Steroid user Castillo juices up Madden '08 cover

Several weeks ago we highlighted the Shawne Merriman Nike ad where Merriman, who tested positive for anabolic steroids last season, performed feats of superhuman prowess.  Priest Holmes should get a piece of that endorsement action; Merriman destroyed Holmes a couple years ago with a vicious hit.

Now, Deadspin reports that the cover of Spanish Ed of Madden '08 features past juicer and current San Diego Bolt Luis Castillo.  Castillo, an All-American offensive lineman at Northwestern, tested positive for a weak steroid at the NFL combine his senior college year.  Maybe it wasn't a big deal --and Castillo did attend a reasonable academic school -- but do we have to flaunt a 'roider when juicers make the news on a daily basis?

" Luis Castillo was an All-American defensive linemen while at Northwestern, but during his senior season he suffered a severe elbow injury that nagged him the entire season. He opted not to take a medical redshirt, and as the NFL Combine got closer he was scared that he wouldn't perform up to the level he was capable of. So, he used the steroid, androstenedione, for a short while and was able to put up 32 reps at 225lbs at the combine. However, he also tested positive for the steroid there, and instantly had to go on the defensive. All 32 teams knew of his failed test, but San Diego still took him with the 28th pick of the 2005 draft."

Here is what Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel had to say about it at the time: "It sends a terrible message,'' Vrabel said. "He cheats. He cheated the system and got away with it."

 

Not just that, but Merriman is the cover athlete for EA's NFL Tour. We know Roger Goodell doesn't make Madden cover choices, but come on now. We'd be pretty surprised to see Rick Ankiel on the cover of any games next year. (Not that it's stopping us from creating a Sims version of him. Hi, Rick!)

Is That Really The Best Player For This? [The Sports Oasis]

Comments

[Mike]

You don't think that the majority of NFL athletes or pro athletes in general have never used a banned substance or performance enhancing drug. You must be really naive to believe that. I hate to be the one to tell you Santa never existed but it is just a fact of life. Steroids/HGH/performance enhancing drugs are ubiquitously used by professional athletes. So, no matter who you put on the cover of a EA sports game then you run into the same moral conflict. Whether they have tested positive or have always tested clean, the common denominator is that they are using them.

[grg]

Thanks for the information Mike. We have been writing on steroids in the blog for several years now. It is shocking, yes shocking that you say athletes use PEDs or steroids, or HGH, or insulin, or modafinil, or T4. Shocking.

Now explain your logic that a priori anyone on the cover of a game is a PED abuser. Please.

Let's say Payton Manning is a cover boy. Then he is a steroid user, by your logic. Maybe Gale Sayers could be a cover guy. According to your criteria he was a HGH user.

You fail to distinguish the guilty from the suspected or the innocent. Sorry, that is patently illogical.

Signed - S. Claus.