SCRUTINY OF NFL DRUG POLICY PROBABLY BEST THING FOR BOSTON

Chances are fairly good that David Boston will manage to wiggle out
of his legal trouble with local authorities.

There are enough holes in the investigation, starting with the
citizen who decided to play Barney Fife, to suggest that Boston's
police record will not be permanently stained from the March 14
incident in which he was allegedly driving under the influence. On
Tuesday, police said Boston tested positive for cocaine and marijuana
but not alcohol.

But that doesn't mean the gifted Cardinals wide receiver will dance
his way out from the long reach of the NFL.

Boston's agent can spin out all the comical statements he wants, like
the one he wrote Thursday claiming that "true facts" would be
revealed once "independent blood testing" takes place.

The bottom line is that the NFL now has probable cause with Boston,
which is all the league needs to initiate its drug program.

No matter what happens in the criminal investigation, the league can
now clutch at Boston as long as he continues cashing a paycheck from
one of its member teams. It's a trade-off to which all players agree
when they strap on an NFL helmet.

Now there is no way for Boston to juke his way out from the league's
drug-testing policy.

Once there is probable cause, league-sponsored drug tests are part of
a player's life. The NFL could drop in on Boston as many as 10 times
a month and request urine samples for as long as he remains in the
league.

It means a life of knocks on the door at 8 a.m., or an NFL security
man asking Boston to fill a cup two hours before a game. A missed
sample is the equivalent of a negative result and adds a strike on
Boston's NFL record.

If this is Boston's first strike - which we don't know because the
NFL doesn't announce first strikes - then it's doubtful he will be
suspended. A second offense usually results in missing four games. A
third strike has translated into a year's suspension for some players.

But let's look at the positive of Boston's allegedly positive drug test.

This dark period may wind up saving Boston's career and, ultimately, his life.

Boston has been known to party fairly hard. He also tarnished his
image on the field early in his career, the result of ugly and
unnecessary taunting that made him an example of how not to act.

But this is far more serious. It's possible the structure that is
sure to come from these drug tests could help Boston straighten out
for good.

He made tremendous strides to clean up his on-field image during his
Pro Bowl season in 2001. This setback, of course, will lead many to
believe it was little more than an act.

With this being his contract season, it's a given that Boston has
cost himself several million dollars.

He becomes an unrestricted free agent after next season, and with
character having become more important in the NFL, there is no doubt
that several teams already have crossed David Boston's name off their
wish list.

There's little debate that Boston is the Cardinals' best player, and
there's no reason to think he can't overcome this setback and remain
a Cardinals player for years.

The direction his life goes from here is entirely in Boston's hands.
On the field, Boston drops very few passes. This is one he can't
afford to misplay.