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March 02, 2004
Naming Names
The Chronicle is very quiet about the source. The informant doesn't know if these players actually used the substances:
The biggest charge in article is that Bonds used Human Growth Hormone during the 2001 season, the year he broke the HR record. The players continue to deny using these drugs. Update: In the comments, John Gibson asks:
I think the distintiction comes in using the word "obtained" vs. "received." The way it's being portrayed in the media, I get the impression that the trainer gave these substances to the players, as opposed to the players asking for them. Sort of, here try this, it will make you stronger. Maybe the players took the drugs and didn't use them. Or maybe they were told the drugs were not illegal. I know it's farfetched, but it's something to consider. Now I could believe that BALCO used the pitch, "This is new, it's not a steroid so it's legal." If so, the ballplayers would be no more gullible than the people who buy the herbal supplements I see in my e-mail spam all the time. All-in-all, I'd like to hear these allegations from a named source. Update: Off Wing Opinion picks up on something I missed. And through that link, Stick and Move finds the humor in Velarde using steroids. I guess you have to be good in the first place for these drugs to earn you a lot of money. Comments
Why the distinction between obtaining and using? Would anyone on this planet actually believe they obtained steroids but chose not to use them? I wonder if this proves out if the teams have any financial recourse as it would mean several of these players got huge 10+ million a year salaries based on steroid enhanced production. Posted by: John Gibson at March 2, 2004 08:00 AMI was wondering about that - could BALCO have passed it to the players as a superior supplement without them knowing it was steroids. I mean, the players would no doubt notice that BALCO's supplements were very effective possibly without knowing why. I want to believe the above but I also seriously doubt it. As a Yankees fan I've seen enough of Giambi to doubt it. But lets say Bonds, Giambi, and Sheffield are guilty of knowingly taking steroids. Now lets say that Bonds, Giambi, and Sheffield are guilty of taking the steroids unknowingly. How do we know one from the other? Does it matter when/if punishment gets delivered? I think a steroids stink like this was inevitable. But Randy Velarde? Are you kidding me? Posted by: seamus at March 2, 2004 09:23 AMWhy on earth would teams have "financial recourse" due to steroid use, if the player in fact delivered the production that was expected of him? Do you really think that the owners gave a damn where the player's performance came from, as long as he kept it up? I'm glad that Velarde and Benard were named - for every superstar like Bonds who gets the media spotlight, there are probably 10 or 15 players like Velarde who are the real steroid and HGH demand-drivers. I don't blame them - the level of competition at the major-league level is ferocious, and there are enormous financial incentives to maximize performance and decrease time lost to injury and recovery. What annoys me is the hysteria and largely politcally-driven frenzy of this particular crusade. By defining all of these supplements as illegal and enforcing a draconian ban, the government is in fact ensuring that a thriving, extremely profitable black market in those supplements will continue to exist. Regulation and restriction are far more effective tactics for high-demand substances, but to push for that would mean admitting that the entire War on Drugs is in fact a failure, and no Administration would be willing to do that. Posted by: Mark B. at March 2, 2004 10:47 AMI think we are witnessing the opening chapter of a very ugly period for MLB. Selig has the chance to actually do something right and redeem his tenure, I'm sure he won't handle this correctly and this is going to get bad. Posted by: Steve at March 2, 2004 10:52 AMI've never liked Barry Bonds but it's too bad for him now -- his career is forever tarnished. Posted by: Boothy at March 2, 2004 11:22 AMWe are quickly approaching the point where it’s time to say enough to the apologists. To me, it doesn’t matter if Bonds or Giambi or Sheffield knowingly took steroids. These guys are athletes who make their living off of their bodies. Only a complete moron would put something in their body and be completely ignorant of what it was. Bonds has carved out a space of plausible deniability, as he has reportedly claimed to have taken substances from un-marked containers. Enough already! It is the athlete’s responsibility to know what’ in their system. Period. The buck stops with them. The problem his that MLB has yet to adopt a zero tolerance stance against this stuff. If that day comes along, you can believe that players won’t be taking substances from unmarked containers. Let's keep two things in mind: First, baseball cannot simply enforce a "zero tolerance" policy on steroid use. The labor laws give the MLBPA monopoly bargaining power, and so long as that's the case, the union can exercise a de facto veto over any tightening of the drug testing policy. Second, the BALCO case is not about law enforcement, but rather carrying out a political agenda set by the attorney general and the White House. Remember, every federal resource that goes into this case is a resource not being used to carry out the Justice Department's primary mission--protecing Americans from violent crime. Posted by: Skip Oliva at March 2, 2004 01:25 PMYES! Lets blame this whole thing on John Ashcroft! Posted by: James at March 2, 2004 02:50 PMDave you can take your head out of the sand and come up for air any time now... Posted by: Dirt Dog at March 2, 2004 05:44 PMI believe that you are correct concerning the importance of the word selection. Certainly these atheletes will choose the softer words when they are finally forced to admit to using illegal substances (steriods). Seriously, look at Giambi and Bonds and ask yourself did they use steriods? We all know the answer, MLB knows the answer too. Steriods are rampid in professional sports! How many teams do you think would have been caught in the NFL if the search would have went farther then the Raider locker room? Why do we care if the atheletes use steriods? Its good for the sports; more home runs, harder hits, faster players. Don't hate me for telling the truth. Anyway, could using steriods be any worse for you than being a professional boxer? I doubt it. Posted by: James Smith at March 3, 2004 04:20 AMWait a minute. If we can let a president get away with "I didn't inhale" and "depends on the meaning of 'is'", what's the big deal with saying a few ballplayers "ontained" but never "used"? :-P Posted by: Dave at March 3, 2004 07:44 AMThe proof will be in the pudding. Or the blood test. Apparently, we as a nation are more forgiving of the most powerful man on the planet than we are of athletes who entertain us. The 'dumbing down' of America is quickly reaching its Zenith. Or Nadir. Your choice. Posted by: El Jefe at March 3, 2004 09:43 AMI have a real concern about my son's junior college. Three of the players are using something they are calling "orange juice". What is it? They are HUGE and are hitting the ball 600 feet. The other players are real upset but are afraid to discuss with the coach. Does anyone know what this could be? Oh their eyes are real dialated. Posted by: carol at August 19, 2004 09:13 PM |
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