Today’s My 2 Sense blog entry comes from frequent contributor to More Sports Now, Sal Marinello, President, Athletic Development Coaching
Over the past 2 weeks two Major League Baseball players – Toronto Blue Jays infielder Chris Colabello and Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Daniel Stumpf – have tested positive for an old school steroid called Turinabol, which sets off the same old conversations in the sports media. “Why?” “How?” “What does it do?” “Steroids can’t make you hit a baseball.”
Ugh.
People need to come to grips with the reality that athletes are continually looking for an edge and will pretty much do anything to get ahead, including taking an orally administered antique steroid that was part of the notorious East German doping program and that was shown to produce some pretty horrendous side-effects. Athlete take these drugs, and assume the risks, because the drugs work.
The old saying, “If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying,” is never not relevant in the wide world of sports. Fans need to disabuse themselves of the notion that “their guy” or “their country” would never cheat, as we have ample evidence that “everyone’s guy” and “everyone’s country” does it.
In the case of Turinabol, it is a steroid that aids in recovery, as do all steroids. Some steroids add more muscle mass than others – there are a lot of factors in this equation – but the recovery aspect is what makes steroids so valuable to all athletes. Keep in mind that amphetamines were taken out of the game several years ago, which has resulted in athletes scrambling to find the next best thing and the thing that will keep them at the top of their game.
The term super-human is over used and not really accurate, but the recovery powers unleashed by steroids are way beyond what non-performance enhancing drug taking humans experience. So instead of super-human, let’s go with ultra-human.
Which brings me to my next point.
For the love of all that’s, holy sports commentators – and sports talk show callers – need to stop using the line, “Steroids can’t make you hit a baseball,” as it is one of the most idiotic sentences ever spoken, along with, “First round draft pick Johnny Manziel.”
Steroids allow good athletes, proficient athletes, athletes who have already made it to the pro ranks, gain enough of an edge to make the team, stay on the team, stay on the field. The guy not on steroids gets nicked up and misses 25-30 games a season. The guy using is fresher, recovers faster and doesn’t spend much time in the trainer’s room.
Which guy is more valuable?
The guy who has warning track power and is a singles hitter, becomes the home run hitter who drives the ball into the gap. Who makes more dough? Who do people pay to see?
Hello, Jason Giambi.
Back to Colabello. He said in a statement he was unsure of how Turinabol got into his system. If Colabello really means this he should immediately produce a list of all the supplements he has been taking in an effort to determine if his supplements have been tainted by banned substances, and also to protect those who may be taking the same supplements from being unwittingly dosed with illegal drugs.
Colabello should want to get to the bottom of this matter regardless of the personal cost. Not only has he lost 80 games from his career that he will not get paid for, but he will forever be considered a drug cheat.
The same goes for Stumpf. These players need to be heard from. Their silence isn’t golden, it’s damning.
Photo: www.zimbio.com
Photo: 6abc.com
