FanHouse Marijuana

Over the last few years the Milwaukee Brewers have begun to develop into a threat in the National League. They're now a team that is a legitimate contender to win their division and possibly even the NL pennant, and a lot of the credit should go to the organization's ability to develop young talent. They've produced players like Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun and Yovani Gallardo as part of a solid young core for the organization, and they have more players waiting for their shot in the minors.

One of those players is pitcher Jeremy Jeffress, who some consider to be the best pitching prospect in the team's farm system. The 2006 first-round pick (18th overall) has run into some trouble in his career, however, particularly with marijuana. Jeffress has already been suspended once for testing positive for "a drug of abuse," which he later admitted was weed, and it looks like he just can't give the ganja up.

He's tested positive for "a drug of abuse" yet again, and now he's going to miss the next 100 games.

Per the House's Michael David Smith (via several sources), Travis Henry has reportedly failed a drug test for marijuana and could face up to a year suspension from the NFL. He has also reportedly sued the NFL to keep it under wraps, but as MDS points out, there's probably a lengthy Ricky-style suspension coming down the pipe.

In that same fashion, you may have noticed my boy Selvin Young averaging 9.2 yards per carry so far this season in a backup capacity. Mike Shanahan has taken a liking to the youngster out of Texas and he's looked very good in a reserve roll for the Broncos. For fantasy purposes before now, he was nothing more than a classic handcuff (despite the fact that the term is actually outdated because of all the RBBC's). Suddenly, Young looks like he might be the starter for the remainder of the year on a Broncos team that always seems to get over 1,000 yards out of its backfield.

It's obvious you should have stopped reading and gone to pick him up in any fantasy league right? This is what we calla freebie. Hustle up.

Minor League Spotlight is the MLB FanHouse's look into baseball's minor leagues. But you probably figured that out already.

Oh those crazy minor leagues. First it's players getting their jaws broken over the volume on somebody's iPod, then somebody's getting stuck in a bathroom stall, and now it's front office types losing their jobs for smoking some of that demon weed.

Ray Zerba is the Assistant General Manager of Personnel for the Jacksonville Suns. Excuse me, he was the Assistant General Manager of Personnel for the Jacksonville Suns. Then he had to go and smoke a joint under the bleachers during a game.

Police say a juvenile told an off duty officer he saw a man smoking marijuana in the stadium during Saturday's game.

Welcome to Bizarro World where the kids rat out the adults for smoking weed.

What? Did the kid ask for a drag and Zerba tell him to screw off or something? Either way, Zerba is now out of a job, and he's totally aware it's all his fault.

"One of the best jobs I could ever imagine having and I've just kind of thrown it all away, and now I have to pick up the pieces," said Zerba. "I've been addicted to marijuana my whole life pretty much."

Zerba then plowed his way through two bags of Funyons and went home to watch Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

Earlier on the Fanhouse today we reported on Albert Pujols wanting to know what, if anything, fans had learned from the death of Josh Hancock.

Well Albert, I didn't learn a thing. I already knew drinking and driving was bad. The only thing I've taken from Hancock's death is a reaffirmation that we as sports fans are generally morons.

I've been biting my tongue on this for a while, but I'm ready to let loose. I have absolutely no sympathy at all for Josh Hancock.

Hancock's death has been labeled a tragedy by the media, and I think it's ridiculous. Jessica Alba having a no nudity clause in her contract is a tragedy. Josh Hancock's death was an unfortunate incident.

If Josh Hancock didn't play baseball, and was just a construction worker on his way home from the bar when he plowed into a tow truck would he still be the sympathetic figure we now see him as?

Short answer, no. Long complicated answer, hell no.

The Cardinals aren't helping matters, either. Instead their coming off as a bunch of hypocrites in my eyes. They've banned all alcohol from the clubhouse, yet at the same time they've decided to honor Hancock with a patch on their jerseys for the rest of the season.

That's a great message to send. Let's make sure we show the guy who got high and drunk, and then went for a ride the proper respect he deserves.

Give me a break.

Previously at the Fanhouse:
Albert Pujols Isn't Sure the Fans Learned from Josh Hancock
Cardinals Ban Alcohol In Clubhouse, More Teams To Follow?
Report: Hancock Was Drunk, On Cell Phone During Crash
Surveillance Video Of Josh Hancock Crash Released
Report: Marijuana Was Found In Josh Hancock's Vehicle
Witnesses Report Josh Hancock Was Drinking Heavily

The plan for the Mariners, winners of seven of their last eight, was to have Felix Hernandez back to start on Friday night in the Bronx. They wanted it. Felix wanted it.

Neither will be getting it.

The Mariners, however, had a change of plan and Hernandez won't pitch until Tuesday in Detroit. Cha Seung Baek, who came up from Triple-A Tacoma to take Hernandez's starts, will start Friday in New York and Jeff Weaver will get another turn in the rotation Saturday.

All of this because Hernandez isn't quite himself since he took himself out of a start after one-third of an inning on April 18. He eventually went on the disabled list with a right forearm strain.

"I'm not disappointed," Hernandez said after the Mariners' 3-2 win over the White Sox on Wednesday. "If I can't pitch until Tuesday, then I can't."

I can't really blame the Mariners for wanting to take as much time as possible with their biggest asset, but I wonder if they've truly thought about the consequences.

Delaying Hernandez another start means that Jeff Weaver is going to have to start again. Now Jeff is no doubt used to being stoned, but the fact he's been getting rocked as well so far this season has had the Mariners on the verge of moving him to the bullpen.

Not that Weaver was ever aware of it.

"There was never any doubt in my mind that I was going to make this start," Weaver said. "I planned on it. You don't want to struggle, not ever, but I hope I am over that. I need to go out and play the game."

Hurry back, Felix!


Previously at the Fanhouse:
King Felix Rules The Disabled List
King Felix Shouldn't Celebrate Yet
Welcome To The Bullpen, Mr. Weaver

I'm not sure if new manager Bob Geren has a habit of starving and beating his minor-leaguers behind closed doors, or whether Sacramento is just that boring of a city, but Athletics players sure are complaining about the team a lot.

It started last week when Brad Halsey openly criticized the organization for passing him up by calling them cheap. Now reserve catcher Brad Melhuse has joined the fray.

"You really know where you fit in on the totem pole," said Melhuse, who had two starts to Jason Kendall's 18. "I'm not naive to think I'm the absolute key piece to the puzzle here, but I'd think over the last five years I've made myself an important part of the puzzle. But maybe not. Maybe I've worn out my welcome here. Maybe those warm, fuzzy feelings they had for me at one time might have changed. Who knows?"

Asked if he requested a trade, Melhuse said, "I haven't thought that far ahead, but I guess that's always an option if that's what'll help them. I'm sure it'll help me."

Melhuse was just optioned back to Sacramento after the Athletics activated Dan Johnson from the disabled list. Though, judging by playing time, you probably wouldn't have noticed Melhuse was on the club.

I'm thinking Nick Swisher and Mark Kotsay need to share some of their stash, and calm these guys down a bit. I mean, what's so bad about being in Sacramento? At least you're not in Oakland, right?


Previously at the Fanhouse:
Brad Halsey Is An Idiot
Brad Halsey Is Not A Happy Employee

You already knew this if you follow recruiting and/or are a fan of Maryland or Illinois football. But if not, here's a sad, sad tale.

Melvin Alaeze was an all-world defensive end recruit out of Randallstown, Maryland a few years ago. He had offers from literally every major school and put on an amazing performance in the US Army High School All America game. He was tall, powerful and fast. There simply wasn't a better physical prospect in the country.

He was destined for stardom. Unfortunately, he's a terribly messed up kid.

His latest boo-boo is one that probably ends whatever limited chance he had to get his life back together. You see, Alaeze is now facing several charges including attempted murder.

Alaeze has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, armed robbery, car theft and use of a hand gun in the commission of a violent crime, according to Baltimore County court records.

He was arrested Jan. 13 in connection with the Christmas Eve incident at an apartment complex. The charges against Alaeze carry sentences ranging from life for attempted murder to five years for auto theft.

Those charges will effectively slam the door on any kind of college career if he doesn't end up behind bars.

Everyone has been weighing in on the fact that ND point guard Kyle McAlarney was dismissed from ND and can't apply for re-admittance until after the summer semester. MJD pointed out the condemnation of the penalty from Garry Parrish from CBS Sportsline. The part that stinks is that they dragged out the decision -- though the fact that school was out of session the prior couple of weeks would be a factor in that. After all, this was the school's Student Affairs Committee. Not so easy to convene when there are members of the SAC on break. McAlarney was charged on December 28.

Still, a month later to decide put the kid in limbo. Mike DeCourcy at the Sporting News blasted the mother for being upset at the school.

When I first read Janice McAlarney was telling reporters she was "ashamed," I thought that was kind of a harsh comment to make in public about her son Kyle, the erstwhile starting point guard at Notre Dame.

Ah, but she wasn't talking about Kyle. After Notre Dame suspended him for the semester because of his arrest on marijuana possession charges, she told the Associated Press she was "ashamed of the university. My son is a great kid. He did not deserve this. The punishment did not fit the crime."

Given her attitude, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised McAlarney was arrested for marijuana possession after a policeman stopped his car because, he said, it was being driven erratically. The policeman smelled what he considered to be the odor of marijuana coming from the car, then searched and found a substance police said tested positive for the drug. And all of this happened in the middle of the season, by the way.

If a parent doesn't see this as a very big deal, I'm not sure how a child is going to.

Uhhh, that's a little unfair. Just like Parrish was being a bit unfair by floating the ND screwing McAlarney conspiracy theory (leave that to us tinfoil-wearing irresponsible bloggers).

The kid has to bear responsibility and pay the price. This is his mother, though, and they have been waiting a month to find out. She's probably had a month to kick his butt over the stupidity. He had started classes and was not denying responsibility. He had already gotten into a diversion program for first time offenders with the Prosecutor's office. Of course she would be upset to see him kicked out of school -- not simply suspended from the team. He is stuck taking the semester off and being at home.

The thing I had been wondering about was whether this was a typical decision from the ND SAC for similar violations of the du lac. That would go a lot further to determining the "fairness." ND blogger at Black and Green has an ambiguous answer.

Apparently you haven't heard that just about every other drug case ends up with a semester dismissal from Notre Dame. ND is not like a public school, it's not like Boston College, it's not like any other university in the world. True, this suspension is harsh. You should have thought about your punishment before you decided to light up.

So if this was typical, maybe this is not so out of proportion. Except that it is actually not a single semester suspension. It is two semesters. He can't apply for re-admittance to the summer session and try and catch up on a missed semester -- as pointed out in the comments.

I stand corrected. As of right now, K-Mac's summer suspension is in limbo. A two-semester suspension is harsher than most, although students are home over the Summer.

Unless they are taking summer classes. That's why there's a summer semester. As it stands now, at least three schools -- Xavier, Virginia and Michigan State -- are very interested in McAlarney considering their schools. At least ND doesn't have to worry about him transferring to a Big East school. The Big East has a prohibition on transfers from schools within the conference.

When I read that Notre Dame had kicked Kyle McAlarney not only off the basketball team, but out of school, for an entire semester ... I sort of thought it was an overreaction to a marijuana possession charge, chalked it up to a school being overprotective of their reputation, and forgot about it. But there was something I hadn't considered, a possibility that was raised today by Gary Parrish of CBS Sportsline.

Had Notre Dame ruled this way two weeks ago -- or perhaps even as late as last week -- McAlarney could've transferred to another institution, knocked out 15 hours and been eligible to resume his college career next December. But because the process dragged, transferring is no longer an option, and a cynic might suggest that was part of the plan all along.

Dismiss the player two weeks ago, you might lose him forever.

Dismiss the player now, his best option will be to seek readmittance at Notre Dame this summer.

Interesting.

Of course, I don't know that that's what Notre Dame was thinking. Maybe it just takes them a really long time to make decisions, I don't know. But I'd hate to think that they would willfully keep McAlarney out of any school for a full semester for their own selfish reasons.

And you can argue that McAlarney brought it upon himself, and you're right, he certainly did ... but that wouldn't excuse Notre Dame from acting with such little regard for the (ex) student's future.