Sha’Carri Richardson! Remember that name. This young lady first burst on the scene in 2019 as a freshman sprinter at LSU, where she won the collegiate championship in the 100m in a time of 10.75 sec. That set a collegiate record, and U20 record, while being one of the ten fastest times in the history of the sport.
In mid-June, Sha’Carri started what was to be her natural progression in the sport of track & field by entering the Olympic Trials which had been delayed 1 year due to the pandemic. In what was somewhat expected, Sha’Carri wowed us all be outclassing the field in Eugene, OR that first week. She won the 100m in convincing fashion, and was considered a top contender for the title of “World’s Fastest Woman”.
But on June 28th, the unthinkable happened. Due to a failed drug test, Sha’Carri was stripped of her 100m title, thus making her ineligible for the Tokyo Olympics. So what did she test positive for? THC, a.k.a. Marijuana. Not steroids, HGH, or any other performance enhancing drug, but “WEED”!
Now rules are rules, and we all must follow them, but I must say, this one is archaic and definitely needs some revision. It’s 2021! There are 18 states + the District of Columbia that have legalized recreational cannabis usage. Not to mention those states which allow medicinal usage. It is CLEARLY not a performance enhancing drug, and even the addictiveness to the drug is questionable.
When you look at other professional sports such as the NBA and NFL that have relaxed their stances on marijuana, it makes perfect sense for USADA and USATF to do the same. With the increased push to decriminalize marijuana and make it legal across the country, and with this happening to one of our brightest young talents, now is as good a time as any to have this conversation. This may be on the extreme side, but an athlete could conceivably run drunk, and not receive any penalty. The only reason marijuana is still illegal, is because the government hasn’t come to an agreement on how to tax it. Cigarettes/tobacco, alcohol, both heavily taxed and potentially hazardous to your health with prolonged, excessive use, but marijuana is still a banned substance despite all of the actual health benefits it has for individuals with certain conditions.
C’mon people! I know it may not happen for these Olympic Games, but this rule has got to change. Not just for Sha’Carri, but for the betterment of the sport, and individuals around the globe who suffer from anxiety, depression, chronic pain, ptsd, and many other ailments/issues that marijuana can help with. But in the end I believe we want to see Sha’Carri in Tokyo. So to USADA, USATF, USOC, IAAF, and the IOC, #LetHerRun!!!
But he wasn’t done there. He criticized and called for NFL players who protest during the National Anthem to be immediately fired/released by their teams. He even referred to these players as “sons of bitches”. This is highly inappropriate behavior for the leader of the free world. This guy is out of control. Sports has always been one of the avenues that has united this country because it stretches across racial and soci0-economic barriers. But “Agent Orange” has managed to throw his divisive nature into that arena as well. And athletes have always been socially aware. Think about John Carlos and Tommie Smith at the ’68 Olympics; Muhammad Ali refusing to be drafted; and even the U.S. boycott of the ’80 Olympics in Moscow. So this is nothing new Mr. President.
Athletes like Colin Kaepernick, Michael Bennett, Eric Reid, Brandon Marshall, and Marshawn Lynch are sitting or raising fists during the National Anthem because it is open season on Black men in America. Unarmed Black men are being killed by the very people that are supposed to be protecting them. And it’s occurring at an alarming rate. With their high profile voice these athletes are bringing attention to this issue in hopes of starting a dialog and bringing about a solution.
Before the money, TV contracts, and mass popularity for women’s basketball, there was Pat Summitt. Pat Summitt was women’s collegiate basketball personified. She began her coaching career at The University of Tennessee in 1974, and would hold that position for 38 seasons. In that time she won over 1,000 games, took the Lady Vols to 13 Final Fours, winning 8 NCAA Championships. When she retired in 2012, her 8 NCAA championships were an NCAA women’s record. She was one of the winningest coaches in NCAA history, and was the first NCAA coach to reach 1,000 wins. In addition to her NCAA success she had international success as well. Winning a silver medal in the 1976 Olympic Games as a player and leading Team USA to a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics as the head coach. Her accomplishments, and what she’s meant to women’s basketball speaks for itself.
Buddy Ryan, whom many consider the father of modern day defense in the NFL, began his coaching career at the high school level in 1957. In 1968 he became the defensive line coach for the New York Jets. As one of the architects of the 1969 Jets defense, he was very instrumental in helping the Jets pull off that Super Bowl upset against the Baltimore Colts. Ryan would remain with the Jets until 1975. After spending a couple seasons with the Vikings as their defensive line coach, he was then hired by George Halas to become the defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears in 1978. It was here that Ryan made his mark. Ryan formulated, and is the father of the 46 defense. A scheme that put a premium on pressuring the QB. Ryan perfected this scheme in 1985, helping lead the Bears to their first Super Bowl, and a victory over the New England Patriots. Ryan parlayed this into a head coaching career with the Philadelphia Eagles and later with the Arizona Cardinals. Though Buddy had been retired from coaching for 20 years, his aggressive defensive style and spirit live on in his twin sons, Rob Ryan (Buffalo Bills Defensive Coordinator) and Rex Ryan (Buffalo Bills head coach). I think dad would have loved to see his boys roaming that sideline together. But I think he’s definitely smiling down on them.
