these two are both wrong, but a lot of people are reporting what they wrote: Dandy Don LSU Sports @dandydonlsu "Under heading "3rd Violations," LSU's substance abuse policy says, "...permanent ineligibility to participate at LSU will result." Glenn Guilbeau @LSUBeatTweet "MATHIEU UPDATE:LSU substance abuse policy says"permanent ineligibility," concerning Badger." note: in Dandy Don's defense, he tweeted afterwards that "That last tweet re: 3rd violation was according to GG/USA Today, but may not be accurate. Here's LSU's actual policy (and then gave the link) the truth is that, under the heading "3rd Violation," --the penalty is "One-year suspension from competition. Scholarship during this period of time is at the discretion of the Athletic Director and Head Coach" and "Up to one-year suspension from all athletic related activities (team practices, weight room, team running, etc…) pending reinstatement by treatment team and head coach" [so if the head coach wants to kick him off the team permanently, the head coach can do so] --Les Miles can appeal on behalf of the guilty party, and that appeal will be heard by a committee made up of the AD and others. if the appeal is successful [e.g. the player is allowed to play], then: "it will result in routine drug tests for the student-athlete. If institutional drug testing reveals the existence of drugs at any time an automatic positive test will be issued and Permanent Ineligibility to participate at LSU will result." so it's only permanent ineligibility: if TM failed his 3rd drug test, Miles appealed it to the committee made up of the AD and others, the appeal was successful/TM was reinstated, and then TM failed his 4th drug test. and who knows if it was TM's 3rd test he failed, or his 4th test? if these Glenn Guilbeau tweets are accurate: Miles said "[Mathieu] will not be back" and Alleva said "At LSU, [Mathieu's] opportunity is taken away for good." then either: 1) TM failed his 4th test (if this is the case, TM is done) 2) TM failed his 3rd test, and Miles decided to kick him off the team permanently (if this is the case, then there is still hope for TM, all Miles has to do is change his mind) LSU AD Substance Abuse Policy that is signed by every LSU student athlete (note: this may or may not be the version TM signed...it could be...or it could be an outdated version) http://www.lsusports.net/fls/5200/assets/docs/ad/compliance/pdf/lsudrugs.pdf
OR: When TM was told he would be ineligible for the season, but could stay in school and play next season, he turned that down and told them he would leave. Then after some self reflection and discussion with people in his inner circle, he decided that was not in his best interest...that he would really rather stay at LSU and play next fall, so he changed his mind and let them know he wanted to stay and would comply with whatever they required as long as he could still be at LSU. But what do I know?
