As The Register-Guard reported on A1 today, the University is set to begin random drug screenings with its athletes.
The decision, announced Wednesday, is being promoted as a safety caution, as playing a sport at a collegiate level while on illegal drugs bears with it a “serious” risk of injury, according to officials.
The University has a reputation of widespread marijuana use, in part due to an ESPN article detailing pot use among college football players. Oregon played a prominent role in the article. Before the policy goes into effect, athletes can only be tested if coaches or officials have reasonable cause to implement a screening. According to the R-G, “Athletes face a ‘four-strike’ policy when caught using so-called recreational drugs. The first incident triggers ‘counseling and education about substance abuse,’ the second requires the signing of a ‘behavior modification contract,’ the third results in a half-season suspension and the fourth leads to dismissal from the team and loss of scholarship.”
At practice Thursday, head coach Chip Kelly said he supported the idea.
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The always hilarious “This Is SportsCenter” commercials are back, and this time it’s NFL analyst and (apparently) metalhead John Clayton in the starring role.
From earlier this week, Emerald sports editor Matt Walks offers his take on the Dana Altman as he begins his third season as the Ducks head coach. Fair or not, Walks says, the only way Altman’s third season can be judged a success will be a postseason appearance in something a little more prestigious than the CBI or the NIT.
The NFL season is now officially underway and the so-called “replacement officials” are still calling the shots.  While they continue to be a favorite target of the internet masses, Roger Goodell is satisfied with the officials performance, at least to this point in the season.
From the “you-can’t-make-this-up” department, Shaquille O’Neal is reportedly in talks to return to professional basketball.  ESPNdeportes reports that the Big Fella is in talks with Fuerza Regia and is considering playing a few games in October.
In perhaps the greatest screengrab of all time, Deadspin editor Timothy Burke notes that in Jerry Jones’s private box there appears to be a man paid to clean Jones’s glasses.
Tweet of the day

UO Students ► No need to wait for a re-distribution today at 5pm, students tks for Fresno St. are available now: bit.ly/qU1gKK
— Oregon Duck Tickets (@OregonDuckTix) September 6, 2012