A Case for Steroid Use in Football
by section118 on Dec 10, 2009 3:44 PM EST
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PrintNow I realize what you're all gonna respond... this is just playing the devil's advocate....
One of the greatest arguments against steroid use is the debilitating effects that steroids have on our bodies. There is no denying that these steroids exhibit a great risk on an athlete's body.
But then again, football is a risk. The very action of strapping on pads and stepping onto a football field is extremely dangerous. I once saw somewhere (need a fact checker) that the life expectancy of a NFL quarterback is significantly lower than the average person by something like a decade.
The fact is, the sport encourages these risks. Granted this year, the league is trying to change the macho risk-taking philosophy, but historically the football players have rewarding players for taking risks on their bodies. Players gained respect by heading back into the game after receiving a concussion.
The idea of banning steroids on the basis of the risks is contrary to the philosophy of football. It is completely contradictory to condemn a player for risking his body's health, while simultaneously praising another for playing through an injury.
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Very good point
To me the Eagles are like that girlfriend that pisses u off, then u hate her, but the next morning you wake up and remember that thing u love so much about her
by XxBleedGreen5xX on Dec 10, 2009 4:39 PM EST reply actions
Very bad point
So we should allow steroids in football? I don’t see a point to this post at all.
My "t" and "y" buttons are messed up so don't bitch at me about misspelling, I'm just saying.
by RadioheadbeatlesEagles on Dec 10, 2009 4:53 PM EST reply actions
not trying to argue that football should adopt steroids
just trying to point out the inconsistencies of the culture of football.
although, we have seen that fans really don’t really mind steroid use they way they do in other sports*cough merriman cough*
"A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a word from Harry Kalas painted a thousand pictures."
-Doug Glanville
well steroids are universally illegal to everyone
if the NFL allowed roids, then they should be legal to all… and that would be harmful to people who don’t play football.
Also, what if crack hyped the football players up and caused them to play better. should they be allowed to smoke crack?
Eagles.
by #1EaglesFan on Dec 11, 2009 1:12 AM EST up reply actions
This post is filled with dumb.
Your idea of the ‘culture of football’ is really off. The next time you see a scary injury, look at the way that players on both teams react. Players are constantly being educated on the risks in football and are adjusting their perception of said risks (look at Brian Westbrook’s quotes this week).
No one wants to see anyone get hurt in the NFL and no one is actively trying to hurt anyone else. So for a serious injury, players do take a minute to remember the risks involved in the game. But the thing that made BWest’s comments so big this week was that its rare to hear an athlete candidly talk about his fear.
Look at the lore of football. They’re full of tales of the 60-Minute-Men who played through all kinds of awful injuries with nearly no protection and stories like Ronnie Lott choosing to amputate part of his finger rather than sit out a 2nd half. Football has always praised toughness, regardless of what effect that has on the player.
I’m not saying this toughness is a good thing. I certainly wouldn’t want to have my kid emulate Ronnie Lott by cutting off his finger for a foolish reason like finishing a game. I’m glad to see that the culture does seem to be turning around and its one of the few things i’m really pleased to see the comish do. RIP Andre Waters… whose life was probably ended from football injuries.
This was merely something I was thinking about- just as devi’s advocate- and am certainly not advocating that they be used in the nfl.
"A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a word from Harry Kalas painted a thousand pictures."
-Doug Glanville
Steroids saved baseball...
You all remember the summer of ‘98, don’t ya?
About 10 minutes ago, I was pondering my own existence. Then I decided that it didn't matter.
i agree
i think steroids should be legal ..its ur body .. do what u want .. i like to see hrs
An inconsistent coach is far worse than an inconsistent quarterback.(Route 36)
by jack is better than asante on Dec 10, 2009 7:22 PM EST up reply actions
Hahaha. Not sure if you’re joking or serious..
by notfromphilly on Dec 10, 2009 7:34 PM EST up reply actions
even if you are serious
the whole thing about steriods is the term “fair”. Guys that use steroids have a one up on guys who decide not to. So just to eliminate them completely tries to make it fair across the board.
In life, as in a football game, the principle to follow is: Hit the line hard.
-Theodore Roosevelt
In defense of Jack’s ridiculous statement…
It’s just as fair if EVERYBODY is using them than if nobody is. So you can either eliminate them (impossible, IMHO) or make them mandatory…
About 10 minutes ago, I was pondering my own existence. Then I decided that it didn't matter.
The problem is...
Guys that choose not to use them are automatically going to be one step behind the guys that do. This puts them into the position of either taking steroids to compete, or walking away from the sport. The free market of dollar signs and performance would weed out potentially great players who simply refused artificial enhancement.
By making them ‘legal’ you would end up making unintentionally making them ‘mandatory’; this hurts the field of competition, so the only fair way to do it is to keep them illegal so all players are on the same page.
"What did it feel like? That collision, I didn't feel nothing, because he was pretty much defenseless. It was like running through a cardboard box. Seriously. Cardboard box."- Sheldon Brown on his pounding of Reggie Bush in the '06 Playoffs
bs
players were taking them in 98 .. and other baseball players wernt .. are u saying every single all star was using them .. if not than ur point isnt valid .. steroids dont make u better .. u still have to train
An inconsistent coach is far worse than an inconsistent quarterback.(Route 36)
by jack is better than asante on Dec 10, 2009 11:51 PM EST up reply actions
well
thats not true .. u still have to work out .. u cant just take steroids and be stronger .. and thats their fault for not using them .. hester has a one up in a race vs john runyan .. is that unfair too .. thats a bs anwser ..its ur body .. do what u want to it ..
An inconsistent coach is far worse than an inconsistent quarterback.(Route 36)
by jack is better than asante on Dec 10, 2009 11:50 PM EST up reply actions
I agree with JIBTA in one aspect … you do still have to put in the work. Steriods are used to break through personal plateaus you couldn’t normally over come. I don’t condone the use of them but to think you can just stick a needle in your ass and become a superstar is ridiculous.
Jim Johnson 1941-2009
"The 0-2 pitch, swing and a miss! STRUCK HIM OUT! The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball! And let the city celebrate! " - Harry Kalas 1936-2009
There are many different ways to look at this debate. I don’t have anytime to write(my final is in 1 hour!)
Simply put, kids playing football would be influenced to take steroids in order to play football like their heros. I trained like David Boston(minus the Deca and HGH) because I liked him. I found his trainer Charles Peloquin or something like that and did whatever David Boston did. It was a great program and I loved it. Because it was the same program Boston was doing.
It is crazy to think of every NFL player doing steroids, that would mean that some of the young aspiring football players(every kid wants to be a Pro athelete), doing steriods because of the NFL players.
Plus, hormone replacement therapy is illegal for men! Women do it everyday, men are not allowed for some reason!!!!!
I think Steriods should only be used for medical purposes...
nothing more…
thats Cobb on Kolb crime if you ask me... as said by yophillybro
MANY MANY athletes use steroids
They are part of the gmae and always will be. Trust me on this one. If you guys want a good “insider” scoop on steroids watch the documentary Bigger, Faster, Stronger. I trained @ one of the gyms where the owner was interviewed…who also happens to be the guy who taught Joe DeFranco (Miles Austin, David Diehl, Dhani Jone’s, and Brian Cushing’s trainer). Brilliant movie and will give everyone a new perspective on steroids
E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!
theres no doubt that steroid abuse is extremely harmful to your body. but there actually isn’t very much evidence that controlled steroid usage is actually all that bad for you. i wonder how much of the steroid fear is from the stigma attached to ’roids rather than science itself.
"A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a word from Harry Kalas painted a thousand pictures."
-Doug Glanville
Thirteen experienced male weightlifters taking high-protein diets and regular exercise took part in a double-blind crossover trial of methandienone 10 or 25 mg/day to see if the drug improved athletic performance. Their improvemments were significantly greater on methandienone than on placebo; their body weights rose (though this seemed to be associated with water retention); and systolic blood pressure rose significantly. Methandienone caused many side effects, and three men had to withdraw because of them. All side effects disappeared after the drug was stopped. Anabolic steroids are effective only when given combination with exercise and high-protein diet.We deprecate their use in athletics but can suggest no way of stopping it.
right…steroids aren’t that bad! only 3 people (probably out of 6/7 that were actually on the drug) had to drop out! excellent!
that one little study
is nothing. I have been around 100s of steroid users. As section noted, the side effects are DRAMATICALLY over stated—-esp in a controlled environment with a medical professional
E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!
one little study?
I google scholared “side effects anabolic steroids” and that was the first thing to come up. Had it been a study that said “hey, side effects are over-rated”, I would have thought “maybe I’m wrong”. Not the case.
And as for a controlled environment with a medical professional…NFL players may be able to have that sort of luxury if steroids were legal, but what about ALL college players….high school players? When do they get to start taking steroids? The idea of steroids being made legal in football is just all around stupid. I get it…people use them. People use heroine too, but that doesn’t mean (1) it should be allowed, or (2) it’s a good idea.
Again
That study was on a couple of people with ONE drug and one of the stronger ones out there(there are hundreds).
Trust me, I;’ve been around them for a little over 5 years now, I trust my experience over your google studies.
FYI, most people just get blood tests done and are able to monitor their health that way. The people who get hurt from them are usually the ones who are abusing them and if you do another quick google search people go to the hospital more frequently abusing their vitamins than they do steroids.
Heroin and steroids are not even comparable — not even close. We give women and children anabolic steroids in some casess (look up anavar, which is popular in sports too).
By the way I would love to use a heroine (even if she were stronger than me)!
I dont think it should be made legal bc all the misinformed idiots wouldnt shut up but I think the NFL should turn their cheek which i think they do for the most part anyway.
E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!
I'll just agree to disagreee
that drug you told me to look up was discontinued by the original creators due to bad publicity from bodybuilders (according to wikipedia) and was subsequently picked up by a different company….it’s now called oxandrolone.
And I am not a misinformed idiot. I disagree with your opinion, one which you must admit is heavily biased seeing as it is used by your industry. To say they have no dangerous side effects is misleading. Can they be managed properly? Yes. Are they always managed properly? No. Would they be managed properly by the high schoolers that want to get strong so they can be in the NFL? No.
i didnt say you were a misinformed idiot.
And i absolutely don’t advocate anyone under 21 or so using them
E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!
One more thing
All of those side effects listed go away as soon as the drug is discontinued. And some people don’t even get some of the sides listed. I know a guy who’s been ons ince 1970 and he has no issues. My training partner has been on for 15 years straight and every time his blood work comes back everythings in the normal ranges. the worsrt ive seen is that when you come off IT CAN be tough to get your regular baseline test levels back.
E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!
Exactly
If they want to risk the physical harm on their bodies, getting paid an insane amount of money to play a sport they love, then why not let them.
by worldphuckinchamps on Dec 11, 2009 12:12 AM EST up reply actions
I think you completely fail to make your case here
You point out the risks inherent to playing football and note that there are risks inherent in taking steroids, but you never say that sterroid use might reduce the risks inherent to playing football or something along those lines, rather you just point out a convenient contradiction.
No case whatsoever.
I’d listen to you if you actually tried to make a case for steroid use in football, but as other posters have noted – steroids are illegal so, unless you can change the laws, steroid use in football is going to have to stay hidden from our view for the time being.
by cavortingEagle on Dec 11, 2009 11:08 AM EST reply actions
guys you're all being niave if you think its not extremely rampant already
I’m gonna guess that 60% use of have used at some point in their careers
Dont Disrespect the Level
absolutely
"A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a word from Harry Kalas painted a thousand pictures."
-Doug Glanville
Its your body, It is noones choice but yours what you put in it. On the comment about men taking steriods having a distinct advantage over those that dont… I can think of one Area where they are lacking this advantage from use of steroids.. HAHAHHAHAHA
True
if you are thinking about using… don’t, for our sake, for us females :-)
In life, as in a football game, the principle to follow is: Hit the line hard.
-Theodore Roosevelt
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