So you have to wonder, why is this such a "bombshell" in the case between Wheeler family and Northwestern University. However, if the NCAA did indeed ban Ephedrine back in 1999 it suggests NU was not in control of its team.
As I've pointed out in previous commentaries, NU has a long and well documented history of discouraging the use of virtually every supplement by its athletes. The presence of cans of Ultimate Orange or any other Ephedrine containing supplement in the NU locker rooms was not condoned by NU's staff, but as a then legal product, its use could only be discouraged by the staff.
I'm sure the players knew the trainers would not be happy about their use of the product, but these players were [and still are] athletes driven to succeed at the very highest level, and would use any and every legal product available to help them achieve the goals of the team.
Ephedrine was apparently banned by the NCAA after the 2001 season, and everyone should know the fact that in August of 2001, any product containing Ephedrine was considered a legitimate food supplement by the NCAA or any other regulatory body and its use was not considered illegal.
For what its worth, most of us took the Chicago Tribune story at face value, forgetting the complete history of the NCAA's position on Ephedrine containing products. Of course the NU Lawyers, who were responsible for the release of the information, erroneously implied that the substance was illegal at the time of Wheeler's death.
I guess I'm just getting tired of the "blame game" played in America today. I just wish people would take personal responsibility for their own actions, stop scapegoating, and quit asking for some national nanny to make our life perfect.
-- da Coach