The present controversy regarding PED?s in baseball and other professional sports is actually nothing new. Nor is it likely to ?go away? anytime soon. I have been following this thread for a while and hope this post and the links I?ve provided below will help in understanding the current situation. As some of you know from my other posts and PM?s I played defensive end and linebacker in high-school and college, was a personal trainer for a while, and still workout regularly. So I have some first-hand knowledge of this issue. Over the years I witnessed a great deal of ?steroid abuse? and am frankly surprised that it has taken this long for the general public to realize how rampant PED?s are in all of sports. I remember the 1998 baseball season well and telling all my friends that McGwire and Sosa had to be doing something. Of course the reaction I usually got was ?no, man, they?re just big guys!? When I was in junior-high and beginning to lift, I remember asking my coaches about Arnold and Lou Ferrigno and was told ?they just work hard.? Only when I got into organized football later in high-school did PED?s come out into the ?open.? Based on my own experiences, I personally wouldn?t put it past anyone in professional sports (yes, all sports--even golf and basketball) to try using something to get an ?edge?--the stakes are simply too high and the amount of money to be made is unbelievable. Even my beloved Colts are suspect (disclaimer: I have two friends that play for them).

For the record, I have never taken anything that was illegal and couldn?t be purchased at a health food store or someplace like GNC. However I had ample opportunities (especially in college) and seriously considered it. I can?t help but wonder if taking these things would?ve made a difference in my own performance--my major weakness was being ?undersized? and ?slow? for an NFL pass rusher. My college coach wanted me to ?bulk up? to about 290-300 and try playing nose tackle--but looking back I?m glad I never took anything like steroids or HGH. Today, I take Creatine before and after each workout as well as ZMA and protein supplements. I?ll be 40 this year and consider myself to be in the best shape of my life. And my six-figure income as a professor over a twenty or thirty year career will be more than what many NFL players make in a short career. I hope young people think about things like this before they start taking steroids, HGH, or whatever. It?s not worth it--at least I didn?t think so.

What should baseball do about these records? I really don?t know. Really don?t. On one hand, there was clearly ?usage? and records were broken. Was it ?illegal?? ?Unethical?? This isn?t the first time in history PED?s have been used. I have included a couple of links that readers might be interested in. Pud Galvin was the first ?300? game winner. Was he ?jucing?? Read the article, it was considered OK back then. Should Pud be ?banned?? I will admit that the Summer of 1998 was very exciting and I remember watching McGwire hit number 62 with my Dad. Should the records stand? Do you think Big Mac would have hit ?70? without drugs? Would Barry Bonds have hit as many? I personally don?t think so. But I don?t have a good answer for what to do about those records. Maybe all sports records should be viewed in the ?context? of the era that they were set. At least the recent rash of players and bodybuilders ?coming clean? about using steroids brings this issue out into the open where it can be discussed. Now at least we aren?t trying to ?deny? it?s use as when I was a teenager in the 80?s (of course I knew better--so did my teammates--LOL!). Performance ?enhancement? is an area that is not going to go away--it may not be the drugs and supplements used today--but there will always be those seeking to gain an advantage.

Read about ?Pud? here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=5314753

Read about ?Dr. Ziegler? here:
http://www.slate.com/id/2113752/