Dustin Johnson taking a leave of absence from tour, Suspended for cocaine use

[Abu3baid]

He did make a conscious decision to continue snorting coke after failing the 1st and second drug test.. Maybe he was drunk as a skunk the first time, but after that??? Also, he made a conscious decision to sleep with his coworkers wife.. Even if the first time was because he was snorting coke so he was too high to make a rational decision, the second time he can't be excused! He put himself in this position and the only reasons we are talking about this is because he is a tour pro, otherwise the crack heads fill up the streets and we just don't really have much interactions with them! I hope that he can get over being a crack head and become a normal contributing member of society! ;) I'm over exaggerating a bit, please no one get upset.. I'm sure DJ is a great outstanding guy other than the drugs and sleeping around stuff!

[Spyder]

I think being a young, pro golfer who had success early is going to face a lot of temptation. Companies are throwing money at you, you're filming TV commercials, everyone tells you how great you are. Players are treated like royalty out on tour. If you're not grounded it's easy to get a big ego and think you're indestructible, what harm is a little coke going to do? I still think Dustin is still 100% to blame, he put the stuff in his body (and now seems to be owning his problem) but I understand how things can get out of control.

Slightly off topic, but this is why I give all of the credit in the world to guys like LeBron James. A phenom at 18 who was in the spotlight since he was 14, having cash and offers tossed at him like rice at a wedding and worth nearly $500M or more now at 29 years old. The dude still stays grounded and is very generous with his time and money.

[RJH999]

I'm sure DJ is a great outstanding guy other than the drugs and sleeping around stuff!

This sentence is hilarious.

[CarlSpackler]

I think it's easy to get caught up in stuff and not make the best choices. I know I have.

[RonTheSavage]

Slightly off topic, but this is why I give all of the credit in the world to guys like LeBron James. A phenom at 18 who was in the spotlight since he was 14, having cash and offers tossed at him like rice at a wedding and worth nearly $500M or more now at 29 years old. The dude still stays grounded and is very generous with his time and money.

Funny some people hated LeBron for The Decision but are sending virtual care packages for DJ LOL.

[Spyder]

Funny some people hated LeBron for The Decision but are sending virtual care packages for DJ LOL.

I never hated LBJ. I think The Decision in general was stupid and near the time of 'The Decision' he was pretty arrogant in the way that he carried himself. But, in the grand scheme of things and as I've aged and matured myself, I can obviously respect the fact that the dude stays out of trouble. I cannot say that I would be able to do the same, and I would imagine that you would agree since it's nearly impossible to know what you would do with that amount of fame and fortune unless you're living it first-hand.

I'm also not sending virtual kisses to DJ either. If the guy has an addiction issue, I do feel empathy for the guy having gone through my own battles myself. What I don't like is when people just carelessly speak out about addiction when they clearly don't know anything about it (i.e: the guy in the drugs thread who said marijuana addiction is like alcohol ism in that they both exhibit no chemical dependency). That is when I began to elaborate so that people could see that it doesn't matter how rich or famous you are, or what type of lifestyle you live. Some people just have issues and one lapse in judgement can create a long road of hell to deal with.

I'm usually pretty "old school" and believe in the "he just needs a good smack of reality" line. I just don't feel entitled enough to cast judgement when it comes to the topic of drug/alcohol abuse.

[pepsiplusconker]

You can feel compassion for the guy, but also say, it's all his own fault.

No one knows how they would react in his situation, I honestly think quite a large % of us would get into sticky situations similar to this given enough chances.  He's rich, successful, travels all over the world to amazing places, basically the perfect life for some 20 year old guys.

There's no excuses for him really, when it comes to the drug taking, he's rich, it was there, he liked it and he just kept doing it, until it became a problem, no ones fault but his own, but it only really affected himself, so you can't exactly look down on him for it.

What is worse, is sleeping with players wives, obviously it's on them since they are the ones cheating, but he knowingly slept with colleagues wives, even though on any given night he could go to any bar/club and pick up countless 10 out of 10s no problem, it's just a really bad morale compass.

[Abu3baid]

You can feel compassion for the guy, but also say, it's all his own fault. No one knows how they would react in his situation, I honestly think quite a large % of us would get into sticky situations similar to this given enough chances.  He's rich, successful, travels all over the world to amazing places, basically the perfect life for some 20 year old guys.   There's no excuses for him really, when it comes to the drug taking, he's rich, it was there, he liked it and he just kept doing it, until it became a problem, no ones fault but his own, but it only really affected himself, so you can't exactly look down on him for it. What is worse, is sleeping with players wives, obviously it's on them since they are the ones cheating, but he knowingly slept with colleagues wives, even though on any given night he could go to any bar/club and pick up countless 10 out of 10s no problem, it's just a really bad morale compass.

Feeling compassion is obviously a good thing , and no one will really say other wise.. However, aren't there certain situations that call for this feeling and others that don't? Butcher cuts his finger off while working.. I say damn.. It is his fault for not taking the right precautions bla bla bla.. Then I immediately say, man I feel bad for him and his family, what a terrible thing to happen to a guy like that! I put the blame where it needs to be and I felt compassionate for this guy who got hurt on the job.. (I know butchers this has happened to) Successful pro golfer does illicit drugs, is caught multiple times and then is suspended, and I find out he also slept wih two coworkers wives to boot.. I say.. What a drug addict jerk, he deserves what he got for being an arrogant jerk! No compassion there! Is it possible that I would feel compassion for another drug addict who's situation is different? Yes, of course! Just not this guy because of my perception of him! No one had come out and gave any details that would really help in paint him in a different picture other than the one I have already painted, I have only seen comments of we should give the guy the benefit of the doubt, but haven't supports that with any good reasons why? Why do I care? Well, I don't really.. I'm just giving my position and I can't worry about what everyone else will think, as that would be disingenuous in my opinion! If I am going to take heat for it so be it!

[skydog]

Seems like winning (a lot) really does fix everything because it feels like a lot of you are Tiger fans and are being much harder on DJ than you've ever been on your wonder boy Eldrick. Just my $0.02.

[newtogolf]

Seems like winning (a lot) really does fix everything because it feels like a lot of you are Tiger fans and are being much harder on DJ than you've ever been on your wonder boy Eldrick. Just my $0.02.

Tiger wasn't suspended and to our knowledge has never used illegal drugs.  He also to our knowledge hasn't slept with the wives of any Tour players, so what exactly are you referring to?

[Abu3baid]

Seems like winning (a lot) really does fix everything because it feels like a lot of you are Tiger fans and are being much harder on DJ than you've ever been on your wonder boy Eldrick. Just my $0.02.

I wasn't around when Tiger flopped around declaring the sex addiction excuse for sleeping around! I guess I'm just not good at separating the player from the character, I consider him a low life! Although I have to admit, DJ is a little worst don't you think? Coworker wives and cocaine? At least Tiger kept it to hookers!

[Golfingdad]

Tiger wasn't suspended and to our knowledge has never used illegal drugs.  He also to our knowledge hasn't slept with the wives of any Tour players, so what exactly are you referring to?

You know I like you, but really?  Come on.  For somebody who has gone out of his way to make some silly false equivalencies in this (or the other drug thread, I'm getting them confused) such as comparing alcoholism to somebody who eats 4 big macs and 2 large fries, and to a couple of guys who've been caught cheating in baseball by taking steroids, or the slippery slope what-about-sex-addicts-and-shopoholics comparisons ... I don't think you get to pretend like this isn't comparable.

And, "Tiger hasn't slept with any other tour wives??"  Are you kidding me?  He slept with nine million other women while he himself WAS MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  As has already been stipulated... at worst, that is equally as deplorable (and many of us find that much, much worse).

So please ... in the words of Cris Carter "Come on, man!"

[pepsiplusconker]

Feeling compassion is obviously a good thing , and no one will really say other wise.. However, aren't there certain situations that call for this feeling and others that don't?

Butcher cuts his finger off while working.. I say damn.. It is his fault for not taking the right precautions bla bla bla.. Then I immediately say, man I feel bad for him and his family, what a terrible thing to happen to a guy like that! I put the blame where it needs to be and I felt compassionate for this guy who got hurt on the job.. (I know butchers this has happened to)

Successful pro golfer does illicit drugs, is caught multiple times and then is suspended, and I find out he also slept wih two coworkers wives to boot.. I say.. What a drug addict jerk, he deserves what he got for being an arrogant jerk! No compassion there!

Is it possible that I would feel compassion for another drug addict who's situation is different? Yes, of course! Just not this guy because of my perception of him!

No one had come out and gave any details that would really help in paint him in a different picture other than the one I have already painted, I have only seen comments of we should give the guy the benefit of the doubt, but haven't supports that with any good reasons why?

Why do I care? Well, I don't really.. I'm just giving my position and I can't worry about what everyone else will think, as that would be disingenuous in my opinion! If I am going to take heat for it so be it!

All true, I don't feel compassion myself, I just think, ah well, you effed up big time buddy.

People go on about what addiction is and how you don't know until you've experienced it, blah blah, but it's funny, I'm not addicted to coke, like 99.999999% of people in the world, because we didn't go mental and get coked up for a laugh all the time.

I don't hold drug taking against anyone, but everyone knows the risks, play with fire........

If this guy banged my wife I'd refuse to ever be in the same room as him, never mind playing in the same groups during rounds etc.

I'd make sure everyone knew what he'd done and be getting rid of her quicker than DJ can go through a gram

[skydog]

Tiger wasn't suspended and to our knowledge has never used illegal drugs.  He also to our knowledge hasn't slept with the wives of any Tour players, so what exactly are you referring to?

Seriously, dude?? I'm left scrathing my head at your confusion here. You're seriously grasping at straws if you think that what DJ did is any worse than what Tiger did. Sleeping around, breaking up families, etc- they've got those bases covered.

They've both screwed up in their personal lives but from everyone who I've ever talked to who's met him/knows him well- DJ is a friendly, down to earth guy who I don't think has ever intended to hurt anyone (but himself) with his poor choices. On the other hand, there are countless reports from people who know Tiger well that document how unfriendly, cheap, and disconnected he can be. When it comes to forgiving and forgetting, I give the nod to DJ on this one. But like I said, I know I'm in the minority on this one, because winning does fix everything.

[newtogolf]

You know I like you, but really?  Come on.  For somebody who has gone out of his way to make some silly false equivalencies in this (or the other drug thread, I'm getting them confused) such as comparing alcoholism to somebody who eats 4 big macs and 2 large fries, and to a couple of guys who've been caught cheating in baseball by taking steroids, or the slippery slope what-about-sex-addicts-and-shopoholics comparisons ... I don't think you get to pretend like this isn't comparable.

And, "Tiger hasn't slept with any other tour wives??"  Are you kidding me?  He slept with nine million other women while he himself WAS MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  As has already been stipulated... at worst, that is equally as deplorable (and many of us find that much, much worse).

So please ... in the words of Cris Carter "Come on, man!"

You're really comparing DJ to Tiger here?  Did Tiger get suspended?  Has Tiger failed multiple drug tests?  Tiger cheated on his wife, which in my mind is equally scummy to sleeping with co-workers wives who may or may not have families.   I've been critical of Tiger for his cheating, go back and read the posts, I've never defended his actions and even here I'm not defending him, just stating DJ is a worse offender.

[skydog]

You're really comparing DJ to Tiger here?  Did Tiger get suspended?  Has Tiger failed multiple drug tests?  Tiger cheated on his wife, which in my mind is equally scummy to sleeping with co-workers wives who may or may not have families.   I've been critical of Tiger for his cheating, go back and read the posts, I've never defended his actions and even here I'm not defending him, just stating DJ is a worse offender.

FWIW, You're kidding yourself if you think the tour would have ever suspended Tiger. They've handled this DJ situation so poorly I have zero confidence in them to ever do the right thing.

[Golfingdad]

You're really comparing DJ to Tiger here?  Did Tiger get suspended?  Has Tiger failed multiple drug tests?  Tiger cheated on his wife, which in my mind is equally scummy to sleeping with co-workers wives who may or may not have families.   I've been critical of Tiger for his cheating, go back and read the posts, I've never defended his actions and even here I'm not defending him, just stating DJ is a worse offender.

No, you didn't "just state that DJ is worse."  You scoffed at @skydog 's statement like it was absurd.  All I am saying is it is much less absurd than the comparisons you've been making in this very thread.

And I'm not comparing anybody here, I just think that your comment ro skydog was unfair.

[newtogolf]

FWIW, You're kidding yourself if you think the tour would have ever suspended Tiger. They've handled this DJ situation so poorly I have zero confidence in them to ever do the right thing.

So now it's a conspiracy, c'mon.  If Tiger failed a drug test, he'd be suspended.  Stop being Tiger haters and DJ apologists.  The kid messed up, he's hopefully going to get cleaned up and continue to have success in his career but let's not twist the facts to make him look like some kind of victim here.

I've said my peace here, you guys can continue to make excuses for why DJ did the things he did.