Here we go again...
Not just one, but two "stories" (and they might be just that, stories) linking professional athletes to performance enhancing drugs and/or hGH or a combination of the two. It almost seems as if the Miami New Times and Sports Illustrated were going head-to-head for headline grabbing.
For the Miami New Times, they unloaded (and will continue to unload) information and evidence linking Yankees star third baseman Alex Rodriguez to a now-closed Miami area anti-aging clinic called Biogenesis. Within the article, other players were outed including players that already have or will serve 50-game suspension for violating MLB's policy on performance-enhancing drugs: Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colon and Yasmani Grandal were among the names written in personal notebooks by the clinic's owner, Anthony Bosch. Also mentioned are Nelson Cruz and Gio Gonzalez.
This story has been tabbed by many to be of the same scope as BALCO, and if this is the case (and has been promised by New Times), there is more evidence, and likely, more names to come. But that's where the issues arise and should concern baseball fans.
This isn't the first lab/clinic busted which is involved with the sale, distribution, delivering of PEDs, hGH, etc. to MLB players. Probably won't be the last either. It has been said that overall enforcement/oversight concerning these "businesses" (anti-aging clinics) is lacking. Kind of like the old saying: "While the cat's away, the mice will play".
With every anti-aging clinic that springs up and may eventually comes under investigation by the DEA or any other federal agency, MLB gets zero cooperation from the federal government per a report by Michael S. Schmidt of The New York Times. Unless a local TV station and/or newspaper picks up on the story and is willing, by some means, provide information to MLB, Bud Selig and his investigative arm are left completely out in the cold. MLB will meet with those involved in the New Times story, with lawyers in tow, of course.
MLB usually requests information from the DEA, but are told the case is still open; therefore, no information can be released.
MLB released a statement. ARod released a statement denying any association. Gonzalez took to Twitter with his denial. The Texas Rangers, Cruz's team, released a statement that essentially said "no comment". More on that in a bit.
For Sports Illustrated, it was a link to a business called S.W.A.T.S. and it's "client list" of NFL linebackers Ray Lewis and Shawne Merriman, golfer Vijay Singh, baseball player Johnny Damon and members (not named individually) of the 2012 BCS champ Alabama Crimson Tide team. The main product: deer antler spray. Not the first time this has come under scrutiny.
One of the alleged components of the spray is IGF-1, a banned substance in every sport and considered a form of hGH. Since the release of the article, Singh has released a statement. He declares he was unaware of the spray containing the banned substance. The PGA TOUR releases what is referred to as a "green sheet", which is used to transmit policy information to the players. The TOUR claims that information about the spray and IGF-1 was contained in one of these "green sheets". Singh also says in his statement that he is angry he put himself in this position and is working with the PGA TOUR on the matter.
What makes Singh's situation odd is that the PGA has never been viewed as having any drug related issues. In fact, only one PGA player has ever served a suspension (well, one that was announced anyway. There are conspiracy theories.) for failing a drug test.
And Singh stepped up, made his admission. Crisis averted until he meets with commissioner Tim Finchem, that is.
Lewis staunchly denies any association to S.W.A.T.S. He stated at Media Day for Super Bowl XLVII that this story is two years old and he pretty much told us to mind our own business and move on from this. Yesterday, he denial was far louder. A member of the S.W.A.T.S. staff says Lewis approached them in October after suffering a torn pectoral muscle. There's a difference between two years and a little over three to four months. I lose track of time on occasion, but not that much time.
Here's the biggest difference in these stories though...and, yes, I have already read this opinion, but it's one that needs to be stated again.
When it comes to PEDs and baseball, we flip our lids at any mention. We say the sport is still dirty and that penalties must be stricter in order to deter PED usage. Any player that denies is presumed to be guilty. A "no comment" is viewed as the same. Granted, there could be a history (as is the case with some names mentioned in the Miami New Times article) for which we refuse to accept the denial, but even if we see a name not previously associated with PEDs, we intently point the "guilty by association" finger as is the case with Cruz and Gonzalez.
Baseball currently places a 50-game suspension for a first-time offender, 100 games for offense #2, and lifetime ban for a third and final strike. Some would like to see only two strikes: 100 games or an entire season for the first offense, followed by lifetime ban. Obviously, the MLBPA would have a say in this changing of the policy.
For football, it's all quite the opposite. A player denies and we either accept the denial (after all, the player said he didn't use, so we must believe him) or we say that "It's football, so it's no big deal". What has happened is that we have evolved into a society that associating PEDs with the NFL has completely desensitized us. We hear of it so much that it's "old hat". We ignore such.
Since last January, more NFL players that have served suspensions due to violating the substance abuse policy (13 with one an indefinite suspension) than MLB players (7). Don't just gloss over those numbers though. It is honestly misleading.
The number of minor league baseball players suspended is simply appalling. A little perspective here. The listing of minor league players also includes those that tested positive for drugs of abuse, failing to take a test, and other violations of the policy. Still, you read that in 2011, there were only 2 MLB players that served a suspension due to violating the policy. By contrast, 71 minor league players were given suspensions. If you're not concerned about those numbers, you eyes and ears are completely closed off to the issue.
And maybe we are starting to develop that same stigma with MLB suspensions like we are to those leveled against NFL players. We are so used to hearing these stories now that we've become numb.
That's bad. When we've moved to that level, athletes will eventually, too, if they aren't already on that level. We don't care, so they don't care what hoops they must jump through as long as we are pleased with their performance. It could be stated in reverse: they don't care, so we shouldn't either. Still has a true ring to it.
So, yes, baseball, as a whole, does have a drug problem despite measures and testing currently in place. The problem; however, does not appear to be at the major league level. It is more predominant in the lower levels of the sport as well.
So the next time any professional athlete is linked to PED or hGH use, regardless of any denials, regardless of releasing any statement, you subconsciously will not pay attention to any of those. The first, and quite possibly only, question you will ask yourself is "What sport?". The loudest reaction will come if he plays baseball. Always has been and always will be.
We have a double standard here and it will never go away.
Not just one, but two "stories" (and they might be just that, stories) linking professional athletes to performance enhancing drugs and/or hGH or a combination of the two. It almost seems as if the Miami New Times and Sports Illustrated were going head-to-head for headline grabbing.
For the Miami New Times, they unloaded (and will continue to unload) information and evidence linking Yankees star third baseman Alex Rodriguez to a now-closed Miami area anti-aging clinic called Biogenesis. Within the article, other players were outed including players that already have or will serve 50-game suspension for violating MLB's policy on performance-enhancing drugs: Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colon and Yasmani Grandal were among the names written in personal notebooks by the clinic's owner, Anthony Bosch. Also mentioned are Nelson Cruz and Gio Gonzalez.This story has been tabbed by many to be of the same scope as BALCO, and if this is the case (and has been promised by New Times), there is more evidence, and likely, more names to come. But that's where the issues arise and should concern baseball fans.
This isn't the first lab/clinic busted which is involved with the sale, distribution, delivering of PEDs, hGH, etc. to MLB players. Probably won't be the last either. It has been said that overall enforcement/oversight concerning these "businesses" (anti-aging clinics) is lacking. Kind of like the old saying: "While the cat's away, the mice will play".
With every anti-aging clinic that springs up and may eventually comes under investigation by the DEA or any other federal agency, MLB gets zero cooperation from the federal government per a report by Michael S. Schmidt of The New York Times. Unless a local TV station and/or newspaper picks up on the story and is willing, by some means, provide information to MLB, Bud Selig and his investigative arm are left completely out in the cold. MLB will meet with those involved in the New Times story, with lawyers in tow, of course.
MLB usually requests information from the DEA, but are told the case is still open; therefore, no information can be released.
MLB released a statement. ARod released a statement denying any association. Gonzalez took to Twitter with his denial. The Texas Rangers, Cruz's team, released a statement that essentially said "no comment". More on that in a bit.
For Sports Illustrated, it was a link to a business called S.W.A.T.S. and it's "client list" of NFL linebackers Ray Lewis and Shawne Merriman, golfer Vijay Singh, baseball player Johnny Damon and members (not named individually) of the 2012 BCS champ Alabama Crimson Tide team. The main product: deer antler spray. Not the first time this has come under scrutiny.
One of the alleged components of the spray is IGF-1, a banned substance in every sport and considered a form of hGH. Since the release of the article, Singh has released a statement. He declares he was unaware of the spray containing the banned substance. The PGA TOUR releases what is referred to as a "green sheet", which is used to transmit policy information to the players. The TOUR claims that information about the spray and IGF-1 was contained in one of these "green sheets". Singh also says in his statement that he is angry he put himself in this position and is working with the PGA TOUR on the matter.What makes Singh's situation odd is that the PGA has never been viewed as having any drug related issues. In fact, only one PGA player has ever served a suspension (well, one that was announced anyway. There are conspiracy theories.) for failing a drug test.
And Singh stepped up, made his admission. Crisis averted until he meets with commissioner Tim Finchem, that is.
Lewis staunchly denies any association to S.W.A.T.S. He stated at Media Day for Super Bowl XLVII that this story is two years old and he pretty much told us to mind our own business and move on from this. Yesterday, he denial was far louder. A member of the S.W.A.T.S. staff says Lewis approached them in October after suffering a torn pectoral muscle. There's a difference between two years and a little over three to four months. I lose track of time on occasion, but not that much time.
Here's the biggest difference in these stories though...and, yes, I have already read this opinion, but it's one that needs to be stated again.
When it comes to PEDs and baseball, we flip our lids at any mention. We say the sport is still dirty and that penalties must be stricter in order to deter PED usage. Any player that denies is presumed to be guilty. A "no comment" is viewed as the same. Granted, there could be a history (as is the case with some names mentioned in the Miami New Times article) for which we refuse to accept the denial, but even if we see a name not previously associated with PEDs, we intently point the "guilty by association" finger as is the case with Cruz and Gonzalez.
Baseball currently places a 50-game suspension for a first-time offender, 100 games for offense #2, and lifetime ban for a third and final strike. Some would like to see only two strikes: 100 games or an entire season for the first offense, followed by lifetime ban. Obviously, the MLBPA would have a say in this changing of the policy.
For football, it's all quite the opposite. A player denies and we either accept the denial (after all, the player said he didn't use, so we must believe him) or we say that "It's football, so it's no big deal". What has happened is that we have evolved into a society that associating PEDs with the NFL has completely desensitized us. We hear of it so much that it's "old hat". We ignore such.
Since last January, more NFL players that have served suspensions due to violating the substance abuse policy (13 with one an indefinite suspension) than MLB players (7). Don't just gloss over those numbers though. It is honestly misleading.
The number of minor league baseball players suspended is simply appalling. A little perspective here. The listing of minor league players also includes those that tested positive for drugs of abuse, failing to take a test, and other violations of the policy. Still, you read that in 2011, there were only 2 MLB players that served a suspension due to violating the policy. By contrast, 71 minor league players were given suspensions. If you're not concerned about those numbers, you eyes and ears are completely closed off to the issue.
And maybe we are starting to develop that same stigma with MLB suspensions like we are to those leveled against NFL players. We are so used to hearing these stories now that we've become numb.
That's bad. When we've moved to that level, athletes will eventually, too, if they aren't already on that level. We don't care, so they don't care what hoops they must jump through as long as we are pleased with their performance. It could be stated in reverse: they don't care, so we shouldn't either. Still has a true ring to it.
So, yes, baseball, as a whole, does have a drug problem despite measures and testing currently in place. The problem; however, does not appear to be at the major league level. It is more predominant in the lower levels of the sport as well.
So the next time any professional athlete is linked to PED or hGH use, regardless of any denials, regardless of releasing any statement, you subconsciously will not pay attention to any of those. The first, and quite possibly only, question you will ask yourself is "What sport?". The loudest reaction will come if he plays baseball. Always has been and always will be.
We have a double standard here and it will never go away.
I wonder what comes next... LOL
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