PFT: Whitehurst likely to start at QB for Seahawks

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The NFL and the NFLPA continue to squabble regarding the question of whether HGH testing will commence in the near future.? The league believes that an agreement was struck last Friday, when the parties met with Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Cal.) and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.).? The NFLPA believes that any agreement was conditional, with the union expecting to receive more information before testing will begin.

On Friday, NFLPA spokesman George Atallah told PFT via phone from London that the union still wants information regarding the population studies used to develop the acceptable HGH thresholds by the World Anti-Doping Agency, regarding the due process that will be utilized when players want to contest positive results, and whether and to what extent the proposed testing procedure has been independently reviewed.

Atallah said that, because Congress has not been in session this week, Congress has not been able to assist the union in obtaining the required information.? Though Atallah said the NFLPA expects to face increased pressure from the NFL and from Issa and Cummings, the union does not intend to relent until its concerns are addressed.

If it results in a public hearing before Congress, the NFLPA welcomes it.

Some would say that the union is simply trying to run out the clock on the 2011 season, with the issue then resolved in 2012.? In response to such suspicions, Atallah said that the NFLPA agreed in the CBA discussions to engage in HGH testing in reliance on the league?s representation that the information the NFLPA claims it needs existed and would be provided.

The NFL disagrees that there was anything conditional about last week?s deal.? ?The agreement reached with Congressmen Issa and Cummings last Friday was specifically that specimen collections would begin immediately but that testing and discipline would be tabled until there is a full agreement,? NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said via email.

Look for Issa and Cummings to chime in early next week on this one.

Looking a little farther down the road, it?ll be interesting to see what happens when the lab techs show up with the needles and the players tell them to stick those needles somewhere other than in the players? arms.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/21/charlie-whitehurst-should-get-his-shot/related

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