Performance Enhancing Drugs In The NFL

Paully D

What are your opinions on this?

I've been doing a bit of reading and seen an interesting thread on the subject on the NFL UK forum.

Some quotes:

In a recent survey that guaranteed confidentiality, 2,552 former pro football players 16.3 percent of offensive linemen admitted using steroids, as did 14.8 percent of defensive lineman.

In 2009, nearly 1 in 10 retired NFL players polled in a confidential survey said they had used now-banned anabolic steroids while still playing.

Ninety percent of the athletes I know are on the stuff. We're not born to be 300 lbs or jump 30ft. - Lyle Alzado

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez believes there is a serious "hGH problem" in the National Football League (NFL). "How many guys are on it, that's hard to say," Gonzalez told the Indianapolis Star. It could be 10, it could be a hundred or more; either way, it's too much. But around the league, you see guys on Sunday, and things don't add up; they don't look right. I see guys I saw in college, now they're in the NFL and they look totally different. I don't know how prevalent it is at this point, but to say that it's not being used, that's wrong."

Several years ago, Washington Redskins offensive tackle Jon Jansen estimated that 15-20 percent of NFL players had used hGH. Tampa Bay Buccaneers fullback Earnest Graham had estimated the that 30 percent had used hGH.

Houston Texans longsnapper Bryan Pittman from last September. When asked about the NFL's dirty little secret of performance enhancing drugs, he answered:

I think it is a problem, with the drugs like HGH (human growth hormone) which you can't test for. I don't want to go around accusing anyone, but I would estimate, just on my opinion, that at least forty percent, and maybe more, of the players are doing some kind of illegal substance.

Here's an interesting ''Mitchell Report'' type report from 2008 (although it does include players from way back too) that documents all players that have tested positive for drugs including 85 players from 1993 onwards to 2008. There's obviously a good few more that could be included from 2008 to the present day. Here's the report - http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/nfl/20080921-9999-1s21list.html

It seems that though the league would like to hide behind its year round testing program, the truth is you can't test for HGH in a urine test, so there could well be a huge number of players taking such substances and will never be found out.

Your thoughts?

Chucky the tree

With the new CBA they are bringing in testing for HGH. Personally I think a lot of them are on it, especially in positions where they would make a big difference. Not sure how much the testing will do, if they only do it during the season then from my understanding they are most likely pissing in the wind but I wouldn't be at all surprised if that's not what everyone wants. Look good to the public while still letting most people get away with it.

frostie500

Its worth remembering that as a culture the US do not care about drug use in sport. Look through the last fifty years and there are countless examples of their athletes using in major track and field championships (while it should be noted US authorities were admonishing the Soviets and East Germans for steroid use and other PEDS)

Look in baseball where it is only in the last couple of years that a penalty was even introduced for a positive test. Even last month we say Ryan Braun appeal his doping ban and have it rescinded on a technicality. The NHL, NBA and the NFL also have been dogged by allegations (particularly for HGH in the recover of injuries) but have done very little to actively improve the situation.

Look at cycling and the streams of US riders who have used drugs. Floyd Landis-HGH, Tyler Hamilton-blood transfusions in addition you have the likes of George Hincapie, Levi Leipheimer and the constant allegations against Lance Armstrong.

In the past major US sports have showed an unwillingness to investigate the problems in their domains and while some progress has been in recent years the simple fact is that TV networks and major sponsors do not want to see major penalties handed out for the use of PEDs in the US so the sports turn a blind eye to PEDs

jdivision

Most of the examples you cited are old, HGH is a problem I would assume but the same in rugby, there's a reason the testing on it was held off after the World Cup. I raised eyebrows in 2007 I think it was when the All Blacks went off to a conditioning camp and they all put on a pile of muscle, strange thing to be able to do when you're all full-time athletes that are in general naturally bigger than the competition already...
But as for NFL then yes, I think that it's definitely being used on a widespread basis.

LuckyLloyd

frostie, I'm not sure it is correct to say that US Sports (media / fans / institutions) don't care about drug use. There has been an absolute storm in baseball the past few years about the validity of records due to "cheating" with performance enhancing substances. Don't forget the Barry Bonds witchhunt either (he was cleared in court last year).

The HgH issue is in the same bracket as helmet to helmet hitting in my opinion. As professional wrestling has demonstrated, consistent juicing leads to a shorter life expectancy - in the same way that constant hits to the head lead to degenerative brain disease. Helmet to helmet collisions are entertaining, much as feats of insane athleticism are riveting to watch. Simply put, all the genetic make up and hard work in the world doesn't account for some of the things we see on an NFL pitch from season to season. Nor does this stuff do the work for the players in of itself, all it really does is allow them to work harder for longer with less recovery time in between.

I personally feel that the NFL has established itself strongly enough to really clamp down on substance abuse and focus in tandem on rule changes that enhance player safety on the field. If they really pushed these avenues there is no doubting that a certain level of explosiveness would be lost from the sport. Certain records may not be broken for a long time, etc.

But guys who get drafted into the NFL are already the genetic elite. They'd still be amazing to watch go at it.

DDC1990

Bucs could do with a bit of the stuff.

Might help them tackle, or get the defence going some bit.

frostie500

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

frostie, I'm not sure it is correct to say that US Sports (media / fans / institutions) don't care about drug use. There has been an absolute storm in baseball the past few years about the validity of records due to "cheating" with performance enhancing substances. Don't forget the Barry Bonds witchhunt either (he was cleared in court last year).

The HgH issue is in the same bracket as helmet to helmet hitting in my opinion. As professional wrestling has demonstrated, consistent juicing leads to a shorter life expectancy - in the same way that constant hits to the head lead to degenerative brain disease. Helmet to helmet collisions are entertaining, much as feats of insane athleticism are riveting to watch. Simply put, all the genetic make up and hard work in the world doesn't account for some of the things we see on an NFL pitch from season to season. Nor does this stuff do the work for the players in of itself, all it really does is allow them to work harder for longer with less recovery time in between.

I personally feel that the NFL has established itself strongly enough to really clamp down on substance abuse and focus in tandem on rule changes that enhance player safety on the field. If they really pushed these avenues there is no doubting that a certain level of explosiveness would be lost from the sport. Certain records may not be broken for a long time, etc.

But guys who get drafted into the NFL are already the genetic elite. They'd still be amazing to watch go at it.

I'd agree that there has been a change in attitude by the US media but I wouldnt say that sporting organisations have made many strides to eradicate drug use.

Look at the NFL as a prime example. Countless steroid cases, Brian Cushing etc, see a player gain a significant advantage and earn national acclaim and once he tests positive he gets handed a four match ban. It's fine in theory to say that is a 25% ban from the season but look at athletics if you have a positive test you get 2,4 or 8 year bans.

The cases in baseball that are most interesting are the Bonds, Sosa, McGuire cases but the reason for their interest is more related to the fact that HoF voters wont put them into the hall. The example I cited of Braun is much more in line with what I view baseball to be doing about eradicating drug use....nothing.

Also there was no witch hunt against Bonds, that implies that he didnt use during his career he was a client of BALCO and evidence points to him having used TGH. His court case was in relation to him lying under oath about him "knowingly taking steroids." He has admitted using substances but claimed that he was just using what a trainer gave him. His innocence or guilt of using steroids was sealed when plea deals meant that the directors of BALCO didnt need to supply info on clients.

I totally agree that the use of HGH and other drugs will greatly reduce the life quality and expctancy of users and that it is now time for the NFL to clamp down on its use.

Your example of concussion related injuries as having a similar effect is very accurate and players use of drugs should be looked in the same light and the NFL should do something about it. As you said these men are a genetic breed that few can ever replicate. They dont need the 'roids etc they need to be educated about the consequences.

LuckyLloyd

frostie500 wrote: »

Also there was no witch hunt against Bonds, that implies that he didnt use during his career he was a client of BALCO and evidence points to him having used TGH. His court case was in relation to him lying under oath about him "knowingly taking steroids." He has admitted using substances but claimed that he was just using what a trainer gave him. His innocence or guilt of using steroids was sealed when plea deals meant that the directors of BALCO didnt need to supply info on clients.

You need to do a bit more reading on this one mate.

He was found guilty of lying under oath on a technical point, but that was the most trivial charge of multiple counts against him in Federal court, which included his use of TGH which was ultimately thrown out.

The media misreported his trial, its lead up and result in a huge way largely because he had made little effort to curry favour with them throughout his career. Fascinating story actually.

frostie500

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

You need to do a bit more reading on this one mate.

He was found guilty of lying under oath on a technical point, but that was the most trivial charge of multiple counts against him in Federal court, which included his use of TGH which was ultimately thrown out.

The media misreported his trial, its lead up and result in a huge way largely because he had made little effort to curry favour with them throughout his career. Fascinating story actually.

Fair enough been a while since I looked into Bonds! But from what I remember he did admit to using PEDs but just said that he wasnt aware of what they were and he just took whatever his trainer gave him. Is that accurate? Even without the Bonds example I dont think MLB has done nearly enough to eradicate the use of drugs in their game