The recent string of good fortune for the Orlando Magic just ended.The news Thursday that All-Star forward Rashard Lewis had been suspended by the NBA for 10 games for violating the Anti-Drug Program was like a bad wake-up call.
Lewis tested positive recently for an elevated testosterone level, which is common among steroid users, and he will miss the first 10 games of the regular season without pay. The NBA issued the suspension Thursday.
According to league sources, Lewis was taking a supplement that contained a substance called Dehydroepiandrosterone, a chemical found in several over-the-counter products at nutrition stores. The substance is banned by most sports leagues, including the NBA.
Lewis issued the following statement through the Magic, who have not yet commented on the suspension:
NBA players are randomly tested four times each season under the league's Anti-Drug Agreement. The first positive test for steroids or any performance enhancing drug results in a 10-game suspension. The second positive test is a 25-game suspension and the third positive test would be a one-year suspension.
The Magic are coming off their finest season in history, a spot in the NBA Finals and a summer of optimism that included the addition of All-Star Vince Carter, along with role playing forwards Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes.
With a goal this season of winning the championship, they are set to move into a sparkling new downtown arena for the 2010-11 season. Lewis, an 11-year veteran, was coming off his second All-Star appearance, carving his niche as one of the finest 3-point shooters in the league. The Magic's recent success has elevated them among the league's elite, as evidenced earlier this week by the national TV schedule that included 29 Magic games, most in franchise history.
In his absence for the first 10 games, the Magic likely will move Mickael Pietrus into his starting spot, alongside Bass at forward.
Comments (Page 1 of 3)
why would a basketball player take steroids? do they make you taller? He's certaily not a dominant post player
i knew orlando was cheating
ORLANDO WAS NOT THE ONE CHEATING, RASHARD WAS.
had to cheat to beat the cavs nice job
He's trying to commit suicide........
Lewis took steroids either because he didn`t know he was given them, or because he is an idiot. Not only idiotic because, of course, he got caught, steroids keep what you would normally execrete in your body. Just rescue the excretion from the toilet and swallow it if you want the same effect steroids gives. The body normally excretes flab, dead muscle, because it is useless trash. Steroids keep it in the body. Don`t make you stronger, just flabbier. If Lewis took it voluntarily, I hope they`ve gotten him a good psychiatrist. As for being an all star, yes, he was a marginal all star once in Seattle, and last year, whether he deserved to be picked or whether it was hype feeding on hype is another question. Bet he won`t be this year. If Lewis had been facetious enough to try this last year, he`d have been caught last year. And all flab does for most types of athletes is HURT their performance, anyway. Maybe shouldn`t use such a graphic clarification of what steroids are. They are used to bulk cattle with soft, tender, delicious meat, But tender and soft is no good for athletics. And being delicious is useful contract time, but not on the court. Chances are, despite the improved depth, losing Turk`s outside shooting and passing has also hurt the Magic. Will see if Barnes, Bass, and Anderson can make that up on defense. I hope Foyle, if he`s resigned, and Gortat are considered for the co post spot with Howard, and Barnes is considered for the wing spot. Lewis shouldn`t be considered for the starting line up again, even after the suspension, until he proves he`s in decent condition and no longer on drugs. Carter and Pietrus are guards. They shouldn`t be considered for forward while the team has plenty of real forwards it needs to sort thru, 3 of them new to the team.
Although it is a shame Mr. Lewis took steroids, the apology sounds like he is saying he did not understand that the ingredients in this over-the-counter suppliment was not approved by the NBA. Do't the clubs have a posting somewhere in the locker rooms of the different names various drugs come under? Don't they have listings of the (illegal) the products themselves? Why didn't the team doctor notice the changes in Mr. Lewis's body index and body mass? Did the doctor report this to club officials? Did they just "sweep it under the carpet"?
It would depend on how the drug was listed. that was a pretty big name and the ingredients list is in very small type. adjust your browser to show text in 2 or 4 point. I doubt if seeing something like malaka leaves, ground oyster shells, peach pits, crab, lobster. would mean much. quiz which of those five items can kill you if you take too many?
with all the drugs and murders and guns and rapes other bullshit with NFL NBA MLB what the hell is wrong with PETE ROSE put pete were he belongs the hall of fame so he lied and so he gambled but compared to the others assholes pete is lite wieght
you and i are in are in COMPLETE agreement .
you and i are in COMPLETE agreement. hell yeah !!!!
Hey dummies, read the article before you post your stupid comments. The banned substance was in an over-the-counter supplement you can buy at any nutrition store. Rashard unknowingly took this substance. He has accepted the blame and apologized for a mistake that probably didn't give him any benefit that a player not taking the same substance would have had. You morons are just jealous this guy is a famous athlete with a $100 million plus contract, and you are not.
Thank you for clearing things up. I was thinking the same thing to say to them other fools that don't read the article or don't understand the article. They just like to talk nonsense!!!
ignorance is no excuse
He's jsut as good as the WHITE ROLL MODEL that smoked pot, swigded down some vodka then killed herself by driving north on a southbund lane here in NY State,her kids her brothers kids and three guys going to Sunday family dinne......there are A-holes in every race dont bring up black, because im going to counter white
all you guys are wrong...he did it for RIHANNA!!!!
LOL...tried to get buff so if chris brown and his goons got at him he could defend himself...smh, LOL
Your so rightknow something else that does not happen every day.....Like a pent up WHITE GUY with represesed hatred and anger that he did not have sex for over 20 years created a blog about how he hated women did at least 3 test runs and then went into a gym shut of the lights fired 36 rounds from three handguns and shot three innocent women, the black guy did some illegal steriods for that he should be hung but this WHITE GUY kills innocents and its ok take a long look at your race before you condemn others.
Taking steroids voluntarily is moronic, not illegal. And Lewis` color didn`t make him skinny, on a team trying to bulk up in the off season because Cleveland, which Orlando beat honestly in the playoffs, bulked up in the off season. Is he lying, did he take the steroids on purpose? Maybe. Anyone stupid enough to cheat despite random testing is stupid enough to lie after getting caught. Like Pete Rose. Who doesn`t represent all white folks. Eventually claimed he bet on games he managed, after saying for years he didn`t. Which is the lie? And said he bet his team to win. Another lie? Did he shave points? He has admitted lying, or was he lying about being a liar? Baseball does NOT ban this steroid, so if Rose had taken it, he would not have been tested/caught. Baseball should categorize their hall. Athletes, coaches, referees, managers, announcers, league officials, other contributers, and, temporarily, in process of being classified. The nba has Wooden, Wilkens, and Sharman in the hall as players and coaches (though Sharman may be there in two categories only to keep up with Wilkens, who earned it, and Wooden). Then Rose could be banned for life as a manager but not have to be banned as a player, except he probably gambled as a player as well as coach, even if he bet his team to win.
Meat...
Rashard is one of the good guys
Racist comments make me sick, lets just stick with the facts, and leave race out of this. He made a mistake and will pay the price end of story.