I hope you all can read this with an open mind, because my opinion is an educated one.
Steroids have never killed anyone. Period. Now before some of you start yelling about Alzado, or liver tumors let me tell you something....I have been in the sport of bodybuilding for 15 years and I have seen a LOT of drug use in the gyms and by athletes from all walks of life and competing in all sports. From the Olympics (yes, they easily passed their "tests") down to local ball teams. Not a single person has died or even had a serious medical emergency from steroid use. And I'm talking about thousands of people that I have known personally. Do they have side effects? Yes. Can they be managed if used properly? Yes.
If you want to put a mark beside Bonds' name, then you will have to put one beside every single guy who played jacked on cocaine all through the 80's, every pitcher who threw ONE spitball, or slugger who used a corked bat. If you want to decimate the hall of fame, you'll have to be fair about it. All or none. Babe Ruth was an alcoholic womanizer. Hall of Fame?? How about the fact that nicotine is a stimulant, so every guy who had too much snuff under his lip MAY have had a edge in the reflex department. All or none.
It amazes me that people are buying into these stories of the kids killing themselves because of the juice. There is not one single drug ever invented that someone hasn't killed themselves while using. Period. That's simply not evidence. I can't believe that the US gov't has wasted this time and money, all in the name of "the children". Gimme a break. If it's about the kids, then what about all the kids with no health plans, or the very existence of big tabacco? C'mon people wake up. What about the meth epidemic? Save the kids from that.
Baseball is a tool to sell beer and cars. Drunk driving kills more people in a day than steriods ever have. There are MUCH bigger problems here.
Canseco (sp?) is a piece of shit. I don't believe any of his stories about injecting other team mates etc. These stories are just so silly. That's not how things work.
As far as Big Mac is concerned. Well I thought he was the only one who didn't get totally pussified in front of congress. I respect his taking the fifth, and hope all the other guys who lied under oath do as well. This is none of their business. Baseball has to deal with this.
I also believe that the general public, and that means most of you guys and gals respectfully, know less than 1% of what there is to know about steroids. Over the years, I have seen a dramatic rise in steroid use by people who aren't even competitive. Just guys (and girls) who want to "get in shape" etc. As a hardcore competitive bodybuilder, I can say that it is a huge dissapointment when a young guy comes up to me and starts asking drug questions. Fuck. What ever happened to learning as much as possible about training and nutrition first????? Drugs are much less a part of the equation than the media makes it out to be. All the champs I know are first and foremost genetic freaks who are ultra hard working. In the end a lot of them wind up taking less drugs than their counterparts. That's just how I see it.
Think of this. If you found out that Hillary Swank used some illegal fat burners, like clenbuterol, and maybe a small doses of anavar (a very mild anabolic steroid) to add the muscle and get lean for her role in Million Dollar Baby (she added 20 pounds of lean mass), would you tell her to give her Oscar back?? Her body helped sell her performance and made the role seem more realistic, correct? Now some of you are probably thinking that girls that size don't take steroids. You need to see a National or Pro level Fitness competition, the drug use is rampant. I'm not saying she did, but it is very common for stars to do what they gotta do to look the way they have to for movies.
Drug use had a role when Arnie The Governator won the Mr. Olympia 7 times, and went on to make movies as an action hero the way he did, therefore becoming the man he is today. Bodybuilding, and at his level - drug use, was a factor in the creation of a living icon.
We live in a performance enhanced society. Fast food, drive through banks, plastic surgery, and instant messages. Drug use is a result of our need for constant progression beyond what is normally possible. That is just a fact, and if you think it is just the guys you hear about you are so unbelievably wrong. We are encouraged to use drugs for every ailment, problem, special occasion, or tiny annoyance in our lives. Is this actually a surprise?
Of course steroids should never be used by kids. That is really disturbing. Some side effects, like closing of the growth plates in bones, only happen in people who aren't done growing yet. Plus kids shouldn't mess with their hormones, period.
I added a hundred pounds to my bodyweight from the time I started training at 14 to the time I was 18 drug free because that is the best possible time for teenagers to put size on. All their hormones are already jacked and the body soaks up food like a sponge. Preventing kids from using gear (the proper nickname for steroids), starts with being honest. Have we learned nothing from all the propaganda they fed people about pot, and other drugs. Scare tactics don't work, they only lead to distrust between kids and educators.
Before I go, I have to say something. Alzado died of a brain tumor. Maybe smashing his head against 300 pound offensive linemen for 13 years had something to do with it?????
Also, I remember a while back wrestlers were dropping like flies. Davie Boy, Luger, etc. Some of their deaths were blamed on steroids, which is kinda silly when it is common knowledge in certain circles about the massive amount of rec drug (coke etc), painkillers, anti inflamitories, and alcohol used by tons of those guys all through their careers. Now that is a rough business, one that Bautista currently rules........now I don't hear parents crying over the way he looks and he's fucking jacked!
In 10-15 years this issue will be on the way out, as genetic therapy and engineering will become the new road to gold medals anyway.
Peace and respect, 8)
Ronny
