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NFL Notebook: Report says McAllister violated steroids policy
AP File Photo
Deuce McAllister’s name has come up in a Denver TV steroids report.
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Published: October 25, 2008
■ Saints: Veterans Deuce McAllister and Will Smith of New Orleans are among several players who have violated the NFL steroids policy, according to a report by Fox 31 television in Denver.
The station, citing an unnamed source, reported yesterday that there are between six and 10 positive tests in the NFL for a weight-loss diuretic. The only names the station mentioned were those of McAllister and Smith, who are in London for Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers.
ESPN.com, citing two unnamed sources, reported that the number is more than 10 and might exceed 15. The NFL would not comment on the reports, but attorney David Cornwell told The Associated Press that he has been hired to handle the appeals of several players who are facing possible suspensions. Cornwell declined to identify any of his clients or say how many there were.
The Fox 31 report said that three or four of the positive tests belonged to the Saints, and that McAllister and Smith tested positive for Bumetanide, which decreases the amount of water retained in the body by increasing urination. Diuretics also can be used as masking agents for other banned substances.
■ Steelers: Running back Willie Parker unexpectedly didn't practice yesterday because of continuing problems with his sprained left knee and is unlikely to play Sunday against the New York Giants.
Wide receiver Santonio Holmes also was held out of practice and will be deactivated Sunday after city police stopped his car and smelled burning marijuana Thursday. Holmes, a former first-round draft choice, will be charged with a marijuana-related misdemeanor count. He will be replaced by Nate Washington, who has two touchdown catches in the past two games.
■ Colts: A staph infection in a bursa sac in Peyton Manning's left knee led to the surgery that kept him out of much of the Indianapolis Colts' preseason training camp, the team confirmed yesterday.
But team officials denied reports that Manning had a highly virulent form of staph infection that is difficult to treat called methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
The team, responding to reports that the staph infection prompted both of Manning's preseason left knee surgeries, said that was the case only with the first procedure, which removed the bursa sac. The second operation was to tack skin together to eliminate the space left by the removal, the team said.
■ Ravens: Linebacker Terrell Suggs said yesterday that Baltimore didn't have a bounty on running back Rashard Mendenhall and receiver Hines Ward of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In an interview last week on an Atlanta radio station, Suggs was asked if there was a bounty on Mendenhall. He replied, "The bounty was out on him and the bounty was out on (Ward). We just didn't get him between the whistles." On Wednesday, Suggs said that there was no bounty on either player.
Ray Anderson, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations, this week told Pittsburgh reporters, "We certainly are looking into it....."
Mendenhall, the Steelers' first-round draft pick, suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during a 23-20 overtime win over Baltimore on Sept. 29.
■ Dolphins: Miami put cornerback Michael Lehan on injured reserve yesterday with a hamstring injury and re re-signed free agent cornerback Joey Thomas. Lehan started two games this season but has battled injuries and hurt his hamstring in practice Thursday. Also, nose tackle Jason Ferguson practiced yesterday for the first time since leaving last weekend's game against Baltimore with a rib injury.
■ Redskins: Defensive end Jason Taylor went to a hospital yesterday to have his left calf re-examined, and Coach Jim Zorn said Taylor will have a second operation on the leg next week.
Taylor didn't practice but still hopes to play Sunday against the Detroit Lions.
■ Giants: Receiver Plaxico Burress was fined $45,000 by the NFL for verbally abusing an official and tossing a ball into the stands during last weekend's game against San Francisco.
Burress was fined $20,000 for comments to head linesman Phil McKinnely after the official called him for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the second quarter, and $20,000 for inappropriate comments after the game.
■ NFL: An expanded regular season would improve the overall quality of the NFL and increase interest among fans, Commissioner Roger Goodell said yesterday. The NFL discussed adding one or two games to the regular season at its owners meetings this month, but no decision was made and no change is expected for 2009.
■ Standings, schedule, C4.
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