Steroid Nation

Image is everything: Andre Agassi story points out star-power weakness in anti-doping fight

 Andre Agassi, cashing on on the world wide market for a juicy story, hits upon a weakness of the anti-doping fight: The ability of star power to overcome the rules. Where is Agassi's image now - as he says 'Image is Everything" -- when he reveals himself as a drug user and a liar to his sports authorities?

Agassi's new book reveals that he submitted a urine sample tainted with meth that should revealed to his suspension for a drug of abuse, not a PED.  However, Agasi lied about the meth, a lie which was bought by the tennis anti-doping establishment.

Stories abound about star power tainting the doping fight:

1.  Barry Bonds and other MLB stars appear to have been tipped off by someone with deep knowledge of MLB steroids testing

2.  Willy Voet's book -- Breaking the Chain -- documents the skill in the cycling stars to avoid doping tests in events such as the Tour de France.

3. Star Russian track athletes including world champion Yelena Soboleva were tipped off to doping tests, prior to the olympics.

One wonders the extent of the cheating based on star power throughout sports (and society in general).  Obviously the playing field is not equal.  Little guys are going to face more sanctions that the stars (generally speaking).  The truth of the corruption (which it is) often doesn't come out, as the stars reap the rewards.

Kinda like the man said about the NCAA...

Of course there's no guarantee the NCAA will step in and do the right thing in any of these cases. Tarkanian best summed up the NCAA's approach to justice 14 years ago, after a package from the Kentucky basketball office to the father of a recruit popped open and $10,000 fell out. 'The NCAA is so mad at Kentucky,' Tarkanian said, 'that it's going to put Cleveland State on probation for three more years.'" - by John Feinstein, Washington Post, "A March Into Madness," March 11, 2003.

Hungarian Olypic class wrestler stung in doping disqualification: Sándor Bárdosi stirs up a hornets nest with doping penalty

Newspapers report Hungarian wrestler Sándor Bárdosi-- once an Olympic wrestling medalist -- lost a recent medal in "Sumo wrestling" following treatment for a wasp sting.

Sumo wrestling world champion Sándor Bárdosi tested positive in a doping test at July's World Games in Taiwan, the National Sports Federation told MTI.

Organisers at the World Games have stripped Bárdosi of his gold medal and fined him €3,000. Former Olympic silver medalist Bárdosi claims that he had been given an injection to treat a wasp sting.

What would cause disqualification?  Usually a sting producing an allergic reaction would be treated with epinephrine, which should be quickly metabolized.  However, it could be that a physician injected prednisone to reduce swelling.

The next report talks about a soccer player with a similar problem,  If these athletes are being harassed for and epi pen, it is ridiculous.  Should the doctor delay treatment for an allergic anaphylactic  reaction before he receives clearance from a bureaucracy?

The organisers of the World Games have decided to strip the wrestler of his gold medal requires him to pay a fine of 3,000 euros, the Hungarian Sumo Federation said.

Bardosi denied the charge, saying that he had been treated for a wasp sting in Kaohsiung.

"The last test I had in Hungary was negative. Just before leaving for Taiwan, however, I was stung by a wasp. Suffering from hand pain, I went to the doctor who gave me an injection and medicine, enabling me to recover by the time of the World Games a week later. Concentrating on the competition, I forgot to mention the affair at the doping test. Anyway, I don't need any doping as I am able to outperform all my opponents," he said.

As a graeco-roman wrestler, Bardosi won a silver medal in the Sydney Olympics nine years ago.

In the Sumo World Games, he triumphed in the under-85 kg, lightweight category.

Italy's world champion soccer player Fabio Cannavaro had a similar wasp bite a few weeks ago. The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) dropped the charge but his club, Juventus, held out the prospect of some sanction as the player should have consulted with CONI before being treated for a wasp sting.

Keep the head down and inject 2 cc of nandrolone: Mark McGwire to be hitting coach at St. Louis

Once again proving that the MLB really at heart doesn't give a  damn about the steroid problem, St Louis Cardinals appear to ready to announce that hermit juicer Mark McGwire will return to the Redbirds as a hitting coach.  Really?  Hits of what...nandrolone. Need to keep the weight shifted back...try Winny.  Topping the ball...HGH.

McGwire - who could not tell the truth about his illicit steroid use to Congress -- brings exactly what teaching skill with him to the Cardinals?  LaRussa's implicit approval of PED use?

To the Biz of Baseball:

Twitter can be a fantastic tool for breaking news, and this may be one of those cases.

Brian McRae posted the following on Twitter, and then pulled it shortly after, but not before several re-tweeted the news:

My dad is out as Cards hitting coach (Hal McRae).....McGwire is in! (as in Mark)-fire it up boys/girls

ESPNewsService is backing the rumor on Twitter. The only tweet left standing by Brian McRae simply reads, "Good 5yr. run with the Redbirds," yet another reference to his father Hal's tenure with the Cardinals.

No word out at this point from the Cardinals, but don't think many aren't hanging wondering whether Mark McGwire moves out from the shadows to become the new hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals. Stay tuned.

McGwire has kept a low profile after tearfully testifying before Congress regarding possible steroid use during his career. He has fallen short of the required votes by the baseball writers for inclusion into the Hall of Fame.

The news of McGwire coming back the Cardinals may make some sense. Reports on Sunday have Tony La Russa returning as manager of the team. La Russa managed McGwire with both the Athletics and Cardinals.

Let's stoke up those Pujols is a juicer rumors again...

In the "What's Next' categor: Sportscaster's kids bulking up? Craig Sager's son looking big at UGA

We heard of Barry Bond's doctor, Arthur Ting's boys getting juiced at USC.    We witnessed Andy Pettitte's father scoring HGH for his boy.  Roger Clemens's wife Debbie looked pretty youthful in the SI shoot.  And possibly Romo's wife scoring something for him.

Now, Sports by Brooks points out EX-ESPN wild man Craig Sager's son, Craig Sager, looking very buff for UGA football.

 It’s postseason baseball on TBS these days, which means we get to enjoy yet another season of Craig Sager wandering around on our television in his eye-scalding multi-colored horrorcoats, asking athletes and coaches tough questions like “How’s that going out there?” or “Is this game important to you?”

But there’s something you probably didn’t know about him: he has a son - also named  Craig - on the Georgia football team. As in the SEC. And Spawn of Sager is a little unsettling.You’re probably wondering why you hadn’t heard of a Craig Sager on such a high-profile program like the Georgia Bulldogs.

The SEC was made for celebrities, after all! Turns out, he’s a walk-on and on Georgia’s scout team. He, um… he may not have been very  highly recruited, as it turns out.

We noticed on Sager’s player profile page that while it lists a high school and a coach, it doesn’t list any stats. Usually, when players join a D-I team, even as walk-ons, their profiles are full of the best stats the information department can find, even if it’s “260 rushing yards as senior fullback - 4 touchdowns!!!” or “Did not play - injury!” or whatever. But nope. Nothing here.We did some digging, then, and we finally found some high school football stats (pops to .PDF file).

How did Sager Bomb light up the gridiron for the Walton Raiders as a senior? Well… 6 catches, 53 yards, 0 TDs. In Sager’s defense, though, that’s before he went Incredible Hulk on the world. After all, putting a wideout with those stats on a major college’s scout team while he just so happens to have a famous dad might raise some eyebrows if he were still the 6′2″, 170 rail he was in high school. However, as the above pictures (from Sager’s MYSPACE.COM profile) indicate, he’s certainly taking conditioning seriously. Very seriously. Uncomfortably seriously.

It's a family affair...

More injections upcoming

 
 
After an extended absence, we return to needle steroid users in sports and entertainment.  We were crushed by responsibilities at work, were geniuses decided to install new clinical software that has multiplied the time spent documenting clinical information, as well royally messing things up.  It was an 'Epic' decision (some of you know what we are talking about there).

We need to remind ourselves how things work on this blog; spring training all over again.

We see A-Roid is doing well int he playoffs.  Why does no announcer present the problems that A-Rod gives to the ethics of fair competition in this MLB playoff series; then again considering the blown calls in the Yankee's favor t hat may be the least of the issues in the ALCS.