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Published on 10/11/2007 at Thu Oct 11 13:10.



Henry Given Five Days to Appeal

Posted Thu Oct 11th by

My Fox Colorado reports that Travis Henry, along with the NFL Players Association, will be receiving a letter indicating that Henry has five days to appeal a one-year suspension from the league. You can find the quick report below, but it seems to me that this letter is happening while the trial is pending in New York. Again, this is my personal interpretation of the report, but I don’t see anything telling me that Henry’s B Sample would be or has been tested. In fact, the report suggests that the league may just be going through the motions with the suspension at this time, despite the pending litigation (added emphasis in the quote below).

I’m a bit confused to say the least. How can they officially suspend Henry without the confirming B sample? Yet the court case won’t influence the “in house” NFL suspension/appeal process?

If someone out there can clarify this, please, post a comment below. I’m off to work in a few, if anything more happens we’ll do our best to let you know.

I have confirmed today (Wednesday) that the N.F.L Players Association has received an official violation letter regarding Broncos Running Back Travis Henry testing positive for marijuana. Additionally, I have learned that the same violation letter has been sent out to Henry as well. Here is what happens now. Henry has 5 days after his receipt of this letter to make an official appeal. If he chooses not to, a one year suspension would be effective immediately. If in fact Henry decides to appeal, his hearing would be heard by the Commissioner’s designee. It is likely Henry’s hearing would be scheduled 1 to 2 weeks after notification of his appeal, according to a highly placed N.F.L.source.

Henry has challenged in court the testing process for his “B” urine sample. The N.F.L reportedly had until today (Wednesday) to file a response in the Suffolk County Court in New York. The source who broke Henry’s story to me though says Henry’s lawsuit will not inhibit the “in house” appeal process. Calls to Henry’s lawyer and his agent were not immediately returned for this report. Henry was present at practice today (Wednesday). Henry did not communicate with televsion media at that time.

  • Crosshare

    As a fantasy owner this is driving me crazy. As a Broncos fan, I can’t wait to see Henry go.

  • BroncoFan

    If this is true, brilliant work Kyle. I can’t find anything on this at any other site so cudos to you for bringing it to us first. I agree w/Crosshare . . . don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

  • http://www.broncotalk.net Jonathan Douglas

    I have to ask this as I think we all agree that smoking pot in this case (and at this time) was a bone-headed thing to do, but is there ANY way that this is a false positive?

    I heard from on source that the level was SO low it was borderline positive. And why did only one sample pop positive? Add to this the fact that Henry has suggested he would take the famous Mike Shanahan lie-detector test, and that might stack up to a completely different story…

    I’m not saying that this is the case – by all appearances it looks like Henry is just a moron. But I didn’t know if any of you (especially in the Denver area) had heard more about the specifics in the media this week.

  • http://broncotalk.net Kyle

    Jonathan –

    From what I’ve read in various reports, Henry is pretty adamant that he didn’t smoke weed. One rumor is that he inhaled second-hand smoke, which would give him the borderline THC levels supposedly. In his court papers he filed, he said “This has to be some type of mistake.”

    He has volunteered to take the lie detector test, and he has also volunteered to take a hair follicle test (note: neither are currently admissible for league appeal, at least from what I’ve read). The dude is going through the motions to show he didn’t screw this up – I’m still waiting for the whole process to take its course, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t regret my knee jerk reaction a week ago.

    I’m still mad as hell to have to question it at all, though.

  • Crosshare

    It’s a bit conflicting of how his sample was borderline. On one hand, I’ve heard to show up positive on a test from second hand smoke, you have to be in an area the size of a small closet with someone smoking next to you. “Hotboxing” On the other hand, if he is willing to do a hair follicle test, that would deem him innocent or guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt, as long as the last time he was busted didn’t show up in that sample. If the hair test would put it to rest, I don’t know why the league isn’t going forward with it and quit playing games.

  • http://broncotalk.net Kyle

    Excellent points Cross – I had hear similar things regarding secondhand smoke.

    The league is doing a lot to clean up its image, and having someone who everyone knows tested positive for marijuana playing on the field is a slap in the face. Like one report said, if this hadn’t leaked to the media the league may have settled or dropped it. Now it’s all or nothing.