pumzy

Vikings release suspended running back Smith
ESPN.com news services

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Vikings released suspended running back Onterrio Smith on Wednesday.

A reason for Smith's release was not provided in a statement from the team. However, he will not be reinstated from a substance-abuse suspension in June, a source close to Smith told the St. Paul Pioneer Press for a story on Wednesday.

"We've decided to terminate Onterrio Smith's contract ahead of this weekend's college draft," head coach Brad Childress said in the statement. "We wish him well in his future endeavors."

Smith played for the Vikings during the 2003 and 2004 seasons but was suspended by the NFL last season for substance abuse. He was given the one-year suspension weeks after he was caught at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport with several vials of dried urine and "The Original Whizzinator," which is marketed as a way to beat drug tests.

It was his third violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Smith's one-year suspension doesn't expire until June 7.

Smith's agent, Doug Hendrickson, didn't immediately return messages left Wednesday by The Associated Press.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2422707

Professor

an inevitability to say the least, he has to be reinstated first by the league for anyone to have him, but he'll prolly end up somewhere.

pumzy

I say good riddence. maybe smith and ricky williams can start their own club - RBOD (running backs on drugs)

Professor

Lawrence Phillips would be thier president

pumzy

naw, he's probably too busy dragging his girlfriend down the stairs by her hair to be president of a club

Professor

are you kidding me that is why he is president, LOL

juggalo6772

The reason we cut onterio is because he didnt apply for reinstatment, to my understanding the suspension is now perminate.

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MickeyG

good, he is a pretty good player, but we don't need his trouble.

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Professor

that article I posted about reinstatement was ambigious, he is not eligible to be reinstated until june and it did not say that he hasn't applied. The guy who wrote the article was very redundant in his writing and sounded like a moron in doing so. The article was seemingly drummed up for some stupid publicity.

stormdriver

If that were your front office's philosophy, you'd be cutting half the team. The one thing this tells me is that Minn is pretty much a lock to go RB in the first round. Think Lendale will fall that far?

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