Free Samples Resulted in Seller’s Market

In a world of drug-testing subterfuge, there are favors and there are favors .

One former USC player, who went on to play in the NFL, realized this after a season of giving away his urine to help teammates undermine the NFL team’s drug-testing program.

“I was obliging friends,” said the player, who asked not to be identified. “I’m a giving kind of person.”

But even his kindness had a limit. By conspiring to help teammates cheat, he was risking his career as well.

“So I turned it into a profitable thing,” he said. “Just spending money.”

The player started charging between $45 and $50 per cup, as more and more teammates requested urine.

As many as 15 players in training camp, many of whom never made the NFL team, purchased urine.

“Coke (cocaine), they were all hiding coke,” the player said.

He said he would bring extra cups with him during a test and leave enough under a commode for others.

“They (the NFL team) had people kind of watching, but not really. I would rush down there early in the morning and leave a lot of urine. I would tell the players which stall I was in and they would go on in and take a little bit from the cups.”

The player said he first was approached by a friend who was one of the team’s stars.

“At first I was surprised,” he said. “I decided to charge some of them to discourage themfrom asking me. I didn’t want to see them in trouble, but maybe that was the wrong thing to do. I wouldn’t do that anymore. There comes a time when a person needs to realize he has a problem.”