P.E.D.'s are bad....but worth it?

[Hawkshot99]

I have been having a debate with a guy at work on the use of steroids and other banned substances in professional sports.
*For the record I fully believe that it is cheating, and should not be allowed*

What I was saying was that I cant really blame most of the athletes who took steroids. Mostly back in the pre-testing days of baseball, when it was basically impossible to get caught. Yes ethically it is wrong, but if you have the chance to go and set you family up to live comfortably for generations, instead of continued poverty, I feel it is worth the risk.

He was just looking at me like I was a horrible person for advocating cheating, and the history of the game.

Yes the steroids can have a negative effect on your body, but so can so many other things that are not illegal.

 

[deadheadskier]

Steroids can be the difference between a $3M a year baseball player and a $15+M a year baseball player. Pretty obvious why so many players still try and cheat despite the risks to their health and of suspension.

Ryan Braun is the poster child for this. On the juice he averaged about 35 homers and hit upwards .325 and off the juice this year he hit 19 homers and averaged .266. Steroids got him a $105M 5 year contract extension. He'll get paid like the guy on the juice until 2020.

Here's a thought to make the rules against PED use more restrictive. If a player gets caught, the team can void that player's contract and the player becomes a restricted free agent with the following two years salary set by an arbitrator. In the case of Braun, the Brewers shouldn't be held financially liable for paying Braun his "steroid contract."

 

[Domeskier]

Here's a thought to make the rules against PED use more restrictive. If a player gets caught, the team can void that player's contract and the player becomes a restricted free agent with the following two years salary set by an arbitrator. In the case of Braun, the Brewers shouldn't be held financially liable for paying Braun his "steroid contract."

I'm really surprised that these contracts do not already contain clauses giving the franchise the ability to terminate the player for steroid use explicitly or some form of 'cause' that would cover steroid use. I guess the 'roids inflate your bargaining power as well!

 

[skiNEwhere]

I'm curious as to how many players in the hall of fame did steroids.

I also find it interesting that mangers such as Tony Larussa and Joe Torre are in the HOF, considering they managed players that took PED. You can't say they knew nothing. Chances are they just turned a blind eye.

 

[AdironRider]

I know I'm in the vast minority opinion here, but for the Big 4 professional sports, I see them more as entertainment than pure athletic achievement ala the Olympics. For this reason alone I fully support baseball, football, basketball, and I guess hockey players taking whatever the hell they want. If I'm paying the sky high cable bill or paying 100+ bucks for a ticket, I want to see 9 hole hitters hitting moonshots, or Roger Clemens throwing gas.

The difference for me is all in the money. Once all that money in the true pro leagues comes into play I could care less, its business and entertainment. For the Olympic skeleton athlete or skier thats scrapping by to try and be the best in the world, I'm fully against it.

Different venues of competition, different opinions for me.

CHICKS DIG THE LONG BALL.

 

[freeski]

It would be nice if there was an unlimited category in track like there is in drag racing. I'd like to see how fast a mile can be run even if the body explodes after the finish.

 

[Hawkshot99]

I'm curious as to how many players in the hall of fame did steroids.

Players all the way back to the early days of sports have been on PEDS of some sport. They used to pop lots of pills that would make them more awake, or getting pain shots. All of these things make them do things a normal body can't do.

I do not think they should be using the drugs, but I can't judge a person for giving themselves a edge, or making It so they can compete for a spot with someone else who is also cheating.

Now here is a crazy one.... I feel Sosa and Mcguire should be in the hall of fame. Baseball was in a bad area with fans after the 94' strike. Those 2 players and their homerun chase brought back so many fans to the game. Without there chase, baseball would have continued to slide down.

 

[AdironRider]

It would be nice if there was an unlimited category in track like there is in drag racing. I'd like to see how fast a mile can be run even if the body explodes after the finish.

This is my thinking with baseball, etc. Why wouldn't I want to see Ryan Braun steal 40 bases and jack 50 home runs?

I also think its pretty hypocritical to hold one form of PED against a player (steroids) but completely gloss over all other medical advancements that allow players to keep playing otherwise. Tommy John surgery was a death kneel for any professional pitcher until the 70's or 80's, but none holds it against a modern pitcher who gets way better medical care comparatively. Pitchers are coming back better than they ever were before after blowing out elbows these days.

 

[goldsbar]

I'm against them, but... If I were on the cusp of being an elite athlete where real $s are on the line, I'd do it. People "cheat" in all aspects of life. Do car salesman tell you the truth about pricing? CEOs all play by the rules? Now, for the 99% trying to get their bench press from 225 to 230, it's just stupid.

 

[twinplanx]

I know I'm in the vast minority opinion here, but for the Big 4 professional sports, I see them more as entertainment than pure athletic achievement ala the Olympics. For this reason alone I fully support baseball, football, basketball, and I guess hockey players taking whatever the hell they want. If I'm paying the sky high cable bill or paying 100+ bucks for a ticket, I want to see 9 hole hitters hitting moonshots, or Roger Clemens throwing gas.

The difference for me is all in the money. Once all that money in the true pro leagues comes into play I could care less, its business and entertainment. For the Olympic skeleton athlete or skier thats scrapping by to try and be the best in the world, I'm fully against it.

Different venues of competition, different opinions for me.

CHICKS DIG THE LONG BALL.

For once, I agree with him^...

 

[alan3joe]

Every and all PED'ers, hall of fame or other , should be scraped,take back all their funds, the world over, and start over again, a human being can live for a long time, without having to be angry,or beat up upon another human.


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

 

[jack97]

Here's some food for thought. Sports medicine, rehab, training and nutrition has come a long way to increase performance. For the most part all these improvements have not been a detriment to an athlete's health. You can make a case that it has leveled up the compete level in all major sports. Young athletes starting a sport now have a wealth of information and proven training methods to guide them in the disciplines.

The only problem I see with PED is that it is known to be an health determent. By making this legal, it has a trickle down effect for all young athletes trying to make it to the next level. I would hate to think that a college football player, minor league baseball player has to take PED just to make in the big leagues. Whats next? Kids juicing it at pop warner?