Quote:
Originally Posted by staylor26
What I’m saying is that there was a very unusual amount of diluted samples this year to the point that it’s likely not a coincidence that it coincided with big changes to the combine format.
When people like Schefter are saying that teams aren’t concerned enough for it to impact Baun’s draft status, I’m going to assume there’s truth to that theory/excuse.
Reuben Foster can’t stay healthy or out of (domestic) trouble, and Peppers was always an athlete with no true position. That’s why their careers haven’t gone so well.
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Couldn't it also be that agents/reps/players knew that the dilluted sample wouldn't be taken as a positive test and as such players decided to 'cycle' differently?
The spike in diluted samples (presuming there is one) could just as easily be due to a series of volitional acts that came about as a result of the new rules on drug testing, no? If anything it's more likely, given the ridiculous amount of water one has to consume to dilute a sample. The idea that the new combine format somehow created a wave of these guys slamming enough water immediately before their weight in to create a bunch of dilute tests seems a little odd.
At best I could see some odd quirk where guys decided to chug water right before their weigh in in order to jump their 'tested' weight up and appear to be bigger on their official weight. And if you conduct a drug test shortly thereafter, you'll have guys who are trying to 'goose' their weigh in popping as dilute. That would be pretty benign I suppose. Though when you think about it - it's not impossible to slam a gallon of water, especially these bigger boys. That's 8 extra pounds of weight on their weigh in - that's not insignificant.
Ultimately I just don't think you can hand-waive it as obviously some kind of benign explanation, though. It's also a possibility that there were simply more guys willing to stay on a cycle to get their combine numbers boosted (because I think there are a TON of dudes who cycle on/off PEDs), dilute the sample knowing it wouldn't' count as a positive, and move forward.