Called on the Carpet: Athletes and Steroids

Awimoway · Mar 2, 2004

For the first time, a news organization (The San Francisco Chronicle) is coming right out and saying that a number of high-profile athletes received steroids. It dances around a little, though, by declining to state whether they actually took the steroids because their unnamed source can't confirm that little detail, but it's an interesting development nonetheless.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/03/02/BALCO.TMP (no membership required)

Perhaps the most interesting aspect is the political one: the government refuses to prosecute the athletes themselves, having granted them immunity in exchange for testimony. Frankly, pro sports would rather turn a blind eye to steroid use than get serious about it because it wants to put forward the best product. And the best product isn't necessarily a fair or healthy product.

The Olympics, however, are screwed. The US Olympic Team allegedly helps American athletes beat the rap. And between steroid use and letting transgendered athletes in (no offense to our transgendered friends, but you might as well just abolish all gendered categories if you do this because it will be unfair now anyway), the Olympics is a disaster.

A level playing field is, I think, completely impossible to achieve anymore.

Chip NoVaMac · Mar 2, 2004

The sports fans are as much to blame. They still support the teams with players that break the laws. Never understood how fans can be so behind players that get paid in one year, what they the fan might not even see in a lifetime.

wdlove · Mar 2, 2004

The athletes should actually be concerned about their own health. Steroids should only be used under the supervision of a physician. "Anabolic steroid abuse can also cause undesirable body changes. These include breast development and genital shrinking in men, masculinization of the body in women, and acne and hair loss in both sexes." This alone should cause them to give it a second thought. Besides complications to the heart.

http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Steroids/AnabolicSteroids.html

AngryLawnGnome · Mar 2, 2004

Chip NoVaMac said:
The sports fans are as much to blame. They still support the teams with players that break the laws. Never understood how fans can be so behind players that get paid in one year, what they the fan might not even see in a lifetime.

It's a shame about all this mess. Barry is awesome, and I hope this doesn't result in anything drastic. Don't get me wrong, I disagree with steroid use, but there's nothing wrong with supporting your favorite athletes. I don't think they're even "breaking laws." Isn't it just true that it's illegal within athletic competition, not the government? Also, who cares how much money they make. It's ridiculous, true, but why should we not support someone who makes more money than we do? That's just being bitter.

womencantsail · Mar 2, 2004

The leagues are to blame, not the fans. If I'm Joe Schmo, and I have the choice of getting cut, or taking steroids and making the team, and therefore making big time money, let's see, what am I going to do. If MLB would have started testing for this stuff, we wouldn't be wondering, does Sosa use steroids? How 'bout Bonds or Giambi? This garbage should have been banned from the sport years ago. Look at the NFL, they have a policy against steroids, why can't MLB?

As far as the three guys I mentioned above, if you don't believe they take steroids, pull your head out from under that rock. You don't go from being a skinny left fielder (Giambi) into a massive 1B/DH. Sosa, same thing. Thin guy up until a couple years ago. And Bonds has always been a good player, no doubt about it, but in your mid to late 30's, you don't suddenly pack on the pounds and hit 70+ HR's. And then his trainer gets busted for dealing the juice, wow, that screams innocence.

gwuMACaddict · Mar 2, 2004

i blame the athletes...

not the owners, not the fans, not the media, not the anything else either... they have a CONSCIOUS choice whether or not to take these stupid substances... it's like cheating...

Chip NoVaMac · Mar 3, 2004

Yes, the athletes choose to take enhancement drugs. But it is the fans that should demand from the leagues and owners that athletes be held up as role models.

crenz · Mar 3, 2004

gwuMACaddict said:
i blame the athletes...

not the owners, not the fans, not the media, not the anything else either... they have a CONSCIOUS choice whether or not to take these stupid substances... it's like cheating...

Imagine you've been training to be a professonal athlete for years. Imagine that, after finally you managed to get some recognition and success, you are suddenly faced with the choice of either taking drugs like a lot of others, or stop competing because you don't stand a chance.

I blame the infrastructure.

Chip NoVaMac · Mar 3, 2004

crenz said:
Imagine you've been training to be a professonal athlete for years. Imagine that, after finally you managed to get some recognition and success, you are suddenly faced with the choice of either taking drugs like a lot of others, or stop competing because you don't stand a chance.

I blame the infrastructure.

You are right. Greed can make people do strange things. Even when there are health risks and legal risks.

We have as fans allowed a climate of greed for our own personal satisfaction. We have allowed the owners to raise prices to a game to a point that the average fan can't do. This on the backs of taxpayers in some cities with sweetheart stadium/arena deals (just ask the people of Phoenix). We continue to buy their logo products. We watch the games on TV, supporting the advertisers.

MrMacMan · Mar 3, 2004

Chip NoVaMac said:
The sports fans are as much to blame. They still support the teams with players that break the laws. Never understood how fans can be so behind players that get paid in one year, what they the fan might not even see in a lifetime.

Come on!

Give Darryl Strawberry one more chance!

I'm sure his third cocaine bust will be his last... what he broke out of rehab and this is another bust?

Nah, he is gonna beat it, he will not allow himself to be addicted again... --yankees fans 3 years ago.

gwuMACaddict said:
i blame the athletes...

not the owners, not the fans, not the media, not the anything else either... they have a CONSCIOUS choice whether or not to take these stupid substances... it's like cheating...

Cheating is illegal?

Damn!! someone could have told me!

AngryLawnGnome · Mar 3, 2004

Chip NoVaMac said:
You are right. Greed can make people do strange things. Even when there are health risks and legal risks.

We have as fans allowed a climate of greed for our own personal satisfaction. We have allowed the owners to raise prices to a game to a point that the average fan can't do. This on the backs of taxpayers in some cities with sweetheart stadium/arena deals (just ask the people of Phoenix). We continue to buy their logo products. We watch the games on TV, supporting the advertisers.

IT IS NOT THE FANS FAULT. There is nothing wrong with watching the games. We shouldn't suddenly stop watching our favorite sports just because a few athletes took steroids, or because they make money off of it. There is a reason they do: we enjoy them. They make money off of things we like. Go figure! It's like how after finding out R. Kelly peed on a little girl the hip hop industry didn't collapse. People like the music, like people like sports.

Awimoway · Mar 3, 2004

angrylawngnome said:
IT IS NOT THE FANS FAULT. There is nothing wrong with watching the games. We shouldn't suddenly stop watching our favorite sports just because a few athletes took steroids, or because they make money off of it. There is a reason they do: we enjoy them. They make money off of things we like. Go figure! It's like how after finding out R. Kelly peed on a little girl the hip hop industry didn't collapse. People like the music, like people like sports.

Excellent points. But there is an interesting permutation where steroids are concerned. Do we secretly approve of athletes' use of steroids because we like to see the long ball? Aren't we actually glad that ball players are doing everything in their power to enhance their performance? After all, it's for our benfit. Sports are entertainment. The more steroids they use, the more entertaining the sport is.

I ask this rhetorically. Personally, I am disgusted by the idea that steroids are being used in baseball or any other sport. Because it will force everyone to use them in order to be competitive. And then baseball will be as unpleasant and tragic to watch as, say, boxing--you know their lives will worsened and shortened by what they are doing to "entertain" us. Furthermore, if we begin to approve of the use of such substances, they'll become common in college and high school, and I don't want to see my kids exposed to that.

Chip NoVaMac · Mar 3, 2004

angrylawngnome said:
IT IS NOT THE FANS FAULT. There is nothing wrong with watching the games. We shouldn't suddenly stop watching our favorite sports just because a few athletes took steroids, or because they make money off of it. There is a reason they do: we enjoy them. They make money off of things we like. Go figure! It's like how after finding out R. Kelly peed on a little girl the hip hop industry didn't collapse. People like the music, like people like sports.

Maybe the hip-hop industry should have collapsed. What we are talking about is morals. And as long as we as fans or listeners or viewers, allow for actions to go unchecked we are headed towards a decay of society (as if we have stated down that road already).

By taking our money away from the owners they will see us not as lemmings to their already bloated wallets. That they may have been able to hide from the law of the land. They will make the changes needed to assure that in this case sports are drug free.

By most accounts, the sports stars are the role models for the youth. What message does it say when an athlete can take performance enhancing drugs and get away with it? Mark McGwire used steroids during his run in 1998, and swore off them in 1999. But his record still stands. A reference was made about Strawberry. They allowed him to play again? But yet there were people that wanted Clinton's head on a platter for a private personal matter, and its aftermath.

Just repeat after me, "greed is not good, greed is not good".

Chip NoVaMac · Mar 3, 2004

Awimoway said:
Excellent points. But there is an interesting permutation where steroids are concerned. Do we secretly approve of athletes' use of steroids because we like to see the long ball? Aren't we actually glad that ball players are doing everything in their power to enhance their performance? After all, it's for our benfit. Sports are entertainment. The more steroids they use, the more entertaining the sport is.

I ask this rhetorically. Personally, I am disgusted by the idea that steroids are being used in baseball or any other sport. Because it will force everyone to use them in order to be competitive. And then baseball will be as unpleasant and tragic to watch as, say, boxing--you know their lives will worsened and shortened by what they are doing to "entertain" us. Furthermore, if we begin to approve of the use of such substances, they'll become common in college and high school, and I don't want to see my kids exposed to that.

You gave me a thought. Since these athletes want to ruin their lives, why not bring back the gladiators? Let them fight to the death. The winners get paid HUGE sums of money. And since they want to shorten their lives, why not help them and entertain ourselves?

Keep in mind I support what you are saying...

gwuMACaddict · Mar 3, 2004

MrMacman said:
Cheating is illegal?

did i say anything about it being illegal?

(no)

i just think it's stupid...

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