‘roids
posted in General |'ROIDS
Will the steroids scandal ever end? It has reached all parts of competitve athletics — football, baseball, basketball, track, cycling, swimming, gymnastics, and probably TV poker as well. The most recent example, that of a Latino baseball player with Hall of Fame credentials, has now reached Congress and perhaps has pushed the Iraqi War off the front burner for a few days.
Generically speaking, steroids are performance enhancing drugs, and there are clear (physical) examples to be seen in all athletic quarters. The statistical evidence is overwhelming and the physical dimensions of the users are similarly obvious. How otherwise to you explain a slender swift sprinter who turns into a Green Bay Packer defensive tackle in 3 years.
There are two aspects of steriod use that command the most attention. The first is the serious damage that excessive steriod use can do to the human body — and the health problem is tied directly to famous professional athletes who serve as models and idols of youngsters who aspire to athletic excellence. Steroid use strongly fuels the desire to win at any cost – starting at an early age. The steroid based fancy numbers and bulging muscles send the wrong message to kids who are so tempted to emulate the famous.
The second issue is that of the records set by players using performance enhancing drugs. By using these drugs, the offenders are clearly cheating in order to get better record setting achievements. This isn't so much a matter of legal misbehavior as it is taking advantage of others by cheating – knowingly. So, what do you do about the astounding record setting numbers?? Ignore them and say :”boys will be boys”, ban offenders from the sport, ban them from post season play or all star appearances, or place a big bold asterisk by their names – *used performance enhancing drugs. I favor the latter — the indelible asterisk.
Let's say, arguendo, that it is impossible to stop all steroid use. That doesn't mean they we shouldn't try, but it DOES mean what when a culprit is caught, the penalty should be very severe. Not just suspended for 10-15 games – a full year would be more like it. . A slap on the wrist will not deter much of anything. Baseball invoked its severe gambling rule — a lifetime ban in baseball – based on cheating. Steroid use deserves the same kind of severe penalty. Let's show an entire country and 2-3 generations of young people that cheating is not the way to success. Make it hurt! Maybe there is even a bigger issue than athletics at stake here. Who knows”
Personally. I'd feel the same way about cheating if it were a chess match or a bunch of smarties trying to boost their ACT scores. Don't even think about cheating. The price is too big to pay!