Steroid Nation

Clay Matthews: 6-1 165 high school junior to 6-3 246 NFL draftee

Incredible story.  Clay Matthews Jr., once a 6-1 165 pound high school junior whose coach dad didn't even start him at Agoura High in California, will hit the NFL as a 6-3, 246 pound first round draft pick.  In between that the player walked-on at dad's and uncle's alma mater USC to join the incredible line-backing crew as a DE.

There must a few million 6-1 165 pound high school kids walking around out there.  Start lifting weights, eating healthy, and dreaming of the NFL -- although you may not have the genetics of Matthews -- because you too could be a first round NFL pick...if you know the right people.

As a junior at Agoura High, Matthews was 6-1 and weighed about 165 pounds. His body ached from growing pains and his father, the team's defensive coordinator, declined to start him.

"His mom was giving me the business, but he wasn't ready," the elder Matthews said, chuckling. "He wasn't very big and he wasn't very strong."

Matthews continued to grow during his senior season but drew interest only from local community colleges.

Rather than pursuing that route, Matthews told his father he wanted to walk on at USC, where brother Kyle was a walk-on safety in 2003.

Matthews showed up at unknown weight at USC; by 2005 he was listed as 6-3 225.  Not bad gains over 3 years from high school: 165 to 225, although he does sport a 6-3 frame.  By 2008, USC listed Matthews at 246.  That's 81 pounds of weight (muscle) on Matthews since a junior in high school (over 6 years), which is probably not unheard of for college linemen; for a linebacker to retain or increase speed while packing on 80 pounds, that's fantastic.

 What's in the water at USC?  Someone test it, especially in the off-season; those are super-human gains.  Matthews and companion linebacker Brian Cushing overcame false rumors they tested positive at the NFL combine for roids, so they must be clean, right?

Not that we know USC for Mark McGwire, Brian Cushing, the Ting Bros, and other incredible muscle-gaining strories, not at all.

Houston Chronicle debunks Brian Cushing steroids banter

The Houston Texans, long known for their wise draft picks, chose USC linebacker Brian Cushing in the first round of the NFL draft.  As long as Houston has been known as rather vaudevillian organization, Cushing has been rumored to juice.  Today, the Houston Chronicle defends Cushing as a victim of nasty internet rumor-mongering.

Frank Bush didn’t want to go there, tried his best not to, but it was too late.

In discussing why Texans first-round draft pick Brian Cushing was the guy the Texans’ defensive coordinator wanted the team to take in the draft, Bush explained that it was partly because Cushing reminded him of someone.

“His demeanor, his intensity and the way he played the game reminded me of a player I coached at Denver,” Bush said.

The player? Bill Romanowski.

Oops.

The last thing Bush wanted to do on such a special day for the linebacker from USC was initiate a discussion of steroid use, but when you bring up Romanowski. …

Actually, with Cushing you can’t really initiate steroid talk, only join in.

Fantastic Freudian slip.  However, the Chron debunks the myth of Cushing and 'roids.  How?  Taking Cushing's word  (that's never gone wrong before has it?; note the photo on the left was taken when Cushing was rehabbing from shoulder surgery thus it isn't quite 'fair' to be used as a comparison)

But the days when those who succeed simply faced accusations of working hard are long behind us.

Instead, we get “He’s fast. He’s strong. His body is cut. So he must be cheating.”

“I told every team that I never did (steroids),” Cushing said. “I’ve passed every drug test out there.

“I’m not that kind of guy.”

No athlete who juiced ever denied it, right?  Even one who proclaimed himself as part of USC's "White Nation" a couple years ago.

Cushing, who measured in at 6-3, 246 pounds at the NFL Combine, is an admitted health nut who doesn’t do junk food. He has his meals delivered to him by a nutritionist. He has worked with a trainer since high school. And of course he hits the weight room with passion.

To many, that adds up to a steroids user.

After he went from being a 165-pound freshman to a 225-pound terror and the top linebacker in the country at Bergen Catholic (Park Ridge, N.J.), students at rival high schools taunted Cushing with steroids-based chants.

If the report of a high school kid increasing his weight from 165 to 225 form age 14 to 18 doesn't give one pause for thought, nothing does.  True, significant growth occurs in adolescents.  And true, Cushing sports a tall 6-3 frame.  But gaining from 165 to 225lbs, or 60 pounds IN HIGH SCHOOL in 4 years is incredible.  All muscle too we bet.

Are there any McDonalds in New Jersey?

Linebacker U (Southern Cal) started with the 2005 class.  All incredible stories.  All will be alumni of the same school that produced Mark McGwire.  Interesting.  Whats in the water down there?  Test it.

Backlash on Cushing, Matthews, and Raji failed drug reports...which appear to be untrue

Various sites berated NFLdraftbible.com for a report last week that NFL draft prospects -- including USC's Brian Cushing -- failed drug or steroid tests at the NFL's combine.  The Examiner hits the site hard.

The Bleacher Report talks about 'defamation'. 

 NFLDraftBible is shaking in their boots at the moment, after "reliable sources" allowed them to break the story, and now they could possibly face charges for defamation, since there are still going to be some people out there that will attest to the fact that Raji has a drug problem.

Someone should check the definition of 'defamation' of a public figure.  Those are tough criteria.

New Brian Cushing steroid controversy: Site claims positive test at NFL combine

Brian, Cushing the USC monster linebacker who will be eligible in the upcoming NFL draft, needed Pete Carroll, his USC college coach to defend him this weekend.  Carroll -- who has a reputation for closely monitoring things like Reggie Bush's cool house -- defended Cushing and his other monster linebacker Clay Matthews after a report of positive tests were reported on one unverified web site.

The NFL rumor mill is at full tilt this time of year.

So much so that USC Coach Pete Carroll apparently thought it necessary to quell the attention sparked by a blurb that linebackers Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews tested positive for steroids at the NFL scouting combine in February.

A one-sentence report from NFLDraftBible.com, which is not affiliated with the league, started the buzz. The agency representing Matthews apparently responded to the report.

Here's what Carroll had to say in a statement released on USC's website.

"These rumors are absolutely false," Carroll said. "If they were found positive, Clay and Cush would have been notified three weeks ago, which they weren't and all of the NFL teams would have been notified too, which they weren't."

Carroll said he spoke with the NFL testing service and verified that both players tested clean.

"They're both men of outstanding character and they never tested positive for anything here," Carroll said. "This is an [sic] major example of irresponsible reporting, and the site that published this report should be ashamed of themselves."

A (sic) interesting comment from an (sic) Carroll.  Who knows how often athletes are dope tested in the NCAA?  It could be another Tony Mandarich case where steroid use is denied until the player needs a book deal.  Again this report is hearsay.

Cushing addressed this issue:

"I don’t understand where it is coming from," Cushing told me. "I was tested last December at USC and passed, one of several tests I have passed. I was tested this morning here at the combine and those results should be out in a couple of weeks to a month, I believe. I think people are trying to find something, anything, that would detract from what I have done on the field. You learn in life if it’s not one thing, it’s the other. I hope once I pass the test here that this will be put behind me. I’m really hoping for that."

Barking Carnival and Hornfans carried threads on the Cush.

Anti-Steroid, anti-doping crusader and IRS agent Jeff Novitzky under the spotlight

ABC News posts a story on the journey of IRS agent Jeff Novitzky, who once tried out for Lute Olson at Arizona basketball, as he crusades against steroids and  doping and some say too zealously Barry Bonds.

The story starts in a California courtroom where Novitzky participated in the BALCO trial of Victor Conte.  And it will continue in the same courtroom:

Sometime in the next few months, Jeff Novitzky will walk back into the same 10th floor courtroom, raise his right hand and swear to tell the truth in the case of the United States v. Barry Lamar Bonds. He will say that Bonds lied in that same courthouse five years ago when he told the grand jury he never knowingly took steroids. And then he'll wait for the jury to decide if baseball's home run king was telling the truth.

But no matter what the jury decides -- and face it, most of us have already made up our minds about Bonds -- it is clear that the detective and his gun has replaced the scientist and his test tube. What isn't clear is whether Jeff Novitzky is part of the solution -- or if he's now the bigger part of the problem. 

Novitzky's early life was highlighted by the Olson connection:

There is nothing about Novitzky's life before Balco that suggests a man destined to direct the biggest investigation in sports history. Or one who would crave or abuse power. He grew up the son of a Bay Area hoops coach, a basketball and track star who still owns the San Mateo County high jump record of 7 feet. Coming out of high school in 1985, he tried out for Lute Olson's Arizona University basketball team. When he fell short, Novitzky returned home to play backup forward and teammate to his big brother at San Jose State.

His athletic career over, Novitzky got a degree in accounting and took a job in San Jose with the IRS's criminal division, a select group of agents who use tax laws and their guns to bust up all sorts of criminal operations.

After the jump we examine more of the extended story on Novitzky...

Sensitive about Pittsburgh Steeler steroid criticism

Matt Pawlikowski of the Pittsburgh Sports Examiner takes great exception about an article published on Fox sports that said the Steelers Super Bowl Victory #6 should be asterisked.

Fox News claims to be fair, balanced and everywhere.
 
Maybe FoxSports.com columnist Mark Kreigel should take heed of those words.
 
This coming after an article he published on the FoxSports web site Feb. 13, about the Steelers.  I don't understand where he is coming from, and for those who take time to dissect it, I think you'll agree.
 
It's not in the positive mold, instead it is highly negative, and why?
 
Maybe its the fact he is sore the Steelers won a sixth Lombardi the week before. Maybe he's sore over the fact the Yankees, despite dishing out 8 billion dollars each year have not won a World Championship in eight years. 
 
Whatever the reason, Kreigel in his ultimate wisdom has decided that the Steelers need an asterisk by No 6

The Steel Curtain comes down more after the jump...

Association between steroid use and injury in NFL players

Scientific America carries a clip on an American J of Physical Med report of an association between steroid use and injury in NFL players.  An association doesn't prove cause and effect, and should be considered hypothesis generating.

Performance-enhancing steroids are the gifts that keep on giving. They help set home-run records and win cycling medals — never mind make for obvious nicknames like the latest instant classic, A-Roid.

But those perennial gifts aren’t all "positive": Now, it seems, in addition to bulking up users, anabolic steroids also predispose them to musculoskeletal injuries.

An anonymous survey of 2,552 retired NFL players released today found an association between joint and ligament injuries and use of steroids. Just over 9 percent of the former pro-athletes, who played as far back as the 1940s and as recently as the 21st century, admitted using the drugs during their careers, the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation study showed. Doping was common among players in positions requiring size and strength, with 16 percent of offensive linemen and nearly 15 percent of defensive linemen fessing up to the practice.

Continued after the jump...

Blood doping at the Super Bowl? Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy for the Steelers

Pro cyclists know all about blood doping.  Pro football fans -- and players -- are about to attend a crash course in the technique...sorta.

The New York Times discusses a technique of injury recovery known as 'platelet rich plasma therapy' (PRPT).  Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu used the procedure to recover from injuries.  So how is this medical technique different from outlawed blood doping?

Two of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ biggest stars, Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu, used their own blood in an innovative injury treatment before winning the Super Bowl. At least one major league pitcher, about 20 professional soccer players and perhaps hundreds of recreational athletes have also undergone the procedure, commonly called platelet-rich plasma therapy.

Experts in sports medicine say that if the technique’s early promise is fulfilled, it could eventually improve the treatment of stubborn injuries like tennis elbow and knee tendinitis for athletes of all types.

The method, which is strikingly straightforward and easy to perform, centers on injecting portions of a patient’s blood directly into the injured area, which catalyzes the body’s instincts to repair muscle, bone and other tissue. Most enticing, many doctors said, is that the technique appears to help regenerate ligament and tendon fibers, which could shorten rehabilitation time and possibly obviate surgery.

More of the dope on PRPT after the jump..

New witnesses to be called in Barry Bonds BALCO trial, including Patroit linebacker Izzo

The Los Angeles Times delineates the list of potential witnesses in the Federal case against Barry Bonds for lying to the San Francisco Grand Jury about PED use.  A few new names surfaced including Marvin Benard, and football player Larry Izzo.

The government's perjury and obstruction of justice case against Barry Bonds includes plans to call witnesses who will testify that they saw the slugger "being injected" and heard him make statements "admitting his use of steroids," according to court filings Friday in San Francisco.

Among its 39 witnesses, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Northern California said it would call upon "the defendant's mistress," Kimberly Bell, former personal assistants and former teammates Bobby Estalella, Benito Santiago, Armando Rios and Marvin Benard, as well as other major league players...

Syringes, human growth hormone vials and documents pertaining to other athletes with connections to Anderson, including Estalella, Santiago, Jason and Jeremy Giambi and New England Patriots linebacker Larry Izzo, are on the government's exhibits list.

The Feds will also present relatively embarrassing testimony from Bonds's ex-girlfriend Kimberly Bell:

In its filing, the government said Bell "will testify that the defendant told her that he was taking steroids prior to the 2000 baseball season. [She] will further testify to personal observations regarding changes in the defendant's body [beginning in 2000] . . . including bloating, acne on the shoulders and back, hair loss and testicle shrinkage," which prosecution experts will testify is indicative of steroid use.

We could do without some of the images that paragraph invokes.

Concussion shows severe damage in NFL player's brain(s)

Everyone knows a football isn't a contact sport; football is a collision sport.  As the players become bigger strong and faster, the collisions become larger, louder, and more frightening.  And who doesn't like it when a player gets lit up on the field?  The player's brain doesn't appreciate too much.  CNN carries the story.

Concussed players describe depression, cognitive troubles, and mood lability.  Add these problems to the mood lability induced by steroids (or brain changes) and you have serious troubles.  About the concussions:

For years after his NFL career ended, Ted Johnson could barely muster the energy to leave his house.

"I'd [leave to] go see my kids for maybe 15 minutes," said Johnson. "Then I would go back home and close the curtains, turn the lights off and I'd stay in bed. That was my routine for two years.

"Those were bad days."

These days, the former linebacker is less likely to recount the hundreds of tackles, scores of quarterback sacks or the three Super Bowl rings he earned as a linebacker for the New England Patriots. He is more likely to talk about suffering more than 100 concussions.

"I can definitely point to 2002 when I got back-to-back concussions. That's where the problems started," said Johnson, who retired after those two concussions. "The depression, the sleep disorders and the mental fatigue."

Until recently, the best medical definition for concussion was a jarring blow to the head that temporarily stunned the senses, occasionally leading to unconsciousness. It has been considered an invisible injury, impossible to test -- no MRI, no CT scan can detect it.

But today, using tissue from retired NFL athletes culled posthumously, the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy (CSTE), at the Boston University School of Medicine, is shedding light on what concussions look like in the brain. The findings are stunning. Far from innocuous, invisible injuries, concussions confer tremendous brain damage. That damage has a name: chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

We have referenced the synergistic effect of concussion with steroids, opiates, and other drugs (like alcohol) in producing bad outcomes...as with Chris Benoit.  The CNN article looks at a wrestler:

In one moment, his dreams of a long career wrestling were dashed by a kick to his chin. That kick, which caused Nowinski to black out and effectively ended his career, capped a career riddled with concussions.

"My world changed," said Nowinski. "I had depression. I had memory problems. My head hurt for five years..." (CTE)

The Steelers appear plagued with concussion problems:

So far, the evidence of CTE is compelling.

The Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, along with other research institutions, has now identified traumatic encephalopathy in the brains of late NFL football players John Grimsley, Mike Webster, Andre Waters, Justin Strzelczyk and Terry Long, in addition to McHale.

Grimsley died of an accidental gunshot wound to the chest. Webster, Long and Strzelczyk all died after long bouts of depression, while Waters committed suicide in 2006 at age 44. McHale was found dead last year of an apparent drug overdose.

"Guys were dying," said Nowinski. "The fact of the matter was guys were dying because they played sports 10 or 20 years before."

So far, around 100 athletes have consented to have their brains studied after they die.

Ted Johnson was one of the first to sign up. He said he believes that concussions he suffered while playing football explain the anger, depression and throbbing headaches that occasionally still plague him.

Johnson said he played through concussions because he, like many other NFL athletes, did not understand the consequences. He has publicly criticized the NFL for not protecting players like him.

The NFL's response:

In a statement, the NFL indicated that their staffs take a cautious, conservative approach to managing concussions.

While they support research into the impact of concussions, they maintain that, "Hundreds of thousands of people have played football and other sports without experiencing any problem of this type and there continues to be considerable debate within the medical community on the precise long-term effects of concussions and how they relate to other risk factors."

The NFL is planning its own independent medical study of retired NFL players on the long-term effects of concussion.

"Really my main reason even for talking about this is to help the guys who are already retired," said Johnson. "[They] are getting divorced, going bankrupt, can't work, are depressed, and don't know what's wrong with them. [It is] to give them a name for it so they can go get help."

Studies need to be completed on the effects of concussions, and on the synergistic effects of steroids, PEDs and concussions on the player's functioning.  The players appear to be jacked-up into oblivion as they are knocked silly.

Bill Romanowski just spitting to get Denver Broncos on steroids

Spitting Bill Romanowski says he is in training for the head coaching position of the Denver Broncos.  What does he offer:

• A fine understanding of steroids, HGH, and every other faddish nutso training gimmicks guaranteed to advance NFL careers;  great connections to BALCO
• A great mentoring with the NFL's most successful franchise -- the Oakland Raiders
• Prior experience as a coach of his son's pee wee football team where he assaulted the other team's coach.
• Experience with using a spouse as an excuse to get out of a drug charge
• Beating hell out of a teammate (see photo, below right)

The Sporting News carries the story:

Bill Romanowski has the perfect coaching candidate in mind for the Denver Broncos, a dark horse, somebody out of the blue who's on nobody's radar -- himself.

The former Pro Bowl linebacker who spends his post-playing days running a nutrition company and dabbling in broadcasting and acting told The Associated Press on Thursday night that he's serious about wanting a chance at coaching his old team.

He said he sent Broncos owner Pat Bowlen a lengthy PowerPoint presentation touting his credentials and outlining the fresh ideas he would bring to the job that Mike Shanahan held for 14 seasons before his stunning dismissal last week.

"I can't stop thinking about this," said Romanowski, who played for San Francisco, Philadelphia, Denver and Oakland during a standout 16-year career in the NFL that was marred by a bad temper and his admitted use of THG, the designer steroid at the center of the BALCO scandal.

"This may be a complete fantasy and that's all right ... At the end of the day, nothing may happen from it."

Fantasy is right.  Fantasy on steroids.

Romanowski has no official NFL coaching experience, just a knowledge from the players' perspective.

"For Pat to do something like this, it would take him being a visionary, thinking outside the box," said Romanowski, whose coaching experience includes helping with his son's football team. "Him hiring me, it's a long shot. I understand that. I know that."

The Broncos met with Miami Dolphins secondary coach Todd Bowles on Thursday, the seventh candidate to interview for the job. All are current NFL assistant coaches. Team spokesman Patrick Smyth said there were no other candidates scheduled to interview for the vacancy, one of the most coveted in all of football.

The Broncos had no comment on Romanowski's interest in the coaching vacancy.

Romanowski is hopeful that Bowlen gives him even a courtesy call because he's certain he can win him over.

"I truly believe that I'd be the best person in the country for the job. That's me being confident in my abilities," Romanowski said.

Romanowski does have a plan.  Wonder if that plan includes steroids and Star Caps supplements?

In his more than 30-page presentation that he zipped off to Bowlen, Romanowski outlined how he'd run things if he were in charge. He would hire a new defensive staff.
and revamp the player personnel department, analyzing the college scouting system in a new way, he said.

"I'd take the top 60 colleges in the country that produce pro prospects and I would treat those 60 like they were their own league and start looking at freshmen when they come in," Romanowski said. "When 80 percent of your talent comes from 20 percent of the colleges, I think you ought to have a pretty strong focus on those colleges."

Romanowski would also hire a full-time nutritionist and recruit some of the world's elite strength and conditioning coaches, he said.

"I'd have literally a full-time person mixing up protein shakes every day," said Romanowski, who is president and CEO of a nutritional company called Nutrition53. "The business is football, which is having fast, strong, explosive players."

He'd also have on staff someone to keep an eye on the emotional well-being of the players, he said.

"In the NFL now, nobody touches (that)," Romanowski said. "They only try to fix it when it breaks, when someone ... has trouble with alcohol or drugs. How about a performance coach?"

Bowlen fired Shanahan after the Broncos blew a three-game lead with three weeks left in the season and finished 8-8, missing the playoffs for the third straight year, something that hadn't happened in Denver since 1980-82.

Romanowski thinks he can help get the team back on track.

"I laid out a whole game plan on how I'd do these things," he said. "I love what I do now. It's not like I have to have the head coaching job for the Denver Broncos. I happen to be pretty confident in my abilities and I know what I could do there."

A coaching plan on steroids.  Great.  This sicko should not be allowed anywhere near an NFL team.

Eric Holder -- Barack Obama's Attorney General nominee -- not a big hit with doping agencies

President elect Barack Obama nominated long time Washington lawyer Eric Holder as his cabinet's Attorney General (AG).  Holder's nomination prompted some critique of his time in the Clinton White House.  However the countries anti-doping enforcement agencies also hold opinions about the AG-in waiting.  They are not pleased.  Maybe Holder will treat steroid offenders the way he treated Clinton-era sleazeball Marc Rich.

Seems Holder wanted all the information top steroid-enforcement government agencies could gather, but didn't want to reciprocate.  Guess that's called 'diplomacy'...or 'stubborn self-interest''. Lester Munson writes a fascinating article at ESPN on the subject.

When the NFL grew tired of embarrassing disclosures and congressional hearings about performance-enhancing drugs and wanted to establish a voice in the federal government's investigations, league officials turned to Eric Holder, the man who is now President-elect Barack Obama's nominee for attorney general.

Holder quickly gathered senior executives from the other three leagues and their player unions and led them into a series of meetings in 2007 with top officials of, among others, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the agency that presides over the nation's "war on drugs." The sessions began with a measure of fanfare.

Holder was a natural choice to lead the effort. He served as deputy attorney general in the Clinton administration and then became a partner in Covington & Burling, a powerful Washington law firm that has long represented the NFL. For seven years, Holder helped the NFL through a number of difficulties, including an investigation of the dog-fighting charges against Michael Vick, the implementation of the Rooney Rule that requires owners to interview minority candidates for head coach vacancies, and the league's personal conduct crackdown.  

Meetings began with all concerned hoping to develop a cooperative environment.

At the outset, hopes were high. After the first meeting in March of 2007, Scott Burns, the deputy director of the ONDCP and a participant in the sessions, said, "This is the first step in changing the way we look at the problem in the U.S. I hear more about human growth hormone and steroids and athletes than I do about crack cocaine. This is important to America."

Darryl Seibel, an official of the U.S. Olympic Committee, which also participated in the meetings, was equally hopeful. "You have, for the first time, a collaboration on an entirely new level on a national issue that requires a response such as this," he said.

But the efforts at cooperation ended badly when, led by Holder, the leagues and the unions refused to consider serious reforms in the way in which users of steroids were investigated and prosecuted and insisted on maintaining their own drug enforcement procedures under their respective collective bargaining agreements. The collaboration between law enforcement and sports organizations quietly fell apart.

"There was no substance to it," said one law enforcement official who participated in the meetings. "It was all for show."

Apparently some organizations, and their representatives, cannot play well with others:

"Holder and the professional leagues wanted us to share information with them," a top official of a law enforcement agency who participated in Holder's meetings told ESPN.com. "They wanted to know what players were involved. They wanted an end to leaks from our investigations. But when we asked for their information about players who used or where players bought their drugs, they didn't want to give us anything."

Might Holder's cooperating and stances with top Federal law enforcement agencies filter into the AG confirmation hearings?  Interesting questions, and ESPN responds after the jump.

Vikings Pat and Kevin Williams duo admit they engaged in 'Pee to Pay' ( 'Pee tp Play') with Starcaps (bumetanide)

You know Illinois governor Ron Zook Rod Blagojevich engaged in the age old Illini practice of 'Pay to Play'?  The Minnesota Vikings defensive line duo of Kevin and Pat Williams apparently engaged in 'Pee to Play' or 'Pee to Pay'.  A release today indicated the Williams boys will be paid bonuses if they make weight on 11 occasions both in-season and off-season.  The duo admitted to taking the woman's weight loss supplement StarCaps, which was spiked with the diuretic bumetanide.  Couldn't they just attend Weight Watchers meetings?  To the Minneapolis StarCaps-Tribune:

Vikings defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams both admitted they used a banned diuretic because they each stood to get $400,000 bonuses if they were at or below their prescribed weight a set number of times each year.

$400,000 a year for making weight.  Heck, we would jump on that scale any day.  Where is the Ex-Lax?

The information surfaced Tuesday as part of a letter that was included in the filings in the Williamses' suit against the NFL to avoid four-game suspensions for violating the league's anti-doping policy.

The letter was sent by NFL executive vice president Jeffrey Pash on Dec. 2 to Peter Ginsburg, lawyer for the Williamses, denying their appeal of the suspensions. According to the document, the players tested positive "on or about July 26" and were advised by letter two months later. They appealed, and at their appeal hearing Nov. 20, both players said they took StarCaps "on more than one occasion" the night before a scheduled weigh-in. The supplement contained the banned diuretic known as bumetanide.

According to the letter, both Pat and Kevin Williams get their bonuses if they are at or below their prescribed weight 11 times during the year (eight during the season, three off-season). That weight clause, however, provided that the players "would not engage in any 'last-minute weight reduction techniques,' which included 'use of diuretics.'" Pash also wrote "I accept the representations of both players that they did not use steroids."

Isn't using StarCaps as a diuretic breaking the contract? 

Meanwhile, attorneys for the NFL Players' Association responded Tuesday to the NFL's request to put off discovery proceedings pending an appeal to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a federal judge's order that blocked the suspension of five players, including the Williamses. Among the five points in the NFLPA's letter to the federal judge, Paul Magnuson of U.S. District Court in St. Paul, was that the NFL's Monday request was a "complete about-face from their previous position that there should be no delay in this action."

The issue of steroid use, and bumetanide as a masking agent has been completely flushed down the toilet...

StarCaps case may produce long lasting implications for NFL anti-steroid policy and procedure

It appears that the contamination of a woman's weight loss supplement used by NFL players may inexorably complicate the anti-steroid policies of professional sports leagues.  So says the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

The story (briefly) goers that several NFL players including running back Deuce McAllister of the New Orleans Saints, and tow Minnesota Vikings defensive linemen -- the Williams boys -- took StarCaps to loose weight.  Starcaps is contaminated (or spiked) with bumetanide a potent diuretic that can also be used as a masking agent for steroid abuse.  The players were suspended.

However, the players appealed the suspensions to local and Federal courts who blocked the NFL suspensions, on procedural grounds.  Seems the arbitrator in the NFL's players internal appeal was the NFL's own lawyer, hardly a dispassionate observer.  To the PP:

A federal judge's injunction allowing suspended Vikings Kevin Williams and Pat Williams and three New Orleans Saints to play the rest of the season could profoundly affect how the NFL and other professional sports enforce their drug testing policies, legal experts said Friday.

U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson's ruling Thursday blocked the NFL's four-game suspensions and set a course for trial. His findings also weakened the league's Policy for Steroids and Related Substances and marked a path for players to challenge their sport's punishments in court, according to one sports law scholar.

"Every disciplinary decision of a major professional sports league is up to the unfettered, Solomonic wisdom of U.S. district judges," said professor Stephen Ross, director of Penn State's Institute for Sports Law.

If one knows about 'judicial realism' that could be a frightening prospect.  Clearing every particular disciplinary decision would appear to be time-consuming, and costly.  US courts do not move with the speed of the NFL schedule.

On the other hand, a decision to suspend a player based on lab tests without good due process restricts the players form earning a living.  And it appears the NFL did not present the players with objective due process.

Ross and others scrutinizing Magnuson's 20-page decision were drawn to his initial determination that the NFL violated public policy by failing to inform the players in November 2006 the diuretic they were using contained a known masking agent for steroids for which a positive test could result in suspensions.

The judge wrote it was unfair for Jeff Pash, the league's chief legal officer and arbitrator, to punish the players after withholding specific information that might have helped them avoid testing positive for the banned substance bumetanide.

It appears Mr. Bash isn't particularly objective.  As an arbitrator, he is not objective as  he represents the NFL...in fact the NFL's chief legal consul.  Imagine the arbitrator is the lawyer for the NFL in the NFL v. players.  Odds are somewhat weighted against the players.  The Daily Norseman says this:

The Mr. Pash he's referring to is Jeffery Pash, the person who heard the appeals of the cases of the StarCaps Five.  Oh, and in a minor but somewhat interesting fact, Mr. Pash is also the NFL's chief legal counsel.

Basically, this is the equivalent of getting a judgment against you in a divorce proceeding, filing an appeal, and having the appeal heard by the mother-in-law that never liked you anyway.  See, I've watched enough episodes of Law & Order in my life to be under the impression that arbitration, in a legal matter, is supposed to be handled by a neutral third party. . .not somebody that's on the payroll of one of the parties involved.  That really doesn't strike me as impartial or neutral, but that's just me.

The Star-Tribune also talked to a couple of Twin Cities attorneys on the matter, and they're basically under the same impression:

Marshall Tanick, who has represented players in drug-testing matters, said of Magnuson: "He came out pretty strong on this one. This looks like, at the end of the day, the scoreboard is going to be in favor of the players."

John Klassen, an attorney who does much of his work in federal court, said Magnuson's language about Pash's partiality and the league's obligation to warn players is a clear signal that the tide may have turned against the NFL.

"It is no longer about the players' conduct," Klassen said. "It is about the NFL's conduct, which would be a surprise turn that the NFL didn't expect when they stepped into this."

After all, it was the NFL that moved to shift the Williamses' case from state court -- where they had obtained a temporary restraining order two weeks ago -- to federal court.

"It's the old lesson," Klassen said. "Be careful what door you open and what arena you walk into. And the NFL may come to regret that."

Backto the Pionieer Press.  As pointed out the NFL may be correct in their policy, however their administrative handling of the policy presents serious troubling possibilites.  ANds such bungled administrative actions then threaten to jade public opinoin about anti-doping effprts.

That narrow interpretation (of the Federal judge) has broader implications for the sports world because it undercuts the bedrock  principle of strict liability governing all drug-testing programs: players ultimately are responsible for what they ingest.

Moreover, it dealt a blow to the NFL's image because the public tends to view steroids and drug cases in black and white, said professor Paul Haagen, co-director of Duke University's Department of Sports Law and Policy.

"People think of cheaters and not cheaters, people who take the stuff or who are clean," he said. "What you've got here is this middle ground. Yes, (the players) ran a risk by using this supplement, and, yes, it turned out to be a banned substance. But there is a justice problem.

"At that point you are in danger of losing the public-relations war, which is central to anti-doping."

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency monitors the country's Olympic athletes. Its authority is unrivaled in the realm of drug testing because it is not governed by a collective bargaining agreement like major pro sports are.

The NFL is very concerned...

Magnuson's decision is subject to appeal, and he ultimately could reverse himself after hearing a full vetting of the case if the NFL and the union hold evidentiary hearings and proceed to trial.

Until then, his words set a precedent for other players to challenge the authority of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on similar grounds.

Titans lose backup defensive lineman Kevin Vickerson, and no one has gone to court yet

Tennessee Titan backup defensive lineman Kevin Vickerson sat out yesterday's game, reportedly as a suspension for violating the NFL's steroid policy.  Although his lawyer stated the violation involved a diuretic, no one has reserved a federal court room in the obligatory legal challenge.  To the AP:

The Tennessee Titans went into Sunday's game with the Cleveland Browns with 52 players on the roster, choosing not to replace suspended backup defensive lineman Kevin Vickerson for now.

The Titans deactivated seven players, with Vickerson placed on the reserve-suspended list. He was suspended Friday for four games for violating the NFL's policy on anabolic steroids and related substances, with his agent saying it involved a diuretic pill.

With Ken Dorsey making his first start at quarterback since Nov. 27, 2005, the Browns did not designate an emergency third quarterback behind newly signed Bruce Gradkowski. The Browns also deactivated tight end Kellen Winslow with a high ankle sprain.

Cleveland sat defensive back Travis Daniels, fullback Charles Ali, safety Hamza Abdullah, linebackers Kris Griffin and Beau Bell, offensive lineman Scott Young and defensive lineman Santonio Thomas.

Tennessee deactivated receivers Paul Williams and Chris Davis, cornerback Tyrone Poole, running back Chris Henry, offensive lineman Mike Otto and defensive end William Hayes.

Vickerson, as with the ilk of NFL players using diuretics, is a large person.

Federal judge blocks NFL kick-off in Vikings Williams boys Star Caps - bumetanide - masking agent case

Got a rule you don't like?  Talk to a couple judges who will pretty much let you do what you want.

Not quite that simple, and certainly due process should be protected, however this 'possibly much ado about alot of pee' StarCaps - bumetanide diuretic steroid masking controversy' appears to have captivated this press cycle.

The AP reports that now a Federal judge blocked the suspension of the two defensive ends on the Minnesota Vikings, who will kick it off this weekend, playing as usual.

A local judge previously acted on Wednesday to stay the suspension.  Now the Feds are involved in this complex case.  (any bailout money there?) 

Let's kick it off!

A federal judge on Friday blocked the NFL from suspending five players for violating the league's anti-doping policy by using a banned diuretic, clearing the way for them to play Sunday.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson said he needed more time to consider the case after hearing several hours of arguments from the league and the NFL Players Association.

"I've got to read the background material," said Magnuson, who noted he received a 20-page filing from the NFL earlier that morning. "Justice cannot function in this way."

Is that David Justice?  Didn't he play baseball?

Magnuson gave no indication when he would issue his written ruling, but did note there was no evidence of steroid use by the players. "We're not talking about steroids in this case. Period," he said.

Kevin Williams and Pat Williams of the Minnesota Vikings and Charles Grant, Deuce McAllister and Will Smith of the New Orleans Saints were suspended this week for four games each. They tested positive for a banned diuretic in the dietary supplement StarCaps.

The union argued the NFL didn't properly inform players about what it knew about the product. The NFL's attorneys argued that that claim, and others, had been considered and rejected in a process set out by the league's collective bargaining agreement.

"The arbitrator's decision carefully goes through each and every one of these things," said NFL attorney Dan Nash.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league welcomed the scrutiny Magnuson was giving the case.

"We are confident that, once he has had an opportunity to review all of the relevant materials, including the collective bargaining agreement, he will uphold our long-standing agreements with the (NFL Players Association) that protect the health and safety of NFL players and the integrity of our game," Aiello said.

Everyone appears to be happy at this point.  The NFL made it's case; does anyone really think the NFL wanted to suspend the players?  The NFLPA does it's job in getting the players off the legal hook -- at least temporarily.

Jeff Kessler, an attorney for the union, said he was delighted. He said the ruling showed that the NFL isn't above the law. "In this particular case, they did not follow the rule of law," Kessler said.

Magnuson's move came two days after a Hennepin County judge issued a restraining order blocking the Williamses' suspension. The NFL got the case moved to federal court, where the NFL Players Association joined in a broader action that included the Saints players.

The five players were suspended for four games for testing positive in training camp in July and August for the banned diuretic Bumetanide, which can be used as a masking agent for steroids. Diuretics are also used to quickly shed weight.

The drug was in the dietary supplement StarCaps even though the label did not list the diuretic as an ingredient.

The issue here, even blurred by talking head sportscasters is that taking a diuretic is a ridiculous method to loose weight temporally, and Even dangerous: one of those NFL players will die form the complications of dehydration.

Attorneys on both sides told Magnuson overweight players use the weight-loss drugs for various reasons, including getting down to target weights in their contracts and for medical reasons, including alleviating high blood pressure and heart problems.

The key issue is whether the NFL had any specific obligation to notify players and the union that it had known since at least 2006 that the weight loss supplement contained the banned diuretic. The NFL says the burden is on players to know what's going into their bodies.

(more after the jump)

NFL Players Association seeks to obtain injunction in Minnesota court in StarCaps/bumetanide case

Apparently unaware that the Vikings Williamses (svelte pictures below) filed their own case in a Hennepin County courtroom, the NFLPA will seek another injunction against the NFL StarCaps/bumetanide suspensions.  ESPN reports on this one:

The NFL Players Association will file a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis on Thursday, seeking to overturn all suspensions issued Tuesday by the league for any player who took the supplement identified as StarCaps that triggered several positive tests for the banned diuretic Bumetanide, union sources said.

       The action will ask the federal court for a ruling by Friday, the sources said.

The basis for the union's action is founded on many of the same arguments that resulted in a temporary restraining order issued in a Minneapolis state district court on Wednesday that will allow Minnesota Vikings defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams to return to the team after they were suspended for a mandatory four games in Tuesday's action.

Players who were suspended included both Vikings players, as well as Deuce McAlister, Will Smith and Charles Grant of the Saints and Bryan Pittman of the Texans. Pittman did not use StarCaps but tested positive for a banned diuretic that he claims was prescribed by a physician.

The NFLPA's suit may seek retroactive pay for any player who already as served a suspension in which StarCaps was the product in question. The union, as Williams' legal team argued Wednesday in court, will cite that the NFL improperly administered the policy for steroids and performance-enhancing drugs by failing to notify players that it had specific knowledge since late 2006 that StarCaps contained the banned diuretic.

The legal brief filed on behalf of Kevin and Pat Williams also claimed that a politically charged climate contributed to the league's negligent action.

The issue, of course, is the NFL's ban on bumetanide which contaminates StarCaps.  The diuretic can be used to mask anabolic steroid use.

Hennepin County judge puts StarCaps/bumetanide game into overtime: Viking's Pat and Kevin Williams obtain injuction staying suspension

The NFL sideline show involving a woman's diet weight-loss supplement containing a potent diuretic banned by the NFL as a steroid masking agent just went into overtime, compliments of a Hennepin County (Minneapolis) judge tonight.

The byzantine case started about 6 weeks ago when several NFL players tested positive for bumetanide, a banned diuretic which can be utilized as a masking agent.  The situation become more complex when players began admitting that that they took the weight loss supplement StarCaps, a supplement known to be contaminated with bumetanide.

The NFL suspended the players Monday, based on a collective bargained steroids policy violation.  However, like may professional situation a judge was more than happy to stay the execution of the ban, pending review and appeal.  Here is the Minneapolis Star-Tribune's story:

The Vikings spent Wednesday afternoon preparing to complete the regular season without Pat and Kevin Williams. But by Wednesday evening, the Pro Bowl tackles were back at Winter Park and hoping they will be allowed to play in Sunday's game at Detroit.

The Williamses, suspended for four games by the NFL on Tuesday for violating the league's policy on anabolic steroids and related substances, were granted a temporary restraining order to rejoin the team by Hennepin County District Court Judge Gary Larson. The suspensions came two days after the Vikings moved into sole possession of first place in the NFC North with a victory over Chicago.

Larson acknowledged leaving the case in limbo after he issued his ruling, but he said he is poised to conduct a full hearing as early as today, if that's what the NFL wants. That means Larson could still issue an order before Sunday that would make the Williamses ineligible to play.

The NFL appear to be caught by surprise, even after past history of frequent injunctions by local judges, and copious threats by the players to obtain a judicial stay.

Dan Nash, a lawyer for the NFL who is based in Washington, D.C., said he needs to consult with the league.

"I'm not sure what our next step will be," he said, adding that if the NFL doesn't try to move the case to federal court, he will want a hearing today.

The NFL better be prepared to fight a change of venue to a federal court.  The Williams's lawyer will clearly be adverse to moving the case out of the Viking-friendly county court.

New York-based attorney Peter Ginsberg said the players would fight a move to federal court from Hennepin County District Court.

Larson issued his ruling after an hour of vigorous debate from both sides. The request was filed at midday Wednesday and arguments were scheduled late in the afternoon. Ginsberg flew in shortly before the hearing; Nash conducted his arguments via conference call in the courtroom.

StarCaps -- contaminated with potent diuretic & steroid masking agent bumetanide -- caps 6 NFL stars

The ongoing saga of the "NFL v. 6 players who tested positive for bumetanide v. Starcaps" temporarily culminated yesterday when the league suspended 6 players from the Saints, Vikings, and Texans in the flap.  Basically the players tested positive for the potent diuretic bumetanide.  However their defense says that the NFL players took a women's weight loss supplement StarCaps, contaminated with the masking agent (covers the use of steroids)

Paula Duffy in the Examiner summarizes the entire deal:

In a move that will certainly set off legal fireworks, the NFL has decided to suspend six players for violating the league's drug policy. The drug in question isn't really a drug at all. It is Bumetanide, a substance that acts as a masking agent for steroids but has a legitimate use. It is used in weight loss products and acts as a diuretic. The players in question took an over-the-counter product named StarCaps that contained Bumetanide. They have weight clauses in their contracts and used StarCaps to make that weight.

Bumetanide was not listed as an active ingredient in the StarCaps product and according to a lawyer for three of the suspended players, Bumetanide was also absent from the NFL banned substance list. The attorney, David Cornwell alleges the league knew of Bumetanide's presence in StarCaps and failed to let players know.

The league has decided to play hard ball on this subject and along with the press release about the suspensions it included two scanned documents that were sent to all players. One is a portion of the league's drug policy that concerns non-prescription supplements and warns that they might contain substances that aren't accounted for. The other is a notification to players that weight loss products might possibly trip the wire on a positive drug screen. Both documents are being relied on by the league to support these suspensions. Read the warning notices here and here.

Player included both defensive ends for the Vikings, currently fighting for a playoff spot.  This list also included ex-All Pro running back Deuce McAllister of the New Orleans Saints.

The players suspended are Bryan Pittman, long snapper for the Houston Texans, defensive linemen Kevin and Pat Williams of the Minnesota Vikings, running back Deuce McAllister and defensive linemen Charles Grant and Will Smith of the New Orleans Saints. The Vikings' players are the backbone of that team's run defense and we all know about Deuce and his importance to the Saints.

Legal act5ion will ensure: The attorney for the Williams boys in Minnesota may seek a federal restraining order; attorneys for Nesbit and Grady Jackson (Atlanta Falcons) have initiated legal action against StarCaps.

The NFL apparently knew StarCaps spiked their supplement with the potent diuretic bumetanide, obviously to cheat women who buy the pill with water weight loss.   So why then didn't the league aggressively ostracize the supplement?

What makes these positive drug tests different than others is the substance bumetanide contained in the pills is not disclosed on the product label.

To make matters worse, at the appeal hearing for three other New Orleans Saints players who used StarCaps their attorney determined from a league official that it knew of the bumetanide in StarCaps for more than a year and did not disclose that to the players. Bumetanide is on the banned substance list because it acts as a masking agent for steroids.

The Examiner also claims that the NFL warned players  ( The report by Tom Verda continues after the jump).

Again, the action on this suspension is not over by a long shot.  More legal maneuvering, and much more talk especially if the Vikings miss on their playoff run.

No fowl called: Unlike American sports no steroids in your turkey today

As American prepares to sit down to a fine Thanksgiving feast, they should be thankful that -- unlike USA athletes -- the turkey at dinner is steroid free.  In the US, it has been illegal to pump up the turkeys with steroids for decades.  However, the athletes we watch today, may be full of some juiced gravy.   To the LA Times:

Here are a couple more turkey facts to get your teeth into -- one of them something you don't need to think about.

You may see some turkeys advertised as "hormone free."  The Foster Farms website -- to name just one example -- says of its fresh turkey: "You can feel good about serving it to your family as we promise that it will be the freshest available at your store and will never contain added hormones or steroids."

The Whole Foods Market website also proclaims that its turkeys lack added growth hormones -- and then notes, in small letters, that "federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in raising pork and poultry."

However, unlike many American athletes, those turkeys are not pumped full of the sauce:

So don't be overly impressed by such claims. It's been illegal to treat poultry with hormones since the 1950s. "And they were never, ever used in turkeys," says Francine Bradley, extension poultry specialist in the Animal Science Department at UC Davis.

In short, the only hormones  turkeys have are the ones they produce themselves.

Similarly, any claim you may see about a steroid void is another red herring since the use of any steroids in turkey production is also illegal.

If a sports fan eats too much this Thanksgiving, try to avoid the example of those NFL players who used StarCaps, full of a diuretic which will rid you of those excess pounds...dangerously.

Jet's QB Erik Ainge suspended for steroids policy violation

The AP and Newsday reports the injured Jet's QB Erik Ainge will be handed out a4 game suspension for violating the NFL's steroids and PED policy.

A second Jets player, this time quarterback Erik Ainge, has been found in violation of the NFL's drug policy.

"Erik Ainge of the New York Jets has been suspended without pay for four games for violating the NFL policy on steroids and related substances," the league said in a statement released late Friday afternoon.

Ainge can return to the team Dec. 15, a day after the Jets play the Bills.

"We respect the league's decision and look forward to Erik's return," a Jets spokesman said.

Ainge's suspension has no immediate impact on the roster, as he was put on injured reserve Oct. 29 with a foot injury. The suspension does cost Ainge money, however, as he will forfeit four game checks.

The other Jets player to be suspended this season was running back Jesse Chatman, who missed the first four games. Chatman, coincidentally, also was put on injured reserve Oct. 29 after suffering a knee injury against the Chiefs on Oct. 26.

No record of what drug or substance Ainge used.

Vikings meet Starcaps: Williams boys to meet with the NFL about weight loss supplements.

The Williams boys up in Minnesota, consumers of StarCaps weight loss supplement, which apparently contained bumetanide -- the potent diuretic which can be used as a masking agent -- will negotiate with the NFL about suspensions today. (The Star-Tribune.com)

Vikings Pro Bowl defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams are scheduled to be at the NFL offices in New York today to appeal four-game suspensions for testing positive for a banned diuretic that can serve as a masking agent for steroids.

While the hearings will be on the same day, the cases will be heard separately. Both players will have team and legal representation that is expected to include Vikings owner Zygi Wilf and Kevin Warren, the Vikings vice president of legal affairs and chief administrative officer. Pat Williams' agent, Angelo Wright, and Kevin Williams' agent, Tom Condon, also will attend. It’s believed the Williamses went to New York on one of Wilf’s private planes.

Cool.  The duo flew to New York on a private jet...do these guys think they are CEOs of the big three automakers or what?

The defense seems to be set: The Viking's Williams's ingested StarCaps, the women's weight loss supplement that may be contaminated with bemetanide.  Bumetanide is a potent diuretic that cause fluid loss, and subsequent temporary weight loss.  Obviously a good thing if a consumer wants to see immediate weight loss; but not so good from a side-effect profile and from a truth in labeling viewpoint.  Fortunate that no NFL player died during the summer months from dehydration and diuresis.

The issue with the drug is that by diluting the urine, it can interfere with steroids testing, and thus used as a 'masking agent'.

Company punts on NFL urine-enhancing drug: Starcaps booted off store shelves

The woman's weight loss supplement Starcaps, which has several NFL players pissed off, will be jerked from stores shelves according the company.  The 'supplement' appears to be spiked contaminated with the powerful diuretic bumetanide, which increases urine flow thus producing a very quick and dirty way to temporarily drop weight.  To the USA Today:

Lab tests revealed a weight-loss supplement at the center of an NFL drug probe contained a prescription diuretic and a shipment of the product has been recalled, a lawyer for the company told USA TODAY on Tuesday.

Marc Ullman, the attorney for Balanced Health Products, said a sample taken from a bottle of Nikki Haskell's StarCaps tested positive for Bumetanide — a drug commonly given to heart disease patients to reduce fluid retention — and the company recalled a shipment of nearly 2,000 bottles from health food stores.

Balanced Health Products halted shipments of the product last month in response to the claim by several NFL players that their positive tests for Bumetanide, which is on the league's banned list because such drugs can mask steroids.

New Orleans Saints Jamar Nesbit's attorney says Starcaps should issue a big old apology (and some cash) to the players nailed with bumetanide, illegal in the NFL because it could mask steroid use.

"I think they should now offer up an apology for those players who have tested positive and then dig into their pockets to pay up for the damage they have done," Brian Molloy, the lawyer for New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Jamar Nesbit.

Nesbit filed a lawsuit in October against Balanced Health Products after he served a four-game suspension for testing positive for Bumetanide. The Associated Press, citing a person close to the case, reported that up to eight players tested positive for the diuretic, including Saints running back Deuce McAllister.

Most of the players have filed appeals, although such challenges haven't proved successful. The NFL only approves certain supplements through a partnership with EAS and tells players they can use other products at their own risk.

Several NFL players face the judge and jury this week over the Starcaps/bumetanide flap.  One expert says the players should only blame themselves:

That these guys who are paid all this money, who are paid millions of dollars to stay in shape, who have the best workout facilities available to them probably in the country, who have the best information about what to put in their bodies, about nutrition, who can hire their own chefs, have to resort to something like this that has to be just to lose weight to make weight, so you don’t get fined.

Then you go up and right after you make weight and you put it right back on by eating and drinking whatever you want. Most of these guys, with the exception of Deuce, that I have seen listed are all lineman. Guys like Grady Jackson, who has been hopelessly obese and fat his entire career, including here; this is a shortcut for these guys.

And I can’t understand why you would resort to that way. You wouldn’t have enough self discipline to stay in shape and not risk something like this. You risk losing four game checks, risk losing your teammate’s respect and your opportunity to put them in the playoffs, which might happen with the Saints.

Obviously these guys are lectured by the team, probably lectured by the NFL. I’m sure it’s no secret as to what you can or cannot put in your body. Why with all that knowledge, all that money, all these facilities would you take such a shortcut and do something like this?

 

Atlanta Falcons Grady Jackson sues StarCaps over bumetanide suspension

Suspended Atlanta Falcon's DT Grady Jackson will sue the makers of StarCaps, the women's weight loss supplement NFL players apparently use to skim off fluids.  The suit will obviously contend that bumetanide contaminates Starcaps, thus causing the player's urine to test positive for the banned diuretic.  Judging from his photo, Jackson is a big guy.

To AFP:

Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jackson has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of a diuretic said to have led to his four-game doping suspension from the National Football League.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Jackson, who is appealing his ban, filed the suit in the Superior Court of California against Nikki Harrell's StarCaps diet pills.

In the lawsuit, which also names Balanced Health Products, the maker of StarCaps, Jackson is seeking restitution and damages for false advertising and unfair business practices against the company and retailers of StarCaps.

In a statement on its website, StarCaps.com, the firm acknowledged the lawsuit.

"We've received notice of a problem with an NFL player," the statement read.

"We have referred the matter to our counsel and are taking all necessary steps to ensure that our customers receive product that is safe and effective. We have temporarily suspended shipping of StarCaps pending the results of our investigation."

Jackson was among a handful of NFL players who reportedly tested positive for Bumetanide, a diuretic which is on the NFL's list of banned substances.

Defensive tackles Pat Williams and Kevin Williams of the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints trio Deuce McAllister, Will Smith and Charles Grant have been named in multiple media reports as testing positive for the diuretic, which can mask the presence of other substances.

Under NFL rules, a first doping violation involving steroids policy typically brings a four-game suspension.

NFL players caught in diuretic 'scandal' bring legal action against weight loss supplement StarCaps

The NFL bumetanide (diuretic scandal) took an interesting twist today.  NFL players who tested positive for the drug Bumox in NFL doping tests now point out the drug was found to be a contaminant in the over-the-counter weight loss supplement StarCaps.

Reports name StarCaps by Nikki Haskell (apparently a 'hostess') as the culprit in this drama.  The weight loss supplement names a number of drugs not contained in the formulation; bumetanide however didn't make the exclusion list.  Here is the blurb:

 NIKKI HASKELL'S STARCAPS - Lose Weight and Get In Shape! Now you can have the amazing diet secret all Hollywood is talking about. Created by the Diet Queen to the Stars Nikki Haskell, STARCAPS is the natural dietary supplement containing a rare blend of papaya and garlic. STARCAPS make dieting easy! The secret is in STARCAPS unique ingredients...its all-natural blend of papaya and garlic from the higher Andes of Peru. Each bottle is a two week supply and includes a diet booklet. BOTTLE OF STARCAPS CONTAINS 30 CAPSULES, A TWO WEEK SUPPLY STARCAPS ARE AN ALL-NATURAL DIETARY SUPPLEMENT STARCAPS ARE NOT DIET PILLS STARCAPS DO NOT CONTAIN ANY AMPHETAMINES, NICOTINE, THYROID, CAFFEINE OR EPHEDRA MINIMUM DIET RECOMMENDED ONCE WEIGHT LOSS IS ACHIEVED CONTINUE TO TAKE "STARCAPS", IT WILL HELP MAINTAIN AND KEEP YOU FROM GAINING WEIGHT RECOMMENDED FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE JUST GONE OFF POWDERED DIET DRINKS HOW STARCAPS WORKS: PAPAYA IS A DIGESTIVE ENZYME THAT METABOLIZES PROTEIN IN YOUR SYSTEM WHILE GARLIC IS A NATURAL DIURETIC DRINK BETWEEN 6 TO 8 GLASSES OF WATER A DAY WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU TAKE POTASSIUM OR ORANGE JUICE WITH STARCAPS

Before we refer to the media reports on Starcaps we ask the following:

1. Why are NFL players using an OTC weight loss prep designed and marketed for women.
2. Why does the manufacturer recommend taking potassium with the pills; that's weird because that is exactly what electrolyte a diuretic would deplete.
3. Did the company contaminate the formula with a potent diuretic to induce water weight loss.  (perfect strategy because the 'weight' comes Right back with re-hydration.  That means a person needs to continue the pills.
4. Did the players not figure out they were peeing alot?
5. Was the trace amount of bumetanide found enough to cause a positive in a urine test (remember this is dilated urine anyway).

The abstract for a report in the J Analytic Chemistry reads very eerie and answers #6 - yes a therapeutic dose was contained in the StarCaps pill (pdf here):

Bumetanide is a loop diuretic used clinically to treat heart failure, acute renal failure, high blood pressure, and edema. However, diuretics may also be used by athletes as masking agents and to decrease weight. Taken as masking agents, diuretics increase urine production and decrease urinary concentrations of banned performance-enhancing agents, such as anabolic steroids. StarCaps is an over-the-counter dietary supplement marketed as a diet aid. The manufacturer claims that the product contains only natural cleansing agents and emphasizes that it is free from traditional appetite suppressants such as sympathomimetic amines. However, no such disclaimer is made concerning diuretic agents. A single StarCaps capsule was administered to two male and two female volunteers, and their urine specimens were collected at discrete intervals (2, 4, 8, and 12 h) post administration. The specimens were analyzed by a high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry quadrupole (HPLC-MS) method, and bumetanide was detected in all specimens (4.6 to 351.3 ng/mL). Adjusting the bumetanide concentrations for creatinine content did little to normalize the excretion profiles. Bumetanide was also detected in the StarCaps capsules at concentrations approaching therapeutic doses. HPLC-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to confirm the presence of bumetanide in the urine samples and StarCaps capsules. The results showed that unregulated dietary supplements may put consumers at risk for unwitting consumption of prescription medications, and that it is possible for athletes to inadvertently test positive for bumetanide and face disciplinary actions.

There it is: A potent diuretic was found in StarCaps, in high doses.  Why was this supplement pill not immediately pulled from the OTC market?  Why was this result not publicized to athletes?  (or was it).  And why the researchers choose StarCaps to test?

And what other supplements do NFL player ingest (if indeed they ingested contaminated StarCaps)?

Here is the IHT article: (after the jump)

Minnesota Viking Bernard Berrian says no one home at NFL steroids hotline

Ever try to call customer service and wait forever?  Or call up your bank only to be on hold for half the day.  That's what Bernard Berrian says happened when he called the NFL hotline to check out some supplements in regard to the NFL steroids policy.  Just like an overdraft, if a player messes up it doesn't matter; he is likely to receive a steep penalty.  (ESPN)

The NFL provides a hotline for players to contact if they want to find out large bureaucracies supplements contain ingredients banned by the league. However, Minnesota Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian said sometimes there's nobody at the other end of the line.

In an interview with Sirius satellite radio, Berrian said he had tried twice to call the hotline and never got a call back, before getting a reply on his third attempt.

In an e-mail to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league would "follow up" on Berrian's comments to make sure the hotline is operating properly.

"You've got to take some responsibility and call into that hotline [to inquire about the legality of certain products]," Berrian said. "But I know one thing about that hotline. I've called twice before and actually never gotten ahold of anybody sometimes. So even when you try to do the right thing sometimes it is still hard to get ahold of somebody and really find out what you're really taking."

Berrian talked about the hotline after being asked about teammates Pat Williams and Kevin Williams, both of whom reportedly are facing suspensions for taking a banned weight-loss diuretic.

The NFL isn't going to like their collective feet held to the fire over this one.  But like the Govt, large bureaucracies are not likely to fess up to problems; rather they will hold individuals responsible even though there are glitches along the way.

In the e-mail to the Star Tribune, Aiello said the hotline is maintained by an independent group and it is open during "extended business hours." Players who leave messages are supposed to get calls back, something the league will investigate after hearing Berrian's comments.

Earlier this week, Vikings coach Brad Childress said it's on the players to know what they are putting in their bodies.

"They get a list of what's in and what's out," Childress said. "But it's up to them, once again, whether they're reading labels. I mean, strict liability is strict liability."

"But Coach, what about the playoffs hotline"? 

Playoffs Hotline?" Don't talk about the Playoffs hotline"'

Why do sportswriters insist on rewriting medicine: Using bumetanide for weight loss in the NFL

Why do sportswriters insist on rewriting the medical textbooks?  Because athletes decide to take advantage of a drug for their own particular use?  For instance this post which once again identifies a diuretic as a 'weight loss' pill.  The writer even thinks the drug is used to cut weight (as I said, cut off an arm or something to lose weight) rather than as a masking agent.

Just as the underground economy subverts the real economy, the underground medical practice subverts the actual researched indications for these drugs.  And like the honest taxpayer who foots over his fair share to the Govt is cheated by the guy who trades cash under the table, the dishonest athlete cheats the drug free athlete (and I can't believe I defended paying taxes; that may be the dumbest analogy ever written).

Take the diuretic bumetanide (Bumex).  That's a ridiculous generic name, even for this writer who worked with furosemide (Lasix) while in medical school.  A diuretic (known in the press as a 'water pill' which isn't accurate because urine is far more than water) blocks physiological workings of the kidneys which then allow much more urine to flow -- but at a cost.  The cost is the disequilibrium of fluid and electrolyte balance. Such a drug would be 'indicated' for heart failure, kidney disease, and perhaps liver failure where for various reasons the kidneys cannot filter the blood as well as in health.

The side effects?  As mentioned fluid and electrolyte imbalance which can lead to fatal heart rhythms. The heart depends on electrical communications and electro-chemical interactions to keep beating (calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride).  When a diuretic produces the diuresis (fluid output) it pulls those electrolytes with it, thus inducing the electrolyte problems.  There is a reason your grandmother takes potassium (K) with Lasix or HCTZ in the morning.  If not she lands in the hospital as my late mother did often in the past year for K depletion.

When the athletes take a diuretic - for NO MEDICAL reason -- they not only simply abuse the drug, but may produce a dangerous electrolyte imbalance.  That can lead to death as it has with some NFL players in the past.  So Deuce McAllister, for whatever reason he took the drug, risks some major problems with the illicit use.

When you hear of an NFL player taking Bumex, which is a major kick-arse diuretic, the only reason would be to dilute the urine, which would dilute the metabolites of other drugs -- either drugs like steroids, or perhaps other illicit drugs (thus we can suspect but not assume the 'masking' agents are masking anabolic steroids).  None of the NFL player would suffer from heart, kidney, or liver conditions, and maintain an NFL career.

When the press calls Bumex or any diuretic a weight loss' drug, they are rewriting the medical text books.  Any normal person will simply rehydrate in  a matter of minutes (hours) to rebalance fluids and electrolytes (the most guarded physiological parameter in biology).

This reminds me of my cousin who wrestled in high school and college.  He and his friends would try to lose weight by sweating, spilling into pop bottles, cutting their hair, shaving, and any way to reduce some bodily mass as quickly as possible (he once confided to me he was gong to ejaculate to try to lose a few grams; at least that's what he said).  It's all temporary weight.(side effects after the jump)

Minnesota Vikings ship taking on 'water' as Williams boys -- Pat Williams and Kevin Williams -- look to be facing suspension for diuretic

Looks like quite a Viking raid.  Reports from Fox indicate that the Minnesota Vikings defensive ends -- Pat Williams (94) and Kevin Williams (93)-- may be facing 4 game suspensions for use of the now notorious diuretic bumetanide.

The question would be why so many NFL players decided to use that diuretic to mask something; it is ludicrous to believe that NFL players, in the prime of fitness, need a diuretic.  This all hints at widespread NFL doping (what else is new?).  To the Daily Norseman:

Well. . .Fox Sports' Jay Glazer has reported that among those "numerous other players" were Pat and Kevin Williams.

Not Pat OR Kevin Williams. . .Pat AND Kevin Williams.

Wonderful.

Now, apparently, neither of the Williams' boys have had their appeals heard by the league yet and, with that being the case, the fact that their names are out there already represents "the most egregious violation of the NFL steroids policy," according to David Cornwell, who has been asked to represent many of the players involved in this incident in the appeal process.  I would tend to agree.  Cornwell's assertion that the only reason to leak this sort of information would be to harm the individuals involved and to tip the scales of justice is also, in my opinion, the correct one. Until all of the appeals were heard and the official punishments were meted out, anyone that had this information should have kept their mouths closed.

The lawyer is attempting to do what lawyers are trained to do: first attack the issue by questioning the procedure.

It's also quite pathetic that, if these suspensions are upheld, Pat and Kevin Williams will now be placed in the same category as real dopers like Shawne Merriman and Rodney HGHarrison. . .you know, guys that took a drug that actually enhances performance.  If I thought for a minute that either Pat or Kevin Williams was actually taking steroids to enhance performance, it would be one thing. . .if that was (or even if that is) the case, they should both be punished.

The Vikings site doesn't get it, but use of the diuretic exactly places these players in the doping category.  The drug is masking steroids.

But, come on. . .when you look at Pat Williams, do you immediately think "yeah, that guy's a roid monster?"  Honestly, now. . .this is garbage.  A couple of other names that have been leaked are Falcons' defensive tackle Grady Jackson (who is on the field today for Atlanta) and Texans' long snapper Bryan Pittman.

From a football standpoint, if the Vikings lose Pat and Kevin Williams for four games, then it's time to start looking for 2009, because I don't see us beating anybody with those two out of the lineup.

I don't even know what the hell else to say at this point, other than this is a bunch of crap and it's going to screw our entire season.  Discuss it here.  I might be back with more later if something else develops.

         

Reports now say eight players -- including Deuce McAllister -- fail NFL doping tests; may sit out for violating 'steroids' policy

It is now reported (Sports Examiner and ESPN ) that 8 NFL players appear to be having doping problems after using the diuretic bumetanide (which can be used as a masking agent for steroids).  The drug is used to treat kidney and cardiac disease, NOT AS A WEIGHT LOSS DRUG.  Sorry attorneys that hokum don't go down 'round here.  (our other post on the issue here)

Three members of the New Orleans Saints -- running back Deuce McAllister and defensive ends Will SmithCharles Grant -- are among a number of NFL players confirmed to have tested positive under the NFL's steroid policy, ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen reports.

Mortensen confirmed through league and union sources on Saturday that the number of pending cases on the positive tests in violation of the steroids policy is eight.

Sources also have confirmed for Mortensen that four of the eight have tested positive for the diuretic Bumetanide, which belongs to a subset of medicines known as water pills that enable users to lose weight , but it is unclear who those four players are.

Mortensen also confirmed that Houston Texans long snapper Bryan Pittman is among those players to test positive for using a weight-loss supplement.

The attorney hired better bone up on pharmacology because bumetanide is not a weight loss drug....

... attorney David Cornwell to represent him in the process. In a statement to the Houston Chronicle on Friday, Cornwell said, "Bryan did everything humanly possible to comply with the NFL steroid policy, including obtaining doctors' written authorization to take weight-loss medication. He did not use steroids."

Cornwell told Mortensen he has been retained by "a number of players" to represent them in the NFL appeals process, but Cornwell wouldn't identify those players or the exact number he will represent.

"The recent reports about pending appeals by players who are alleged to have used weight loss supplements reflect the most egregious violation of the NFL steroid policy," Cornwell said in his statement. "The foundation of the policy is both a player's right to appeal and an absolute right to confidentiality. By leaking this story, the 'source' is clearly attempting to put their thumb on the scale of justice and harm these men."

There may be other PEDs involved beyond the diuretic as noted here:

According to Anderson's report, McAllister and Smith are part of a group that tested positive for a diuretic known as Bumetanide. Others tested positive for a different substance.

"Most of them tested positive for Bumetanide," said the league source, according to Fox 31-Denver. "The last few tested positive for another substance that works similarly."

Wonder what other PEDs are being looked at?

NFL reports a huddle of players -- including Deuce McAllister -- in the red zone (banned for steroids policy violation)

Reports leaking out of several sports pages indicate 5 - 10 or more NFL players may be excreted from playing because of the use of a banned diuretic.  The drug is 'bumetanide' a potent diuretic (referred as a 'water pill' in one newspaper, a diuretic stimulates kidneys to produce more urine...which can dilute out any traces of steroids).

Deuce McAllister, the All-Pro running back for the New Orleans Saints leads the pack in suspensions.  Others Saints hit hard include defense ends Will Smith (loved him in 'Men in Black') and Charles Grant.  Houston Texans center Bryan Pittman also allegedly may be sitting out 4 games.

Interesting that the sports pages have this wrong.  Several sources scream about 'steroids'; bumetanide is not a steroid, although the drug can mask steroids use.  One columnist called the drug 'a weight loss drug' which sends us into uremic spasms.  A diuretic is not a weight loss drug per se.  If a patient suffers from heart failure, the heart cannot push blood strong enough through the kidney to excrete a normal amount of urine; a diuretic will push our more urine to reduce water gathering as 'edema'.  The heart failure patient may lose weight as the edema is reduced. 

A normal athlete is not going to lose weight on a long term basis by using a drug like bumetanide; he will weigh less for a couple hours as he dehydrates himself, however will gain the weight back if he drinks water.  It is ludicrous to say that a diuretic is a weight loss pill.  That's as bad as saying amputation is a weight loss procedure.  To the New Orleans Picayune.

Saints running back Deuce McAllister and defensive ends Will Smith and Charles Grant have tested positive for a drug on the National Football League's list of prohibited substances, two NFL sources Friday.

Those positive tests mean that all three likely will miss four consecutive games each sometime soon.

The reports of the positive tests for McAllister and Smith originated early Friday with Fox 31 television in Denver, which quoted "a highly placed NFL source" as saying that McAllister and Smith were among six to 10 NFL players who tested positive. Many of them, including McAllister and Smith, tested positive for a weight-loss diuretic and possible steroid-masking agent called Bumetanide, according to the Denver report.

"Weight loss diuretic.  Do not rush out to take a diuretic to lose weight.  Bad idea.

Two days before Sunday's high-profile game between the Saints and San Diego Chargers at Wembley Stadium in London, McAllister and Smith were the only players specifically named in the Denver report. The Fox-TV source was also quoted as saying that three or four players who tested positive were from the Saints.

Separately, an NFL source confirmed to The Times-Picayune that McAllister and Smith tested positive. That source and another NFL source confirmed that Grant also was among those who tested positive.

Saints spokesman Greg Bensel said "this is a league matter and we have no comment." NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said "we have no comment on the report."

From the Houston Chron comes the report on Pittman:

Texans deep snapper Bryan Pittman has tested positive for a banned substance that’s a violation of the NFL’s steroids policy, and if he loses his appeal, he could be suspended for four games.

Pittman, who has been with the Texans since 2003, declined comment.

Atlanta attorney David Cornwell, who has been hired to represent Pittman at his appeal on Nov. 3, issued a statement Friday that said: “Bryan did everything humanly possible to comply with the NFL steroid policy, including obtaining doctors’ written authorization to take weight-loss medication. He did not use steroids.

"Written authorization to take weight-loss medication".  That's hilarious.  How about written authorization for a healthy athlete to deplete fluids thus causing cardiac arrhythmia's?  Right.

“Thus far, the only violation of the NFL steroid policy is the breach of Bryan’s absolute right to confidentiality while his appeal proceeds. Whoever is leaking this story is attempting to put their thumb on the scale (of) justice to harm Bryan.”

Because the collective bargaining agreement is supposed to guarantee a player confidentiality, no one from the Texans or the NFL would comment on Pittman’s situation.

Cornwell’s statement said Pittman had written authorization to take weight-loss medication. He could have tested positive for Bumetanide, a diuretic that flushes the system and belongs to a subset of medicines called water pills.

Uses of the drug include the treatment of fluid retention and the reduction of swelling from liver and kidney diseases. Diuretics also have been used by athletes as masking agents. They can dilute urine, which makes it more difficult to detect substances banned by professional sports.

Dallas Cowboys ordered to pay fines for player suspensions (including Mke Jefferson for steroids)

The NFL announced that with the suspension of Pacman Jones, the Dallas Cowboys owe the league fine money.  The earlier suspicion was on Mike Jefferson for a steroids violation in September.

The Dallas Cowboys are being "fined" for the suspension of Adam "Pacman" Jones under NFL policy, the league confirmed Friday.

As of Aug. 1, teams are required to submit to the league a portion of the salary forfeited by players who are suspended without pay under the personal conduct, substance abuse, or steroids policy, beginning with a team's second such suspension in a league year.

Cowboys wide receiver Mike Jefferson was suspended in September for four games under the steroids policy. When applicable, the club must remit a portion of the player's salary to the league, capped at between $200,000 and $500,000 per suspension.

Under this policy, the Cowboys will pay to the league office $20,588 for each game that Jones remains suspended, up to maximum of $200,000 for this suspension. However, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Friday the figure is a "little high" and that Dallas will be paying closer to 40 percent of the $20,588 per game.

On Tuesday, Adam Jones was suspended for at least four games for his most recent violation of the personal conduct policy. The league said Jones was involved in an alcohol-related incident at a Dallas hotel on Oct. 8 involving a bodyguard assigned to him by the Cowboys. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will determine the ultimate length of Jones' suspension after Dallas' Week 11 game against Washington on Nov. 16.

Chicago Bears lose offensive lineman Terrance Metcalf to a steroid policy violation

The Chicagoist reports that Chicago Bear lineman Terrance Metcalf will be suspended for 4 games beased on a diuretic found in his urine test.  A diuretic increases urine production, and thus may dilute urine to mask steroid use.  Metcalf denies both drugs -- diuretics and steroids.

The Bears will be without Terrance Metcalf for the next four games after the guard tested positive for a diuretic during a random drug test during the preseason. Becuase they can be used to mask steroid use, they are among the banned substances for players in the NFL. Metcalf says he's never taken steroids and isn't sure how a diuretic got into his system.

While he lost a starting job in training camp, Metcalf has seen action in all six of the Bears' games this season. And with first round draft pick Chris Williams occupying a roster spot while not able to play, the Bears are not very deep on the offensive line. The squad has played better than many expected so far this season, but their age has been a legitimate cause for concern and fatigue only increases the likelihood of somebody getting hurt.

Metcalf is presently signed through 2011, but with the non-guaranteed contracts and the Bears desperate for some help on the O-line, will they cut him lose to pick up somebody who can be in uniform the next few weeks? Or will he remain on the roster? Lovie Smith said, "I don't see why he wouldn't be. It's a four-game suspension, and that's how we're looking at it. Hopefully, we can get it back." Fine, but let's see what happens if somebody goes down.

Ho hum, Darryl Blackstock suspended for violating NFL steroid policy.

As noted in Cheat or Beat, the Bengals Darryl Blackstock will be sitting out 4 games for using steroids.  We say that because he blames a supplement, and no one has been suspended from the NFL for using whey protein.  To the Toronto Star:

The NFL has suspended Cincinnati Bengals reserve linebacker Darryl Blackstock for the next four games because he used a performance-enhancing substance.

The Bengals signed Blackstock as a free agent from Arizona in the  off-season. He has played in all five games, including one start, and has four tackles. The fourth-year veteran said in a statement that one of his nutritional supplements contained an ingredient banned by the league.

"I've apologized to my coaches and teammates for an unfortunate mistake," Blackstock said.

Note that NFL steroids suspensions are almost a footnote on the sports pages.  Is that a little gynecomastia going on???

Suday steroid injections

1.  Dr. Charles Yesalis on PED use in the NFL.  (Wall Street Journal)

2.  Bangladesh bans weightlifter Satheesha Rai for life (The New Nation)

3.  Will VInokourov return to pro cycling after doping ban?  (Podium Cafe)

4.  Pro cyclist and Tour de France stage winner Ricco b anned for 2 years.  (The Star)

Presidential candidate Barack Obama disses anti-doping and steroid efforts in Congress

Democratic presidential candidate Barrack Obama took a huge swipe at anti-steroid activists today, perhaps tossing out some baby with the John McCain bathwater. From the WaPo:

...Obama suggested this morning there were more important things on which the government should focus.

"Kids are watching sports. They're modeling themselves on athletes," Obama said. "It's a serious problem, but it's one that you want to see the leagues themselves handle in a more appropriate way. We've got nuclear weapons and a financial meltdown to worry about. We shouldn't be worrying about steroids as much as I think sometimes we do."

However the candidate apparently wants government time spent on the NCAA D-1 football playoffs:

Although he says government should be more hands-off on steroids, Obama did suggest other sports areas in which his administration might meddle.

"I would have my attorney general investigate the possibility of instituting a college football playoff system through executive order. I'm tired of this nonsense at the end of every college football season," Obama said.

There is a fine use of government time.  Where do these candidates come up with their ideas (that had to be said tongue in cheek)?  Or perhaps this is all about taking a swipe at opponent Republican John McCain.

Let's remind the candidate about steroids and doping involved in the Mitchell Report, the Roger Clemens case, the San Diego Tribune NFL steroid scandal sheet, the on-going saga of Lance Armstrong, and the Olympic scandals.  Let's remind the candidate that often not much happens to combat doping and steroid use in the professional leagues (NFL, MLB) until the Congress becomes interested.  Let's remind the candidate that the US derives so much from Olympic involvement (generally the most benefit from the Olympics goes to NBC TV or whomever is broadcasting the event) that the country needs to get with the program in meeting IOC and WADA anti-doping standards.  Baseball will likely be eliminated because the leagues cannot meet WADA doping standards.

In most progressive European countries there are national anti-doping ministers at a governmental level.  Not the United State.  Most European countries also have passed sports fraud laws.  We sure don't hope that under an Obama administration doping and steroid awareness returns to the good old days of benign neglect or active ignorance.

Appearing on ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike in the Morning" program, Obama did not mention the Arizonan by name. But the Democratic presidential nominee did make clear that he would steer a different course than McCain has in the past when he was asked "how much government should be involved with sports and performance-enhancing drugs."

"I gotta admit that seeing a lot of congressional hearings around steroid use is not probably the best use of congressional time," Obama said.

McCain has long been closely identified with efforts on the Hill to expose steroid use in baseball. In 2004, when McCain was chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, his panel held a high-profile hearing on the subject, and McCain's scrutiny helped force Major League Baseball owners to implement a new drug-testing policy.  McCain said the following year that the league "can't be trusted" to handle the issue on its own, and threatened to write legislation cracking down on performance-enhancing drugs. A House committee also held highly publicized hearings on steroids in baseball in 2007.

It does sound like Obama agrees with the opinion that Congressional time is better spent on 700 Billion dollar bailouts, which occur every day.  In fact that sounds like the more potent steroids are getting injected right into Wall Street corporate America.

Wish Senator Obama would read here about why Congress should be involved in steroid and doping issues.

Tony Mandarich comes clean: Reveals narcotic and steroid use.

About 18 months ago we ran a feature on Ex-Michigan State lineman, and Ex-Green Bay Packer Tony Mandarich.  Mandarich graduated from Michigan State a huge athletic lineman, with incredible NFL promise.  He struggled in the NFL, which led to rumors of steroid use in college, or of an unknown infection resulting in deteriorating NFL performance.  Later, Mandarich became a solid lineman for the Indianapolis Colts -- a fact football fans forget.

Mandarich wrote us a very nice email, easily the most complementary email we have received in our short history.  We wished him good luck on his new endeavor -- glamor photography -- and moved on.

Now Mandarich will release a new autobiography where he details drug, alcohol and steroid use in college and the pros.  Here is a bit on the drug use at Michigan State:

Tony Mandarich, one of the most heralded offensive lineman in college football history, has admitted to to be addicted to pain killers and alcohol. Mandarich, who starred at Michigan State University and was the second pick in the NFL draft, says that he went so far to fake a urine test in college to play in the Rose Bowl. Mandarich also states in a new book that he used steroids in his seven year NFL career with the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts .

The big lineman also says he used the juice in the NFL:

“I used them (steroids),” he says on Showtime's 'Inside the NFL' show where he conducted an interview promoting his upcoming book "My Dirty Little Secrets -– Steroids, Alcohol and God.". “This is the first time I ever said it. … If I would have come out and said it, I think it would have affected a lot of other people that were doing the same things."

In the interview Mandarich says that the reason he didn't perform as well in the NFL was because he became addicted the pain killer Staydal. He said he was doing up to seven shots a day of the drug.

Mandarich always denied use of steroids; however he is no longer denying he juiced.  How do we feel about that?  Considering the pain these players go through, and the lax steroid control and testing back when Mandarich broke into the league, do we expect less than juiced linemen?  Mandarich strikes us as a good guy now, doing then what he needed to do to survive in D-1 college & NFL football.

Without giving Tony Mandarich a free pass, we point to the letter Ron Mix wrote to the San Diego Union-Tribune last week:

The history of Chargers' use of steroids in that era is undisputed: (1) Alvin Roy was hired as the first strength coach in professional football; (2) Alvin told the entire team that the pills (Dianabol) we would be taking would help us assimilate more protein (he did not say the product was steroids); (3) the team made it mandatory that all players take the pills with each meal; (4) when a teammate's doctor provided literature to him about Dianabol and its harmful side-effects and that information was shared with me, I, as team captain, called a team meeting and informed the team; (5) the vast majority or all of the players stopped taking the pills (I cannot identify a single player who continued).

What do we expect of a high profile player in the NFL, at a position where strength is a premium?  Look to the management, the trainers and doctors, and the administration of the league for answers.

Anabolic steroid use enhances powerlift athletes for years

In a new study discussed at the American Physiological Society, a Swedish group found that the use of anabolic steroids produced long lasting enhancement of the muscle cells.  (The Science Blog; Scientific American)

A team of researchers has examined the impact of anabolic steroid use on power lifters years after the athletes had ceased to take the drugs. The researchers found that while physical traces of the drug no longer remained, changes in the shoulder and quadriceps still gave lifters an advantage years later.

The research was conducted by Anders Eriksson and Lars-Eric Thornell, Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Section conducted the study for Anatomy, Umea University, Umea, Sweden; Christer Malm, Umeå University and Winternet and Patrik Bonnerud, Department of Health Science, Section for Medical Science, Lulea University of Technology, Lulea, Sweden; and Fawzi Kadi, Department of Physical Education and Health, Orebro University, Orebro, Sweden.

The researchers ascertained 3 subject groups: power lifters, power lifters currently using the juice, and power lifters who used steroids in the past but abstained now.  The muscle fiber and muscle groups examined:

For power lifters, type IIB fiber, the most powerful, is most frequently used. The use of anabolic steroids can add more nuclei to the muscle, and enhance muscle fiber size.

The researchers examined data in two muscles: the vastus lateralis, found in the quadriceps, and the trapezius, a part of the shoulder-neck muscle. Each muscle is key to power lifting.

The results were startling:

The researchers found that several years after anabolic steroid withdrawal, and with no or low current strength-training, the muscle fiber area intensity, the number of nuclei per fiber in the quadriceps was still comparable to that of athletes that were currently performing high intensity strength-training. They also discovered that the shoulder-neck fiber areas were comparable to high-intensity trained athletes and the number of nuclei per fiber was even higher than found in the current steroid-using group.

According to the lead researcher, Dr. Eriksson, ”It is possible that the high number of nuclei we found in the muscle might be beneficial for an athlete who continues or resumes strength training because increased myonuclei opens up the possibility of increasing protein synthesis, which can lead to muscle mass.” He added, “Based on the characteristics between doped and non-doped power lifters, we conclude that a period of anabolic steroid usage is an advantage for a power lifter in competition, even several years after they stop taking a doping drug.”

As many clean Olympic athletes argued, once a competitor used an anabolic steroid, the competitive advantage may be maintained over years.

And the NFL doles out a 4 game suspension for steroid policy violations... 

Saints Jamar Nesbit says cleansing supplement tainted

The New Orleans suspended linemen Jamar Nesbit claims that a tainted supplement caused his dirty urine and subsequent suspension for 4 games, for violating the NFL's steroid policy. To NOLA.com

The Saints got their daily dose of bad news Tuesday when the NFL announced that starting left guard Jamar Nesbit will be suspended without pay for the next four games for violating the league's policy on anabolic steroids and related substances.

Nesbit, who will not be allowed to participate in any team activities until Oct. 20, insisted he never intentionally took any substances banned by the NFL. He said that his failed drug test stemmed from an over-the-counter product he took this summer, which was advertised as an all-natural body-cleansing health product.

Nesbit said he checked all of the ingredients on the bottle against the NFL's list of approved substances and also called the company. But he said there was an unidentified ingredient in the product that caused him to fail a drug test this summer.

"The NFL's policy is that I'm responsible for whatever I put in my body," said Nesbit, a 10-year veteran who has not missed a game in his five seasons with the Saints. "And to a certain extent, I understand the logic behind it. And I support the league in trying to keep the integrity of the sport clean. At the same time, I don't think this rule was meant to affect the Jamar Nesbits of the world -- or, I should say, the people that are trying to do the right thing.

"Hopefully people that know me or know of me know that I wouldn't try to cheat the game or cheat myself."

The NFL has a zero-tolerance policy for even a first offense, which results in an automatic four-game suspension.

Nesbit waived his right to appeal once the lengthy testing process was completed because he could not argue with the results of two urine samples and a toxicology report.

But his agent, Jonathan Feinsod, said Nesbit plans to pursue "all legal avenues" with the company that produced the alleged tainted product.

For legal reasons, Feinsod and Nesbit declined to identify the product. But Nesbit said it is accessible in a chain store and is not designed specifically for athletes.

When asked if the product actually worked as intended, Nesbit said, "Whether it worked or not, it's not worth what I'm going through."

One Saints player expressed support for the lineman:

"You don't make a 10-year career out of cutting corners and cheating the system. He puts in the work. Your heart just goes out to him and his family."

New Orleans Saint Jamar Nesbit suspended 4 games for steroids policy violation

The New Orleans Saints will lose offensive guard Jamar Nesbit for an entire 4 games for violating the steroids policy.  The league does not release what drug was detected, unfortunately.

Saints guard Jamar Nesbit has been suspended for the next four games for violating the NFL policy on anabolic steroids and related substances, according to a statement from the NFL. 

Nesbit’s suspension begins immediately and is without pay, said the statement.  The NFL does not announce which substance players tested positive for, but he is eligible to return to the Saints’ active roster on Monday, October 20 following the team’s October 19 game against the Carolina Panthers.

“We are disappointed in the suspension of Jamar,” said Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis. “We will support Jamar through this process and look forward to having him rejoin the team soon.”

San Diego Union-Tribune: Steroids in the NFL II

More on the San Diego Tribune's steroids in the NFL treatise.

1.  Why are 'roids not taboo in the NFL?

Baseball fans have loudly vilified Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and others in recent years for their alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs.

But where's the outrage for football users?

A study by The San Diego Union-Tribune found 52 former Pro Bowl players with links to such drugs, plus 133 others in the NFL dating to 1962. Many were caught by drug testing or outright admitted it. Yet there have been few public calls for asterisks by their names, records and championships. Why do few fans seem to mind compared with the outcry in baseball?

2. The detailed NFl 'Mitchell Report'.

The list of 185 names contains players at every position, from every team, and from virtually every year over the past three decades.

There are 52 players with “Pro Bowl” on their resumes, and four who have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

3.  A time line of Steroids and PED use in the NFL.

Milestone moments in the NFL's performance-enhancing drug history, along with baseball, NCAA milestones.

4. 1989 NFL PED suspensions.

It was the first steroids scandal in NFL history, and it remains the biggest. On Aug. 29, 1989, 13 players from eight teams were suspended for flunking steroid tests.

To this day, many of the 13 wonder why they were singled out.

 

Frankly, juicing in the NFL will not end until someone in the US government (sorry Libertarians) decides to investigate it, or someone like Priest Holmes sues a juicer like Shawn Merriman for prematurely ending his career.  How much did Holmes lose when a 'roided Merriman hit him in 2005?

San Diego Union-Tribune publishes 'Mitchell Report' on steroid and PED use in NFL players

A huge section in one of our favorite newspapers -- The San Diego Union-Tribune -- looks at steroid and PED use in the National Football League.  The index will be found at this link.

1.  The introductory section asks a well-discussed, but never answered question: Why does football (NFL) get a pass when it comes to steroids?  NFL PED use, never a secret, just does not resonate as an outrage in fans, even after a major scandal -- the Carolina Panthers Pre-Superbowl use of steroids and HGH.

With the nation's most popular professional sports league three weeks into a new season – and with several players serving suspensions for positive tests – The San Diego Union-Tribune sought to compile the most comprehensive list to date of NFL players linked to performance-enhancing drugs. It is the NFL equivalent of the Mitchell Report, the much-publicized assessment of performance-enhancing drug use in baseball released last December by former Sen. George Mitchell and mandated by Commissioner Bud Selig. That report had 85 names dating to about 1993.

How many NFL players actually enhance performance with doping?  (note in USA professional sports  the performance enhancing drugs are called 'steroids', or 'PEDs', whereas in Olympic sports 'doping' covers the issue.)

“If I had to venture to guess, you're touching the tip of the iceberg,” said Charles Yesalis, a Penn State professor emeritus and anabolic steroids expert. “Because of the secretive nature of all of it, it's very difficult to come up with any kind of solid handle.”

Estimates from players over time have ranged from widespread use for certain teams in the 1960s and '70s to as much as 75 percent of linemen, linebackers and tight ends in the 1980s. Washington Redskins offensive lineman Jon Jansen estimated in a 2006 HBO interview that 15 to 20 percent of players use performance-enhancing drugs. He later backed away from that guess. But if the estimates over time are accurate, the real number could be in the thousands, of which testing has caught a small portion.

Several other issues emerge including this: The NFL resists a WADA-type anti-doping program

The NFL also has resisted adopting the WADA testing program and protocols, considered to be far more detailed and at the cutting edge of anti-doping efforts. And first-time violators are suspended for four games by the NFL, compared with two years by WADA...

Wadler said he suspects the NFL wants to administer its own testing program the way it sees fit for one reason.

“It's a loss of control, particularly when it's superstars who fill their seats,” he said. “They're probably petrified of a two-year or four-year suspension of their superstars, given the monetary issues in these professional sports.”

The NFL disagrees. Adolpho Birch, the league's vice president of law and labor policy, notes that the NFL was testing for these drugs long before WADA was even formed in 2000. He notes that the league does 12,000 drug tests a year on about 2,000 players, compared with 4,500 by WADA and the International Olympic Committee at the Olympics, where there were about 11,000 athletes.

Birch said it would be difficult to do game-day testing because of “the nature of team travel” after games. He said NFL testing accounts for game-day stimulant use by testing the next day with a lower threshold for what would be considered a positive stimulant test.

As for the number of banned substances on the NFL list, Birch said, “What we have been able to do is determine what things are relevant and apt to be used by our players. We put those on our list.”

Birch also disputes that WADA could be any more of an expert on the issue than the NFL. “We have experts in the field, the same experts they consult, the same laboratories,” he said...

“We have a history, and we recognize that history particularly leading up to the time the policy came in,” Birch said. “That history is what led to the players' union and league coming together in determining we needed to have an effective steroid policy. We have been extremely proactive as it relates to any testing organization. We've banned things like ephedra before the government got to them. When we see issues, we deal with them.”

And now 'The Ed Hochuli Question': Does the NFL tests referees for steroids?

Ed Hochuli, long known as 'Boom Boom', or 'Buff Ref' and long known for his rather lengthy academic explanation of what just happened on the NFL field to cause a penalty,  must answer questions.  Questions like "why did you whiff the call in the Chargers v. Broncos game'?  And 'What's up with those biceps'?  To the San Diego Weekly Reader:

...Charger game, when coach Norv Turner asked why when Cutler fumbled and the Chargers picked it up, that didn't stand. For those that didn't see, it was ruled an incomplete pass. Which isn't a bad mistake for a ref to make. After all, his arm is moving forward right after the fumble. The problem is that the ref blew his whistle, instead of (as they were told years ago), letting the play continue and figuring out when it's dead, what the correct call would be.

The 'ref' in question is none other than Ed Hochuli, who miffed the call, then didn't allow replay.  That led to this question:

And lastly...referee Ed Hochuli. Do they test NFL refs to see if they're on steroids, the way they do players?

We don't know what blowing calls has to do with steroids, however it is a good question.  Does the NFL drug test referees?  (although Hochuli -- an attorney --looks like he simply works out hard)

Steroids figure prominently in Washington Post's 'hateable athletes' list

The WaPo drew up one of those 'Top 5' lists today...this one listed: " Who is, or was, the most hateable successful athlete?" Numero Uno on the list, went to two athletes: a tie between Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens (tie)

It's a tie! What can we say, maybe we just didn't want to see either of these schmucks come in first in anything. But really, the two just have so much in common, principally being on most people's never-send-a-Christmas-card list. Both men enjoyed late-career renaissances that seemed remarkably impressive at first, until a pile of evidence made us all feel remarkably naive. Thanks to the Balco scandal, Bonds became the suspiciously bulbous face of baseball's problem with performance-enhancing drug use, while Clemens, displaying his trademark competitive fire, caught up in a hurry after being named in the Mitchell Report and subsequently appearing, unconvincingly, before Congress. But the beauty of both men is that they were hateable long before anyone began to contemplate what they were jabbing into themselves. Bonds became widely known as surly, arrogant and indifferent to fans back when he still played in Pittsburgh. He hardly endeared himself to the Pirates faithful by repeatedly referring to then-teammate Andy Van Slyke, a fan favorite and a very good player in his own right, as "The Great White Hope." When Bonds returned to Pittsburgh for the first time as a Giant, he was booed with the cathartic venom of thousands of people finally telling the guy how they really felt about him. But Barry has nothing on Rog when it come to charming remarks. After winning the 1986 AL MVP, Clemens was informed of Hank Aaron's opinion that once-every-five-days players shouldn't be eligible for the award. Clemens's take? "I wish he were still playing. I'd probably crack his head open to show him how valuable I was." Nice. Then there was the time during the 1990 ALCS when he told Oakland pitcher Bob Welch, a recovering alcoholic, "Have another beer, be a man." And who can forget Clemens throwing a bat shard at nemesis Mike Piazza during the World Series? Yup, both Bonds and Clemens a a lot alike. Mostly in not being liked.

Number 4 was another juicer: Bill Romanowski.

Bill Romanowski

Many think that, with his nonstop antics, Terrell Owens is spitting in the face of the game. Well, here's a guy who really did hock one, right into the face of an opponent. That's just one of Romanowski's heinous acts; he also kicked a player in the head, broke a teammate's eye socket with a punch and snapped an opponent's finger. Oh yeah, and he later admitted to loading up on steroids, so he was a dirty player and a cheat.

2,3, and 5 were Kobe Bryant, Christian Laettner, and Curt Schilling.

We would venture that #4 Romo was far worse than the others.  Not only was Romo a 'roid abuser, but he viscously hurt people.  Clemens missed Piazza with the bat piece.  Bonds never hurt anyone physically with his brand of arrogance.

Move Romo up.

Saturday Steroid Injections: Florida Internet steroid dealers freed; NASCAR OK with Hornaday's steroids

1.  Signature Pharmacy, home to Internet steroid and HGH orders, home free: judge dismisses charges.

• USA Today
• Orlando Sentinel "The system worked"  (Who are they kidding?)

2.  A short history of doping.  (ASAHI.com)

3.  NASCAR says it's OK to use testosterone and turn left.  (Ottawa Sun)

4.  Cycling world race champ Maria Bastianelli may be banned for 4 years for doping.  (The Hindu)

David Jacobs steroid buddy Matt Lehr released from the Saints

The New Orleans Saints released offensive lineman Matt Lehr over the weekend.  The NFL player was knee deep in steroids, as noted in his relationship with Plano TX dealer David Jacobs.   Lehr and Jacobs both 'catered' to bodybuilder Amanda Savell, whom was murdered by Jacobs moments before he took his own life.

Over the weekend, the New Orleans Saints terminated their contract with lineman Matt Lehr, who played for the Cowboys from 2001 to 2004.

It is unclear what role, if any, his alleged involvement with admitted steroids dealer David Jacobs played.

Before Jacobs killed himself and his former girlfriend in early June, he told federal authorities, the NFL and The News that Lehr used and helped him distribute performancing drugs to other players. Lehr was never charged with a crime, and the league has taken no action.

Lehr's attorney has consistently maintained that his client has been clean since flunking a test for performance enhancing drugs in 2006, while with the Atlanta Falcons.

Steroid Shorts: Marion Jones out, Chargers in, and Kentucky bans horse steroids

1.  Marion Jones freed form prison.  (AP)

2. Steroids are only a piece of the San Diego Charger scene.  (Village Soup)

3.  My old Kentucky home.  Govorner bans steroids in horses.  (The Horse)

NFL suspends Jets' Jesse Chatman for failed drug test

The NFL suspended the New York Jet's new running back Jesse Chatman for violating the steroids policy.  There seems to be some controversy about what exactly happened;  Chatman's agent claims the player never failed a urine test.  To Newsday:

On cut day, it was the NFL taking the ax to Jets running back Jesse Chatman.  For the first four games of the season, anyway.

Chatman, signed as a free agent in the offseason, was suspended yesterday for violating the league's drug policy, though the circumstances regarding the failed test seem to be in dispute.

"Jesse Chatman of the New York Jets has been suspended without pay for the team's first four regular-season games of 2008 for violating the NFL Policy on Steroids and Related Substances," the NFL said in a statement released minutes before Jets coach Eric Mangini addressed reporters on a conference call. "Chatman's suspension begins on Saturday, August 30. He is eligible to return to the Jets' active roster on Monday, September 29 following the team's September 28 game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Here is the statement from the player's agent:

Chatman's agent, Brett Tessler, reached last night, texted the following to Newsday:

"Jesse never tested positive for a steroid or any other performance-enhancing drug," Tessler wrote. "Near the end of last season the League claimed he had a diuretic in his system that they said could also be used as a masking agent. After spending great time and money defending his innocence, the League made its final ruling and now Jesse has no choice but to look ahead to week 5."

The Jet's responded to his suspension, in an overall favorable way:

It was not clear when Mangini found out about the failed test or even when the test occurred, though Tessler's statement indicates the Jets were not caught by surprise.

"They notify us," Mangini said of the NFL. "All the specific details are confidential. There's not a lot I can add in terms of details. I'm disappointed [but] I look forward to having him back."

    Chatman starred in the Jets' 27-20 victory over the Eagles Thursday night, carrying a game-high 29 times for a game-best 93 yards. Chatman added six receptions for 87 yards, also a game best. "I'm disappointed, he's disappointed," Mangini said. "But at the same time I respect the program the league has in place. One violation and there are consequences."

Mangini said Chatman, who was out of football for most of 2005 and all of 2006 for reasons ranging from injury to not being able to stick on any team's roster, will have a spot when he returns after the suspension.

"My experience with Jesse since he's been a Jet has been extremely positive," Mangini said. "He's done everything we've asked. There's a lot of things I really like about the player and the person. It's something that has happened. It's something you never want to see, but that's where we are."

Ex Tampa Bay Buc Luke Petitgout out with steroid suspension

Yes, there are other sports out there in August.  Most have been quiet, including the NFL, which bursts out of the shadows today when the league announced that Tampa Bay Buccaneer Luke Petitgout will be hanging out at home with a steroid suspension.  To the Sporting News:

         

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Luke Petitgout has been suspended by the NFL for four games for an undisclosed violation, according to an online report.

Petitgout, who was released by the Bucs on Saturday, is eligible to sign with another team and participate in preseason practices and exhibition games, CBSSports.com reported Monday.

The Bucs cut Petitgout after he failed a physical. The veteran lineman had been slow to recover from a severe knee injury suffered last season.

 

Petitgout played college ball at Notre Dame.  Just saying...

Sunday Doping Dose: Olympics and testing

1. Dr. Berry argues for a more open doping control and doping testing.  (Houston Chron)

2.  Wired looks a gene doping again.

3.  The NFL's San Diego Chargers has no one left after injuries and steroids suspensions (is there a a connection)  (North County Times)

Ex-Wolverine Rondell Biggs trapped with steroids

Rondell Biggs's vehicle hid his suspended license and a big bag of 'roids when Michigan cops stopped the former Michigan football player last January.  (MLive.com)  Turns out Biggs was following sprinter Ben Johnson now on his 20th anniversary of Winny use at the Olympics.  "Biggs"...perfect name for a Winny user.

A former defensive end for the University of Michigan football team faces a court hearing next week on a felony charge for illegal possession of steroids, according to Michigan State Police.

Rondell Biggs, 24, was stopped by state troopers Jan. 24 on I-94 near State Street for illegally tinted windows on his vehicle. Biggs was arrested for driving on a suspended license, and troopers searched his car prior to impounding it.

Trooper Craig Ziecina said in a press release that he found 10 yellow pills in the center console of the vehicle in a bag that had a label indicating it contained 50 pills. Biggs told Ziecina they were "post-workout pills" and said he was in Michigan assisting with the training and conditioning of the U-M football team.

Biggs said he coached Michigan players -- under the Lloyd Carr regime.  Rich Rod let him go.

U-M football spokesperson Dave Ablauf said this morning that Biggs was employed as an hourly worker by U-M's football staff under former head coach Lloyd Carr, but was not retained when coach Rich Rodriguez and conditioning coach Mike Barwis took over the program after U-M's bowl game on Jan. 1.

Ablauf said Biggs was likely working out with other former U-M athletes who are either pro players or have pro aspirations and use the Wolverine training facilities in the offseason.

Rich Rod didn't want to be 'Rich Roid'?

The pills later tested positive for stanozolol, a Schedule III prescribed synthetic anabolic steroid. It is commonly used by athletes and bodybuilders to lose fat while retaining lean body mass. Ben Johnson was stripped of his gold medal in the 100 meters at the 1988 Summer Olympics when he tested positive for the drug.

Hail to the Dopers, huh?