The issue: Should voters rescind Brian Cushing’s 2009 NFL defensive rookie-of-the year award because he’s been suspended for performance-enhancing drugs?
Before you decide, here’s some background.
Cushing was a monster on the football field last season. It was a given he would win The Associated Press’ award as the league’s best defensive rookie. Indeed, he was the runaway winner in voting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. He received 39 votes, dwarfing the six votes cast for Buffalo safety Jarius Byrd.
But that vote came before Cushing was suspended four games for violating the NFL’s anti-doping policy and his admission he took a non-steroid banned substance. Now the AP is making the unprecedented move of holding a revote to see if Cushing is deserving of the award.
“This is the first time we’ve encountered an issue like this,” Lou Ferrara, AP’s managing editor for sports and entertainment, said in a statement. “Because these awards are based on on-field performance, we consider it necessary to review the matter and allow for a revote, especially after concerns were raised by many of our voters.”
Cushing is still on the ballot and chances are he will be reconfirmed as defensive rookie of the year when the new votes are cast Wednesday afternoon.
According to , Cushing tested positive for positive for human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, last September. It’s a non-steroidal substance that’s produced naturally in the body, but it’s also used in conjunction with steroids and has been banned by the NFL, as well as other sports. Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez was suspended 50 games last year for using hCG.
Cushing has not commented publically, other than releasing a statement saying his positive test was “nonsteroidal.” Cushing reportedly took and passed a lie-detector test to prove he was not guilty of taking a performance-enhancing drug, but his four-game suspension still stands.
My opinion: My gut tells me Cushing is a cheater and didn’t deserve the award. However — and this is a big however — I don’t see how the award can be rescinded now.
The NFL allowed him to play all season, so you can’t strip him of his award now. Just as the AP couldn’t go back and strip Barry Bonds of his various awards, even though we know he is a cheater.
So, I guess Cushing will have to live with a tainted award.
And one other thing. I think the NFL’s drug policy is a joke. It’s cloaked in secrecy and is slow as molasses. If the league really wanted to clean up the sport, it would do so, but it can’t risk the fallout of superstars being caught.
Trivia time
Name the player who won the 2005 defensive rookie of the year award and then tested positive for steroids during the 2006 offseason. (Answer below)
Polling
Monday’s “Lunch Special” poll asked whether a woman can be successful coaching a boys’ high school football team. Readers overwhelming (77.35 percent) said yes.
Quotable
“As anyone who monitored Twitter knows, Griffey instantly became a punch line. You snooze, you lose your credibility. And that’s just downright sad for a player who will go down, rightfully, as one of the all-time greats, the only recent member of the 600-homer club to do it with his integrity intact.” — commenting on the brouhaha that’s erupted over reports that Ken Griffey Jr. fell asleep in the Mariners’ clubhouse and missed a chance to pinch hit during a recent game.
Reader’s rant
“The Rockies continue to play uninspired baseball. (Seth) Smith showed some flashes of the promise he held in spring training, but the defense continues to botch things up and the offense is still sleeping in. Time to wake up and smell the coffee and play like your jobs depend on it, because they should. Nobody on the team should be immune from getting benched, sent to AAA or even traded, or in the case of coaches fired.” — Fat Harry Here, posting about the Rockies’ 9-5 loss to the Phillies Monday night.
In case you missed it
Fans at the new Target Field in Minneapolis have turned to bird watching.
A small falcon, named Kirby the Kestrel, can be seen regularly perched atop the right-field foul pole.
Named by fans for the late, great Twins outfielder Kirby Puckett, the falcon has thrilled Target Field patrons by swooping down the snare moths lured by the stadium lights.
Footage of his acrobatic flights are shown on the video scoreboard during games and Twins broadcasters have taken to analyzing his moves.
This day in sports
On May 11, 1980, Pete Rose stole second, third and home in the same inning for the Philadelphia Phillies. Rose was 39 at the time.
Trivia answer
San Diego linebacker Shawne Merriman
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1720 or psaunders@denverpost.com
