League gets tough on teen drug use
Among all the substance abuse-related suspensions throughout the league, the NFL has finally realized that perhaps the players who are caught using performance-enhancing drugs or pulled over on a DUI charge are actually sending the wrong message to today’s youth.
The NFL launched a $1.2 million anti-steroid and exercise education initiative last week, which is expected to reach 20,000 high school athletes and 800 coaches in 40 high schools throughout the current school year. It is a combination of two programs, funded by a grant from the NFL’s Youth Football Fund to Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU).
Known as the ATLAS and ATHENA programs, they are nationally acclaimed programs designed to promote healthy living and reduce the use of steroids, human growth hormone (HGH) and other drugs among high school athletes. Instead, they push nutrition and exercise, as well as reducing eating disorders, recreational drug use and sexual activity.
The programs have been implemented in more than 31 states. ATLAS has found through its efforts that new anabolic steroid use has dropped by 50 percent; new alcohol and illicit drug use decreased by half; occurrences of drinking and driving declined 24 percent; reduced use of performance-enhancing supplements; and improved nutrition and exercise.
Meanwhile, ATHENA has proven to reduce use of athletic-enhancing substances like steroids, amphetamines and supplements; reduce new and ongoing use of diet pills, alcohol and marijuana; and reduced injuries and new sexual activity.
Throughout the school year, coaches and student athletes will lead their schools in weekly 45-minute sessions that include role play, interactive games and the creation of mock public service announcements to teach students about the importance of avoiding substance abuse. Those PSAs follow a “playoff” format, competing against PSAs from other schools all the way to the NFL School Bowl.
The Washington Redskins were the first NFL team to get on board with a presentation to local high schoolers, with the Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans set to join as well.
“Everybody wants to gain an edge, be the best and do whatever it takes to win,” said Redskins safety Pierson Prioleau. “This program is going to show them that there are positive ways to win.”
But in addition to proving you can win without taking shortcuts, the program should also teach today’s youth that the supposed glamorous life of professional football is about more than just parties, sports cars and sex. From the sound of it, if they throw in a handgun safety course, the ATLAS and ATHENA programs should be mandatory for all incoming NFL rookies, as well as the current Cincinnati Bengals, Pacman Jones and Charles Briggs’ auto insurance provider.
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME REAL FOOTBALL?
It pains me that the NFL is giving in to the other “football” upon playing its first regular-season game overseas. Not that I have anything against soccer, but if the NFL is supposedly embracing its manifest destiny and spreading the pigskin from pole to pole, it should take no prisoners en route to global domination.
When the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants play at London’s Wembley Stadium on Oct. 28, a large part of the spotlight will be shone on Chelsea Football Club, one of the world’s premiere soccer teams, which has reached an agreement with the NFL regarding the London game.
England soccer captain John Terry and leading goal-scorer Didier Drogba will server as honorary captains for the Giants, and New York will utilize Chelsea’s state-of-the-art training facility in Cobham, Surrey.
“It is a great honor for us to be hosting the New York Giants on what is a historic occasion for the NFL and for London,” Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon said. “Everybody is looking forward to the game. It is a great testament to the innovative thinking of the NFL and the power of London as a city that the first overseas regular-season game is being staged here.”
In return, the Giants will return the favor in the 2009 Premier League preseason, when Chelsea comes to New York for a visit.
Linking the NFL and soccer isn’t all that far-fetched an idea —just ask Joel Glazer, who owns both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Premier League team Manchester United — with many NFL venues also supporting Major League Soccer as well.
And the interest on the part of Europeans for American football is certainly there as well; the London game had more than half a million ticket requests within the first 72 hours of its announcement, and all tickets to the game sold in less than two hours. The game will be broadcast in the U.S. on Fox with portions being broadcast on English stations as well.
Tim Weisberg covers the NFL for The Standard-Times. Contact him at timweisberg@hotmail.com
DAUNTE CULPEPPER’S KNEE
In fact, it’s so hot he pointed to it after scoring a TD against Miami, the team who traded him away after he underwent knee surgery last season. Culpepper ran in three TDs total, and threw for two more.
FAVRE’S FOOTBALL
The ball that got the honor of being Brett Favre’s 421st (and all-time leading) touchdown pass is now being featured in an exhibit at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Alongside it is the jersey he wore when he established the NFL record for consecutive starts by a quarterback back in 1999. No word on whether the Hall ever received the “There’s Something About Mary” DVD.
RE-WARDING SAVINGS
Steelers WR Hines Ward has joined the effort to educate high school students about proper money management through a program called “Financial Football,” an interactive game sponsored by Visa and the NFL that uses questions about mortgages, interest rates and credit cards to advance the ball. He can play more this Sunday, when he sits out his second straight game with a knee injury.
NOT
MEET THE PARENTS
It’s uncomfortable enough when we have to see our parents fight in public. But how about if you’re Broncos QB Jay Cutler, who seconds after he ran in for a touchdown in last week’s game against the Colts, the television cameras caught Mr. and Mrs. Cutler engaged in verbal warfare? Which reminds me, Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!
TRAVIS HENRY
The Broncos RB is trying to get a restraining order that keeps the NFL from using a urine specimen he gave to suspend him for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, and from disclosing the test results. It would be his second offense, resulting in a one-year suspension. Hey, the guy’s got nine kids (from nine different mothers) to feed!
THIS SPACE FOR RENT
The NFL is about to launch a new digital media model that will allow the league to sell advertising across all 32 team web sites. As it is now, teams sell their own ad space, and will still be able to do so but to a smaller degree.
HOT
Source link
