You know, Im not a cynical guy. I try to see the best in just about everything a bit of an optimist you may say. I also try to avoid seeing much of the negative in situations.
So when the big NFL doping case broke a few months ago, I didnt care much. Weeks later, when players were filing their appeals, I still didnt care.
Vikings, Saints, whoever is involved, it does not matter to me. The players, the teams, the stature of the league does not matter to me.
And the biggest thing that I think is a travesty in this case is that I feel the appealing players are the ones being nit-picked at.
Mark wrote a fine blog about this case yesterday that is in todays paper. However, I disagree with him.
Not going into the reasons of why I dont mind steroids and performance-enhancing substances in sports, I was appalled at how these football players are being held as accountable as they are.
After listening to Troy Vincent, former Badger, NFLer, and potential head of the NFL Players Union, I concluded my thoughts on the matter these players should be allowed to play, regardless of their positive test.
Lets look into the facts.
-The substance that tested positive, bumetanide, is against the NFL Collective Bargaining agreement.
-That substance was an ingredient inside of the diuretic they were using, StarCaps, to cut weight (except for Deuce McAllister, who was using it to help recover from injury something I am completely fine with).
-The substance isnt even a steroid, instead it is a blocker.
-The substance in question, though banned by the NFLCB because it is a blocker and not an actual performance-enhancing substance, was not listed on the list of banned substances that was given out to the players.
-The diuretic which uses the illegal substance, was also not listed as a banned diuretic.
Now how can these players be held fully accountable? Sure they could take each substance to the team or league, but why go the extra mile when you have an updated list and the product is not listed as illegal?
Is it laziness? Possibly, but it is also not incorrect. The players followed protocol. When they took their test, it came up positive. It didnt say it was positive for steroids, HGH, illegal drugs or anything else. The test just came up as positive.
I would compare it to the Seinfeld episode when Elaine eats a poppy seed bagel prior to a work sanctioned drug test, then tests positive for heroin. To me, this is the same kind of thing.
I understand people distrust in athletes of the steroids that plagued sports since the 1970s (and greenies since the time of Mantle, Mays, and Aaron in baseball). However, I am not offended, and these players should not be punished via fines or suspensions for these positive test.
Maybe its my age. Maybe its because I was an athlete and witnessed some of these things first hand in high school and college. I didnt partake, but I knew it was going on. Did it bother me? Not really.
To me, anything you put in your body to alter performance is (essentially) the same thing. Steroids, greenies, HGH, Red Bull, Ibuprofen, Tylenol - all the same to me. If it takes away the pain, it allows you to play more at ease. If you take it to increase your strength, then it allows the game to seem easier.
I dont care. I dont care that some athletes use things to make themselves better so they can get paid more (Jose Canseco), or to enhance their legacy (Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens), or to just recover from injury (Rodney Harrison, Mike Cameron).
And because of that discrepancy, especially in this NFL case of actual unknowing of an illegal substance, these players should not be at fault.
Sorry Packer and Bears fans, but Im siding with the Vikings on this one.
So when the big NFL doping case broke a few months ago, I didnt care much. Weeks later, when players were filing their appeals, I still didnt care.
Vikings, Saints, whoever is involved, it does not matter to me. The players, the teams, the stature of the league does not matter to me.
And the biggest thing that I think is a travesty in this case is that I feel the appealing players are the ones being nit-picked at.
Mark wrote a fine blog about this case yesterday that is in todays paper. However, I disagree with him.
Not going into the reasons of why I dont mind steroids and performance-enhancing substances in sports, I was appalled at how these football players are being held as accountable as they are.
After listening to Troy Vincent, former Badger, NFLer, and potential head of the NFL Players Union, I concluded my thoughts on the matter these players should be allowed to play, regardless of their positive test.
Lets look into the facts.
-The substance that tested positive, bumetanide, is against the NFL Collective Bargaining agreement.
-That substance was an ingredient inside of the diuretic they were using, StarCaps, to cut weight (except for Deuce McAllister, who was using it to help recover from injury something I am completely fine with).
-The substance isnt even a steroid, instead it is a blocker.
-The substance in question, though banned by the NFLCB because it is a blocker and not an actual performance-enhancing substance, was not listed on the list of banned substances that was given out to the players.
-The diuretic which uses the illegal substance, was also not listed as a banned diuretic.
Now how can these players be held fully accountable? Sure they could take each substance to the team or league, but why go the extra mile when you have an updated list and the product is not listed as illegal?
Is it laziness? Possibly, but it is also not incorrect. The players followed protocol. When they took their test, it came up positive. It didnt say it was positive for steroids, HGH, illegal drugs or anything else. The test just came up as positive.
I would compare it to the Seinfeld episode when Elaine eats a poppy seed bagel prior to a work sanctioned drug test, then tests positive for heroin. To me, this is the same kind of thing.
I understand people distrust in athletes of the steroids that plagued sports since the 1970s (and greenies since the time of Mantle, Mays, and Aaron in baseball). However, I am not offended, and these players should not be punished via fines or suspensions for these positive test.
Maybe its my age. Maybe its because I was an athlete and witnessed some of these things first hand in high school and college. I didnt partake, but I knew it was going on. Did it bother me? Not really.
To me, anything you put in your body to alter performance is (essentially) the same thing. Steroids, greenies, HGH, Red Bull, Ibuprofen, Tylenol - all the same to me. If it takes away the pain, it allows you to play more at ease. If you take it to increase your strength, then it allows the game to seem easier.
I dont care. I dont care that some athletes use things to make themselves better so they can get paid more (Jose Canseco), or to enhance their legacy (Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens), or to just recover from injury (Rodney Harrison, Mike Cameron).
And because of that discrepancy, especially in this NFL case of actual unknowing of an illegal substance, these players should not be at fault.
Sorry Packer and Bears fans, but Im siding with the Vikings on this one.
