Me thinks that Brian Cushing has been well-taught in the art of bullshitting...

In case you guys and gals didn't know, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Brian Cushing has been suspended for the first four games of the upcoming NFL season for testing positive to the banned substance HCG (a fertility drug which can be used to restart testosterone production after a steroid cycle). Cushing claims that he never took HCG, and has no idea how the drug entered his body. After months of medical tests, Cushing and the Houston Texans organization have decided to appeal the suspension on the grounds that Cushing experiences a unique medical condition called OAS (overtrained athlete syndrome). This condition produces occasional hormonal spikes after breaks in training, which could potentially explain Cushing's positive test for HCG.

I'm still struggling with the notion that a medical condition called Overtrained Athlete Syndrome actually exists. But even though it apparently does, this defense by Cushing and the Texans is ridiculous, and for lack of a better word, bullshit. I'll be the first one to eat my words if OAS is actually the cause for this positive test, but it seems like Cushing is defending himself by saying that he suffers from what most professional athletes are paid to do: train themselves to the brink of overtraining. Honestly, these days, consuming a banned substance can be the simple result of unknowingly drinking a protein shake tainted with the substance. Even if Cushing never knowingly took HCG, the likelihood that OAS is the reason for its presence in Cushing seems comical: Why is this the first time anyone has used this as a defense? To add insult to injury, look at the confidence Cushing has in regards to explaining his "unfortunate" condition:

"I think that's the final diagnosis we came up with..."

I mean, not even Cushing himself is optimistic about this one, saying "I've got 12 games I've got to get ready for".

Give it up Brian Cushing. Accept the punishment and move on before you start to develop Overbullshitting athlete syndrome.