Why do teams put up with this?

Mind you I'm an old guy - had a coach who wouldn't let you play without a minimum of 2.5 GPA. If you were a better student he would raise the GPA to 3.0. No Tolerance at all - that was in HS. His name was Tom George but to me it will always be MR. George. I repeat stories of Mr George to my 13 yr old son - the man has crossed generations. I know the coaches influence has been watered down over time - but there are a bunch of Mr George's out there I'm sure!!!!

As far as CMA's post, this might of been new to the Marlins but someone put up with him in the past and didn't do anything.

When it comes to high school and college, I would agree with you. However, pro athletes should be held to the same standards and laws any other employees are. They should, and do have the same rights.

Before this thread goes off in the wrong direction I would like to add what I know about this youngman...
He was drafted right out of HS...that would make him 19 or 20 now...he was an incredible pitcher but at some point during his senior year he had an arm injury...was given pain medication and became addicted to it...happens more than people realize...he tried numerous times to kick it but those deamons are hard to get rid of...so I can only assume that he is now ready to tackle pitching again and I wish him the best of luck....could have been anybodys child this may have happened to

Catchermom 03

Pain killers to heroin?

Will

There are those who believe alcohol leads to drug use

There are those that believe that"weed" leads to cocaine and herioin

Any addiction can be tough as the body builds up a tolerance and the dose needs to keep getting larger and larger and then on to a more powerful drug to satisfy the craving

Do you realize how many people in this country are honest and truly addicted to prescription drugs ? I think we would all be surprised at the number

Savannah,
I understand that this man is a professional and he has certain rights, but he didn't just wake up with a drug addiction it took use to get him there. In my eyes he hurt himself, if a team can waive a contract because a guy gets hurt in a pick up game, why is a man obliterating himself with illegal substances looked at in a better light? Makes no sense to me.

I think that this is a sad story. I think that the Marlins have a right to put conditions on his return. I also believe that he should be given a second chance. However, the article was not clear as to whether he went to rehab or got any help. If he did not, then he should be required to before returning.

Throughout the whole process he has refused to address his problem directly. Until he does, no come back. JMO

TRhit is absolutely right. As a nurse, I've seen addictions on many different levels in many different types of people. Pain is a serious medical issue that depending on a person's personality, how informed they are on their pain cause, and the physician they have chosen for treatement often leads to the abuse of pain medications. People do often trade one addiction for another. As BigHit said, I would not let him return if he hasn't sought proper treatment/rehab because he obviously has some very serious issues. I would hope/think that the Marlins would not enable him to continue with this pattern. I have a feeling from reading the article that he hasn't had the help he needs. It's always sad to see a life wasted this way - hopefully he'll get help. If he does seek the correct treatment, he should have a second chance and our prayers to be successful.

BIG and others:

We only know what the papers tell us--we do not know that he did not face his demons and go into rehab.

One cannot openly stated that he has refused to address his problem directly--I think only he and his family and agent know what the full stroy is.

I am in no way defending this behavior. However, like catchermom mentioned, this kid is 19 (no excuse) and hanging around professional baseball players in South Florida. Look at your high school team. Now, I bet you can pick out the kids that would have trouble with new found money and freedom. Again, not defending this, but, he should be given "one" chance to clean up his act.

quote:

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If he did not, then he should be required to before returning.

Throughout the whole process he has refused to address his problem directly. Until he does, no come back. JMO

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Tom, I said "if he did not".

quote:

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One cannot openly stated that he has refused to address his problem directly--

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Actually, yes I can. He has not addressed his very public situation publicly and refuses to answer any questions. I can assure you that it is an issue down here in Marlin land. Part of the problem is "denial". He needs to fess up and deal. It is part of the healing. He needs to do it in a public way because he flamed in a public way. Took a lot of money from the club, I would require the above things before I let him back in camp. Nobody wants another flame out. He needs to be ready. The Marlins don't need an unprepared (to return) addict around their players. JMO

BIG

As I said we only know what we read in the papers and hear on the radio/TV.

We have no idea what the personal situation is with this young man

I also do not think the Marlins will have him back without him having a clean bill of health including REHAB

As one of the many here in our area who have seen this young man develop I can only hope will turn it around

I agree, I want to see himn succeed. I believe in second chances. I just believe that second chances will more appreciated if they have to worked for and not just given because he was great when drafted. His talent will shine through if he is in a good environment for a recovering addict. If he goes back to the same pressures, it could be devestating. All sides must be careful here.

Good luck to the young man and his family. I look forward to watching him this spring on the mound in Jupiter.

personally, I don't think it is any of our business...furthermore, this will only turn into another discussion that has no end. It is his and the Marlins responsibility and not the HSBBW posters. IMHO.

quote:

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Originally posted by CMAbaseball:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1927868

I don't understand why the marlins are ok with this type of thing. The guys job is to take care of himself and throw a baseball, what happens when he comes to a game hopped up? Not only do things like this tarnish pro-sports,and baseball. They cheapen the character of everyone who involved the sport, by letting this happen. With things like this and the Pistons brawl what is this showing of sports nation we live in today?

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The club has the right to "fire" this numbskull.

This is where I differ with those who don't mind mandatory drug testing.

I would assume you are innocent until you are taken to a hospital for an overdose. At that point you are no longer innocent.

If I was the owner of the Marlins I would give this young man his walking papers and bring up the next deserving pitcher to the majors.

Don't have time nor would waste my time with people who don't understand their responsibility to their commitment to others and to their "honor" of keeping their word to keep themselves fit and ready to play baseball, which is the implied codasyl of the contract this kid signed.

This young man has completely destroyed his reputation and dishonored the heritage of his ancestors.

The problem is that our society no longer holds any of those values as sacred. That's the reason so many of our young people have been going completely astray.

Next....

Pic,

quote:

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Don't have time nor would waste my time with people who don't understand their responsibility to their commitment to others and to their "honor" of keeping their word to keep themselves fit and ready to play baseball, which is the implied codasyl of the contract this kid signed.

This young man has completely destroyed his reputation and dishonored the heritage of his ancestors

---

From what I'm reading this kid has an addiction. Addicts don't say one day "I think I'll become a drug addict" Obviously pic, you haven't had the experience of having a loved one with an addiction. And I truly hope for their sake it won't happen to your child, wife, husband, mother or best friend, because they'll never make it out alive with your attitude.

They don't choose to shirk their responsibily and they're fully aware they've broke their word and honor. It hurts them probably more than us, why do you think they continue to "medicate?" An yep, he destroyed his reputation too, he'll have to earn it back with the second chance he deserves.

IMHO, you are being intolerant to something you are ignorant to, and I hope you never make a mistake in your life, because you've set yourself up for perfection. It doesn't exist.

I've had experience with 3 addicts of various substances in my life. 2 recovered, 1 got cancer. In a million years, I would have never guessed they'd have an addiction one day. They worked hard, made amends and have my utmost respect. Thank God I didn't write them out of my life, I gave them a second chance and they took it.

People can recover from addiction with the right help and support. First and foremost THEY have to want it.

You get three strikes in baseball, it's worth 3 strikes for a life too.

I don't think the player in question is our business, but the topic may well be.

There are many parents here who have players of whom great things are expected. Some are already being paid to play baseball, some will be; some are young players who are the team stud and whether that ever translates into anything is still to be seen, some have just signed, some are in the process of making their names in a college program.

As parents, we must be in touch with our boys; are they thriving under the pressure or barely coping? Are we supporting them, or adding to that pressure with our own expectations? If you can have open and honest conversations with your sons, cherish them; if you're not sure, you've got a great family holiday weekend coming up to make sure.

This hasn't been the only example of a successful young player going astray this year alone, and it can happen to young men who haven't been first-rounders as well....they just get the press.

I can understand parents being harsh on the boys in the press. Note I didn't say "condone", nor do I particpate in the condemnation. Probably all of us have talented sons who have worked hard and kept themselves straight on many levels. When you see another player who has been generously rewarded for his talent and work blowing it (whether it be because of an addictive personality, not coping with sudden money and noteriety, or an intense desire to party), it's one natural reaction (amongst others, based on your own experience) to say, "oi, he doesn't deserve it!"

Orlando, good post. There is somehting to be learned by this tragedy. If it can help someone, it is worth discussing.

quote:

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Originally posted by Cntrfieldsmom:
Pic,

quote:

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Don't have time nor would waste my time with people who don't understand their responsibility to their commitment to others and to their "honor" of keeping their word to keep themselves fit and ready to play baseball, which is the implied codasyl of the contract this kid signed.

This young man has completely destroyed his reputation and dishonored the heritage of his ancestors

---

From what I'm reading this kid has an addiction. Addicts don't say one day "I think I'll become a drug addict" Obviously pic, you haven't had the experience of having a loved one with an addiction. And I truly hope for their sake it won't happen to your child, wife, husband, mother or best friend, because they'll never make it out alive with your attitude.

They don't choose to shirk their responsibily and they're fully aware they've broke their word and honor. It hurts them probably more than us, why do you think they continue to "medicate?" An yep, he destroyed his reputation too, he'll have to earn it back with the second chance he deserves.

IMHO, you are being intolerant to something you are ignorant to, and I hope you never make a mistake in your life, because you've set yourself up for perfection. It doesn't exist.

I've had experience with 3 addicts of various substances in my life. 2 recovered, 1 got cancer. In a million years, I would have never guessed they'd have an addiction one day. They worked hard, made amends and have my utmost respect. Thank God I didn't write them out of my life, I gave them a second chance and they took it.

People can recover from addiction with the right help and support. First and foremost THEY have to want it.

You get three strikes in baseball, it's worth 3 strikes for a life too.

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My first post to you was deleted...so I acknowledge your post.

I don't agree with your approach.

I believve the entire system is way to lenient.

This youngman, reminds me very much of my son...but I would not excuse my son for this kind of behavior...why, because these boys usually have been giving much more than most kids their age. As such there is no excuse that will justify it.

It is just a difference in the way we see things.

To My Fellow Websters...I apologize for my following unladylike behavior but I really must address this ignorant person...
PIC...how dare you assume you have any clue who and what has impacted this youngmans life but yet you dimiss him...almost as if he is garbage...you equated him as someone who sounds like your son....WRONG....he was one of the highest draft picks out of HS...was your son in possession of such immense talent..if he had been we surely all would have had to endure reams of articles about his overwhelming talent...you speak of honor being lost...and yet you find nothing humiliating about having a young boy placed in a dress and running around town as a form of punishment...I won't even speak about what I feel this implies to those of us of the female persuasion and how deeming it is to our ***...
Did you actually read what I had posted on how this boys addiction began...let me refresh your miniscul memory....
He was hurt in HS...was given perscribed narcotics...issued by a doctor....obviously during the course of perscribed treatment his body became addicted to the drugs...when the drugs were dicontinued his body still cried out for them...that's a very hard hunger to ignore and not feed...hence his progression into further self medicating...the monster becomes hungrier...needs to be fed more and stronger diet...the psychological well being becomes impaired because all you can feel is the hunger of the monster within...think of a day when you are ravenous and need to eat this feeling is multiplied to the nth degree...all you can think about is feeding it and yes it can result in overdosing because you have lost the knowledge of who, what, when and why...nothing is important anymore except feeding the monster...did this boy start out to become this way....no he was a kid with an arm injury...he was a kid with a dream to play "pro"..he was on the cusp of acheiving what everybody on these boards desires...an arm injury was going to be devastating to his dream..so he was medicated to continue...to throw that next pitch...to get that next out...to sign on the dotted line...just one more factoid...my son has played many a game against this boy...has faced his pitching...has tremendous respect for his ability as a pitcher...and last night he IM'd me with the link to the article posted here...I said I already knew because he was being destroyed on the HSBB website...his comment was they do not know him...he has had a rough life...so out of the mouth of a 19 year old came the reason why I felt compelled to address this again...there is so much more surrounding this issue that I can not and will not post but suffice to say...guilt lies not just on this boys shoulders for the road block he has hit

..you can keep the dress on.

I would have liked to see the post that was deleted.

Catchermom03 - Well put. We don't ever know what someone else's story is (but we can learn a lot from the word they choose...). I cannot imagine feeling anything but sorrow for anyone who has become addicted to something as insidious as heroin. I remember hearing James Taylor talk once about how incredibly difficult it was for him to break his addiction. I'm sure we all know good kids that have made some bad choices and been given second (and third...) chances to get their lives back on track. Maybe there are even a few of these folks posting on this board? I sure wish this young man all the very best and hope he is able to take advantage of the opportunity to make a fresh start.

I think I actually agree with PiC on this one. A sibling of mine was an addict and a very good friend of mine went down that path as well. I don't feel sorry for this young man at all. No matter what his body craved he still knew what he was doing when he turned to heroin.

Don't get me wrong... I hope this young man gets his life together and when/if he does I hope he gets a chance to get back all that he's given up in the pursuit of getting "high". But I don't think that should come at the expense of a kid who has worked his butt off in a clean way for a chance that this young pitcher chose to ignore.

The bottom line for me is that this kid had an opportunity that thousands of kids would give anything for and he pissed it away. I have no sympathy for this kid just like I had no sympathy for my friend or my sister.

Jason

quote:

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Originally posted by catchermom03:
To My Fellow Websters...I apologize for my following unladylike behavior but I really must address this ignorant person...
PIC...how dare you assume you have any clue who and what has impacted this youngmans life but yet you dimiss him...almost as if he is garbage...you equated him as someone who sounds like your son....WRONG....he was one of the highest draft picks out of HS...was your son in possession of such immense talent..if he had been we surely all would have had to endure reams of articles about his overwhelming talent...you speak of honor being lost...and yet you find nothing humiliating about having a young boy placed in a dress and running around town as a form of punishment...I won't even speak about what I feel this implies to those of us of the female persuasion and how deeming it is to our ***...
Did you actually read what I had posted on how this boys addiction began...let me refresh your miniscul memory....
He was hurt in HS...was given _perscribed_ narcotics...issued by a doctor....obviously during the course of perscribed treatment his body became addicted to the drugs...when the drugs were dicontinued his body still cried out for them...that's a very hard hunger to ignore and not feed...hence his progression into further self medicating...the monster becomes hungrier...needs to be fed more and stronger diet...the psychological well being becomes impaired because all you can feel is the hunger of the monster within...think of a day when you are ravenous and need to eat this feeling is multiplied to the nth degree...all you can think about is feeding it and yes it can result in overdosing because you have lost the knowledge of who, what, when and why...nothing is important anymore except feeding the monster...did this boy start out to become this way....no he was a kid with an arm injury...he was a kid with a dream to play "pro"..he was on the cusp of acheiving what everybody on these boards desires...an arm injury was going to be devastating to his dream..so he was medicated to continue...to throw that next pitch...to get that next out...to sign on the dotted line...just one more factoid...my son has played many a game against this boy...has faced his pitching...has tremendous respect for his ability as a pitcher...and last night he IM'd me with the link to the article posted here...I said I already knew because he was being destroyed on the HSBB website...his comment was they do not know him...he has had a rough life...so out of the mouth of a 19 year old came the reason why I felt compelled to address this again...there is so much more surrounding this issue that I can not and will not post but suffice to say...guilt lies not just on this boys shoulders for the road block he has hit

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There is anger in your post and I will not respond to that.

No one could have more love for anyone than I have for my son...period. He has my total respect and admiration for his meager accomplishments.

That being said, during his post injury rehab this youngman was under a trainers supervision and had to be monitored and certified for release by a doctor. At each one of these venues he could have discussed his condition and his situation dealing with his need for the "fix". But instead he didn't, why not?

I'm sure I am not the only one here who has gone through surgeries that needed morphine based pain relievers and was on them for quite a while. The feeling they give you is soothing, but unrealistic. It's that feeling that you're out-of-sort that triggers a desire in most people to get back to normal as soon as possible...unless you're trying to avoid the reality of your life. And that requires a different sort of remedy.

My question for this youngman would have to deal with his core motivations. Could he be another potential Jimmy Piersall? That would be my question.

The question in my mind created by this lack of will power is, "Am I going to have to babysit this kid? Secondly, can I count on him when the going gets rough, since he has shown an inability to deal with self-control?"

I would be less inclined to bring him back up to the major ballclub. Probably send him back down to the Single A and monitor him for two seasons to see if he is rally serious about being a major league ball player.

I realize that the approach to these problems are not cut and dried, but there has become an tendency to listen to the rhetoric of the drug rehab industry in this country that would cease to exist if it were not for the leniency attributable to the support of that industry.

Anyway I hope the kid survives. Could it be, is he trying to kill himself?...whether you realize it or not that could be his mindset. That may be harsh to you but that is how I would view his psychologoical and mental state at this point. And that is how I would monitor him if I were his therapist.

I would like to support catchermom here and add some information regarding narcotics, addiction, and chemical dependency. I am an RN, a certified public health nurse, and currently work in the labor and delivery unit of a large public hospital.

1. All narcotics, or opiates, including morphine, heroin, oxycontin, fentanyl, Percocet, and so on, break down in the body to the metabolite of morphine.
2. Any narcotic, if taken long enough, will result in a chemical dependency, or physical addiction, by the body. Patients on long-term narcotic painkiller therapy will undergo withdrawal symptoms if such therapy is suddenly terminated. Withdrawal symptoms are extremely unpleasant and can be life-threatening.

3. When the health care system, in an attempt to wean patients from their dependency, does not provide adequate care or support, and especially if it simply refused to refill a prescription without tapering appropriately, patients will often turn to street drugs (i.e. heroin) to cope.

4. A side effect of narcotic drugs is decreased repiratory drive (slowed breathing).

5. Most narcotics have a tolerance effect; i.e. greater and greater doses of the drug are required to effect the same level of pain suppression. This is why overdoses often occur: the amount of drug needed to kill the pain, OR TO PREVENT WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS, is so high that it suppresses the respiratory drive sufficiently to cause the patient to stop breathing.

6. Psychological addiction, i.e. undesired and involuntary thoughts, feelings, cravings, and concerns regarding the drug often but not always accompany physical addiction. Psychological addiction is much more difficult to treat than physical addiction, in part because of punitive policies that discourage addicts from seeking treatment. Also, psychological addiction does not automatically disappear once physical addiction has been treated.

I have had patients in recovery from chemical dependency who are so terrified of relapsing that they choose to endure horrifically long labors without pain control of any kind, rather than receiving even a tiny bit of a narcotic to ease their labor. I have tremendous respect for anyone battling a chemical dependency, because I have never yet met such a person who woke up one day saying, "Gee, I think I'll risk becoming an addict today." Most came into the health care system seeking help and ended up with a little more than they bargained for.

This young man is dealing with a medical issue, in the same way he would be if his problem were a broken arm, or an allergy to leather. It appears that he has suffered tremendously, and it is not for those of us who have not walked in his shoes to judge his actions. There but for the grace of God go all of us.

catchermom03 & beepers40, Nice posts. You both seem to understand the darkside of addiction that many folks fail to see. Heroin, Oxycontin, Morphine, and many other I believe have the same derivatives and effects. Without proper counseling the patient can be released from the doctors care and have a bigger problem than he started with.

I remember a few years ago, an athlete named Brett Favre had an addiction to Vicadin an alcohol, shame on him. But because of the support he had from friends, family, doctors, teammates, and fans he resolved his problem and the rest is history. He is now looked at as a hero among many, and an icon as far as how the game should be played. I only hope that in 10 years we can say the same for Jeff Allison, for his sake. Until you are actually involved in an intervention you never know the complexity of an addiction.

I've been involved in an intervention rz1. I'm not a doctor or a nurse but I've been through the rollercoaster ride that drugs put families of an addict on.

I question an individual who leaps from a prescribed drug addiction to a street drug addiction. Heroin isn't prescribed. You have to physically go get it or associate yourself with people who will get it for you. That is my issue here. Favre never turned to heroin as far as I know so that comparison is a stretch at best.

I'm not an addict and I've never experimented with any illegal drug. In fact I can't really understand why anybody would want to do that in the first place. Especially being in the position that I've been in seeing what an addiction can do to you and those that care about you. It isn't pretty.

As I said before I hope this young man gets his life back in order and has a chance to play baseball again. I just don't think he should be given any favors. That's all I'm saying.

Jason

FlippJ,
If you can't get the perscription, you go to the street for a similar product. Favre while not going to the street was obtaining his scripts in a decieving way which could have been preceived as illegal. As far as the heroin issue, I believe that both heroin and Oxycontin, are morphine derivatives.

I don't think that he is being dealt with any differently than how some private industries deal with drug issues. The only difference is that Allison gets to have the media drag it out to the public.

rz1,

Good points. I remember hearing something along the same lines regarding heroin and oxycontin.

I hope this young man gets his life together.

Jason

quote:

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Originally posted by PiC:


The question in my mind created by this lack of will power is, "Am I going to have to babysit this kid? Secondly, can I count on him when the going gets rough, since he has shown an inability to deal with self-control?"

.

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Thats exactly the same reaction I have when I read your bs.

Ok, I started this post and I think it is getting a little out of hand. I asked the question not to have a kid trashed but to get a calm objective opinion regarding the serious issues happening in the sports world. As a player a few years younger than this kid it is very frusturating too see a kid ruin his chance at what every one who has every picked up a glove has dreamed of. I realize I do not know the kids situation, there very well may be family issues or something that can severely hurt this kid. But, everyone has problems and it's the ones who come back in honorable ways who get the most respect in my book. Turning to heroin is ridiculous to me, and I also am taking into account he may have developed an addiction to pain meds but there are places to go. He obviously isn't ready to be a young, rich, successful man but I'm not either; so I'm not pointing any fingers just trying to learn from this kids mistakes so I'm never put into a situation like this. Keep this topic alive though I feel everyone could learn from this, I know I am.

quote:

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Originally posted by itsinthegame:

quote:

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Originally posted by PiC:


The question in my mind created by this lack of will power is, "Am I going to have to babysit this kid? Secondly, can I count on him when the going gets rough, since he has shown an inability to deal with self-control?"

.

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Thats exactly the same reaction I have when I read your bs.

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I know you're trying to elicit a reaction by your unpleasant post so here goes.......

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND YOURS…

Babe Ruth League, Inc. realizes that the success the program enjoys today has been achieved through a group effort. We realize this success has been attained through the hard work and dedication of our many volunteers. The volunteer has been, and will always be, the backbone of our organization.

Of all the profound gestures of the human heart, thanksgiving is the most basic. Its presence creates a universal bond that transcends differences throughout the world. THANKSgiving is the time of year to think about what we are grateful for and to give thanks to those who have made a difference in our lives. In the immortal words of John F. Kennedy, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

The two little words in the English language that mean more than all others are “thank you”. When I was a child, I was taught by my mother and father to always say thanks. This is a practice I continue to follow and which my wife and I have also taught our children.

Therefore, it is important to all of us in Babe Ruth League, Inc. that you know we sincerely appreciate the endless hours of devotion and hard work you give to the youth of our program.

We thank you for…

Caring about children as much as we do.
Teaching our children the basic fundamentals of baseball and softball.
Teaching our children to have fun.
Teaching our children good sportsmanship.
Teaching our children to accept losing.
Teaching our children to be gracious winners.
Molding our children for a bright future.
Being a friend to our children.
Being a good listener.
Setting a good example for our children to follow.
Demonstrating the highest ethical standards.
Helping build our children’s self-confidence.
Giving up time with your children to be with our children.
Just to name a few.

Words cannot express our sincere gratitude to the members of our “Babe Ruth Family”. Reflect for a moment how different our children’s lives would be without the countless unselfish acts that of all of you have given towards our common goal of offering the best youth sports program possible for the youth of our nation.

I would like to share with you some words of wisdom, from an unknown author, whose insight to true thanksgiving is indelibly written:

Count your joys instead of your sorrows,
Count your friends instead of your foes,
Count your blessings instead of your wants,
Count your gains instead of your losses,
Count on us as we count on you,
AND
Together we will create a wondrous world for our children!

THANK YOU!! Have a most enjoyable and happy Thanksgiving holiday!

Ron Tellefsen
President/CEO
Babe Ruth League, Inc.

Actually - you have it backwards.

I was not trying to elicit a reaction from you.
Rather, I was hoping you stopped posting.

As for the rest of the stuff - Thank you - and please send my best to Babe Ruth and Ron as well. LOL

What does the Babe Ruth thing have to do with this? I'm missing something. You have said in your previous posts that you have no time for second chances for people with abuse problems but to quote from your Babe Ruth speil:

quote:

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Of all the profound gestures of the human heart, thanksgiving is the most basic

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Thanksgiving and forgiving go hand in hand.

It bears repeating.
We don't have all the facts!

Thank you Mary, Beepers40, rz1 and centerfieldmom and others!

The Boston Globe is doing a two part story on him. Jeff Allison Story

Jeff Allison Article Part 2

We are all entitled to our opinions, facts or no facts. However, not one person here is entitled to judge another person without being close to the situation. It is a good discussion, drugs and sports, leave the player out of this.
Painkillers are just as psychologically addicting as physically addicting. Not only do they make the pain go away physically, but mentally as well. Most of you really don't understand addiction, and unless you are an expert on the subject, I can't see anyone giving advice that is correct.
There was a very interesting program on ABC primetime last week about withdrawing from paxil. Too bad if you missed it.
I think that at this time of year especially, we should all be thankful that our children are healthy and happy, not thrive on someone else's misfortune.