Thursday, October 20, 2005

So this is it; huh folks...

...A billion years of evolution and this is the best we can do? Ladies and Gentlemen, please direct your attention to the man on your right. His name is Victor Conte and he was just sentenced to jail time for distributing steroids without a medical license. For those of you who don't know, steroids are considered a banned substance by pretty much every organization in the world. Thus, Victor Conte and his cohorts are drug dealers. In July, Victor pled guilty to distribution of a banned substance, money laundering, and 12 other charges.

Now, the United States Government felt that Conte was such a criminal mastermind that it sent the DEA and the FBI to investigate his Balco laboratory. While there they discovered mounds of evidence, paperwork, and banned substances galore! THG (the clear) was discovered along with Andro, and HGH (the cream). Andro was made famous by Mark McGwire after it was found in his locker room next to homerun ball #70. The concern, according to Congress, was that because famous Athletes were using these horrible drugs - that *gasp* make you stronger, faster, healthier - the youth of America were following their footsteps and putting themselves into grave danger.

Not since the Columbian cocaine and Pakistani meth cartels has so much federal attention been paid to drug distribution. It became so bad that Congress intervened to subpoena the big players in the case; those who've made millions from the drugs. Jason Giambi, Mark McGwire, Raffy Palmeiro, et al were all deposed before Congress for their roles in the steroid affliction that is ravaging America. Each was brutalized under oath, with bright lights shoved in their faces, urging a confession. None of these hard cases would be cracked with these little Gestapo tactics. No, performing at their best meant more to these "athletes" than the ever tenuous fear of endangering the health of our youth.

So you may wonder, how bad is the steroid problem in America if it required teams of federal agents and congressional intervention?
  • Each year approximately 396,000 people die per year from cigarette smoke, first or second-hand and complications from these.
  • Each year approximately 100,000 people die per year from alcohol and alcohol related incidents.
  • Each year approximately 7,600 people die per year from over-the counter drugs and steroids. (Includes ibuprofen and aspirin.)

Interesting statistics. What's worse, neither the Federal Drug Administration nor the American Medical Association have EVER done a full research study on the dangers of steroid use. So there's no concrete evidence for why the US Government would make such an ordeal.

But since Congress thinks steroid use is such a problem, I'm sure they laid the wood to these criminals, right? After all, the average prison term for drug distribution is 42.9 months. I'm sure Conte and his Balco palls got a lengthy jail sentence, right?

Wrong! Victor Conte was sentenced to 4 whole months in a federal prison and 4 months house arrest. The main trainer for Balco, Greg Anderson, got a whopping 3 months in prison. The owner of Balco, James Valente? Probation.

But wait! If Congress isn't putting these bastards away for life, then what's the message? Why the fear of steroid use? What is the huge 600 lb gorilla that no one is talking about?

Simple. The argument against steroids is three-fold and all bogus.

  1. Steroids put people in harms way. I think we've established that alcohol and cigarettes are way worse. They kill hundreds of thousands more per year than steroids. Not only that, steroids are used by physicians to HEAL people. It's well known that they make you stronger, faster, and heal quicker. So you're trying to vilify people for making their bodies healthier? When's the last time a doctor prescribed you to smoke cigarettes? Never. And Congress isn't chasing these industries because they provide tons of tax money to Uncle Sam and his coffers.
  2. Steroid use by athletes gives children the idea that it's ok to use them. Interesting, yet no one cares that Budweiser ads are everywhere. Sure they removed cartoon camels, but that Coors' love train sure attempts to make people think, "When it's hot out, I want a beer." What's even worse, is that it's statistically proven that a child's primary role model is their parents and friends. Children model their behavior on these people. I wonder how many of these role models drink or smoke versus how many of them do steroids? This Bud's for you, kid!
  3. Steroids destroy the integrity of sport. This is total horseshit. People have been cheating at sports since sports began and they always will. Besides, steroid use is no more cheating than voluntary Tommy John surgery or Creatine. Creatine enhances performance just like steroids. But the powers that be won't ban it because it's found in food (i.e. in nature). Thus steroids are bad because they're not natural. So I present Tommy John surgery and ACL replacement. When is putting a foreign tendon into a joint to strengthen it considered natural? Because it came from a living thing? Guess what, so do steroids! We all have them in our body all the time. So how is throwing a tendon from a cadaver into my arm or knee to heal faster and ultimately increase my throwing speed or running speed not enhancing performance using a foreign object? I believe we call this a "double standard."

Well if there's no concrete reasoning for all of this concern, my two questions for you, the public, are,

Why is Congress grandstanding over steroid use but not backing it up with statistics, valid arguments, or worthy jail sentences?

Would you rather your child idolize someone who takes steroids, does everything humanly possible to make themself a physical specimen, makes $10 million dollars, then dies at 40, OR someone who drinks heavily, rarely works out, makes middle class wages, then dies at 40?

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home