you want to go to community college or modeling school you can probably go all the way through high on pot.

 But if you are trying to get a serious education involving things like Physics, advanced math classes, medicine, economics, foreign language being a regular pot smoker will severely hamper your ability to excel at the tough subjects.  And at the high school level it goes hand in hand with kids losing interest in their education.   Alcohol is more dangerous for driving and binge drinking, but most pot smokers are daily smokers.  It severely limits your motivation and ability to think clearly much more than alcohol. In my school the pot smokers are ones that don't give a crap.  Not the only ones,  but you just don't see a kid who is a pot smoker who is really focused on his education.

Multiply that times thousands or millions and society as a whole is adversely affected by the drain that marijuana has on the ability for us to educate our kids. For education pot is much worse. At a time when our country is falling behind in education, try to catch up with ten pound weights on your ankles and thats what pot does. 

Well it's a good thing Marcus Thomas is a football player and not a brain surgeon huh?

And as for the pot kills education thing.  My college roomate at UF, smoked and smokes pot like a chimney.  Graduated with a 4.0, went to Pitt law school graduated in the top 10 % of his class and got his MBA at the same time.  Pot is just like any other vice, if you let it control you, it is damaging.  If you're not a complete moron, it's not. 

[klb55]

If you are driving a Pepsi truck or have a lawn mower repair business smoking pot will probably enhance your life. If you want to go to community college or modeling school you can probably go all the way through high on pot.

 But if you are trying to get a serious education involving things like Physics, advanced math classes, medicine, economics, foreign language being a regular pot smoker will severely hamper your ability to excel at the tough subjects. And at the high school level it goes hand in hand with kids losing interest in their education. Alcohol is more dangerous for driving and binge drinking, but most pot smokers are daily smokers. It severely limits your motivation and ability to think clearly much more than alcohol. In my school the pot smokers are ones that don't give a crap. Not the only ones, but you just don't see a kid who is a pot smoker who is really focused on his education.

Multiply that times thousands or millions and society as a whole is adversely affected by the drain that marijuana has on the ability for us to educate our kids. For education pot is much worse. At a time when our country is falling behind in education, try to catch up with ten pound weights on your ankles and thats what pot does.

Well it's a good thing Marcus Thomas is a football player and not a brain surgeon huh?

And as for the pot kills education thing. My college roomate at UF, smoke and smokes pot like a chimney. Graduated with a 4.0, went to Pitt law school graduated in the top 10 % of his class and got his MBA at the same time. Pot is just like any other vice, if you let it control you, it is damaging. If you're not a complete moron, it's not.

I couldn't agree more.  A friend of mine, who smoked daily, was a premed major and went on to the U of Penn.  It is a matter of not allowing it to take control of you.  There are many examples of students allowing drugs or alcohol to ruin their education.  Their abuse is simply an individual's attempt to deal with an underlying problem.  Most likely the student has underlying psychological issues.  Some people who have these same issues will eat themselves into oblivion.  Should we make overeating illegal?  Substance abuses are manifestations of deeper issues. 

[krazybuc]

Its not about the weed, its about his ultimate selfhishness as a player. As a Gator I can attest to the fact that Coach Meyer bent over backwards to keep this kid on the team even though he tested positive on 3 different occasions. His character is a big question mark. Great player indeed, but he has lots of growing up to do to make it as a professional.

OK Richard I would like to hear you elaborate on that a little bit, because there are people on this board who have the opinion that Meyer used Thomas to make an example for the other players.  That there were two tests right in a row, or that Meyer was a merciless drill sargeant. Somehow Thomas was the victim.

Everybody associated with the Gator team (coaches, players, admin) love MT. BUT, to a man, all of them (players included) felt that MT let the team down and they would be better off without him. Even his best friends J. Moss, S. Harris and others admitted that MT blew it.

Some feel that Meyer used MT to play in meaningful games when it is clear that the team and defense really took off once he was kicked off the team. His lack of maturity, commitment and investment was holding the team back. Without him they went on to greatness. With him, I doubt they would have gone as far.

This is what concerns me about MT. Who cares about weed?? I care about guys that can win tough games in December,, during the 4th quarter, in Carolina. To be that guy it takes a certain level of comitment. I may be wrong, but I don't think Marcus is that guy.

WHAT A BUNCH OF SPECULATIVE HORSE**CENSORED**.

First off, you can't speak for everybody associated with the Gators team. Being a fan, or living in the ville, doesn't make you an in-depth special reporter. get over yourself.

secondly, to say that the team is BETTER without him and wouldn't have gone as far with him is just your OPINION and an extremely assinine one at that.

and to those bashing the kid, i believe sapp had a pot issue as well... turned out pretty good. it's just freakin pot. i know so many people that smoke pot its ridiculous. i dont know a single person who has ruined their life on pot. i know about 15 people that attend UF and get high almost daily. a friend of mine works as a paralegal and has smoked pot with many of lawyers. a friend of mines father is an engineer for some laser optics b.s. and is the biggest pot head i've seen.

anyone that says pot is worse than alcohol or it has this huge negative effect on you is ignorant and uninformed.

Its not about the weed, its about his ultimate selfhishness as a player. As a Gator I can attest to the fact that Coach Meyer bent over backwards to keep this kid on the team even though he tested positive on 3 different occasions. His character is a big question mark. Great player indeed, but he has lots of growing up to do to make it as a professional.

OK Richard I would like to hear you elaborate on that a little bit, because there are people on this board who have the opinion that Meyer used Thomas to make an example for the other players.  That there were two tests right in a row, or that Meyer was a merciless drill sargeant. Somehow Thomas was the victim.

The facts are very clear from those with knowledge from the inside. Marcus tested positive 1 time over the summer and received a 1 game suspension. He was retested 45-60 days later and was positive again, he was suspended indefintly by Meyer when those results came out midseason. Technically, UAA and student conduct code regulations called for a 5 game suspension, but Meyer considered kicking him off the team.. He appealed his second suspension and the student conduct board found enough evidence (validity problems with 2nd test, work perfromed by student, apology for incident) to mitigate his suspension. Thomas was sentenced to go to treatment and perform community service work to stay on the football team. He walked out of counseling with the full knowledge that he would be kicked off the football team for doing so. He was suspended again and this is where the facts are unconfirmed, but a 3rd test that was taken prior to his admin review hearing allegedly came back positive. Meyer kicked him off the team. Thomas was not the victim. He received 3 chances from Meyer and the school and turned his back on both.

Everybody associated with the Gator team (coaches, players, admin) love MT. BUT, to a man, all of them (players included) felt that MT let the team down and they would be better off without him. Even his best friends J. Moss, S. Harris and others admitted that MT blew it.

Some feel that Meyer used MT to play in meaningful games when it is clear that the team and defense really took off once he was kicked off the team. His lack of maturity, commitment and investment was holding the team back. Without him they went on to greatness. With him, I doubt they would have gone as far.

This is what concerns me about MT. Who cares about weed?? I care about guys that can win tough games in December,, during the 4th quarter, in Carolina. To be that guy it takes a certain level of comitment. I may be wrong, but I don't think Marcus is that guy.

The 11 temas that passed on Warren Sapp thought the same thing....woah I guess they were right....Warren just couldnt cut it because he smoked weed at UM. 


I guess
Carter Ki-Jana
Boselli Tony   
McNair Steve 
Westbrook Michael   
Collins Kerry   
Carter Kevin   
Mamula Mike   
Galloway Joey   
Brady Kyle   
Stokes J.J.   
Alexander Derrick

were all so much better than that ole pothead from DA U

[acacius]

I.  Don't.  Care.  About.  The.  Pot.

But like PoorRichard, I'm entirely unconvinced that Thomas has the committment and mental toughness I want to see in a football player.  Are my doubts speculative?  Of course they are.  Are your assumptions that he's walking the straight and narrow now and not going to decide to blow off things like mandatory drug counseling session speculative?  They sure the heck are as well.  Time will tell which speculations are horse**CENSORED** and which ones aren't.