The use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs has virtually marred the game of Major League Baseball unrecognizable. Nobody can jack a dinger or throw a 100-mph heater anymore without some level of scrutiny and doubt being cast upon their true abilities. And rightfully so. But one place we never ever thought would be tainted by the corruption of drug use was the the ball kids’ clubhouse. We were wrong.
So, you think that steroids, human growth hormone and other performance enhancing drugs are a relatively new phenomenon, huh? Well, then you have yet to be educated on the subject by the Governator.
Jose Canseco has a new book coming out which can mean only one thing: more major leaguers are about to get thrown under the bus. First up, Alex Rodriguez.
According to writer Joe Lavin who got his hands on a copy of “Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars, and The Battle to Save Baseball” prior to it drop date on April 1, Canseco claims to have introduced A-Rod to a steroids distributor. At this point, we’re willing to believe just about anybody is or has been juiced, but considering Canseco apparently freely admits to not actually sticking a needle into Rodriguez’s ass and pumping him up, we’re going to leave it at that. However, we all know A-Rod is true player in every sense of the word, so we don’t doubt Canseco’s other claims for one second.
He [Lavin] says Canseco claimed he didn’t inject Rodriguez but “introduced Alex to a known supplier of steroids.” Lavin also says “Canseco claims that A-Rod was trying to sleep with Canseco’s wife.”
“I really, absolutely, have no reaction,” Rodriguez said Tuesday when asked about the claim relating to the steroids distributor. As far as the allegation regarding Canseco’s wife, Rodriguez responded:
“I don’t know how to answer that.
Well, you could start with either a yes or a no, that’s how most people go about answering questions. Of course, you are a modern-day baseball player, so we assume you’re just following protocol.
Links:
[NBC Sports]: Report: A-Rod was pursuing Canseco’s wife
Everybody is up in arms these days about steroids in professional sports, especially baseball. Now, we’re not condoning the use of illegal substances, but, in our opinion, it has gotten to a point where removing steroids and growth hormones and bull sperm or whatever else they use would actually be a disservice to the game. Just look at what happened to this L.A. Dodger after he gave up the juice.
Now, is that really so much better than guys looking like Shrek while jacking homers and throwing no-hitters?
If you’ve had an opportunity to watch the souped-up new version of American Gladiators then you already know the show just isn’t what it used to be. Okay, we’ll just say it: it totally blows. But, don’t worry, it probably won’t be around much longer. After all, nothing sinks a crummy, revamped game show faster than a steroid scandal.
The performers – all body builders competing in a new version of the rough-and-tumble show of the early 1990s – were all tested when they underwent their initial physicals, the magazine says.
In addition, cast members’ contracts require them to submit to tests at any time during the competition.
NBC confirmed the steroid tests but declined to give any background on the policy.
It was not immediately clear why NBC thought it necessary to test the competitors for what is clearly an entertainment show – not a sporting event.
Not clear as to why they’d want to test? Are you serious? Haven’t you ever heard of a level playing field? NBC doesn’t want their Gladiators to have an unfair advantage against the regular Joes who compete on the show. Oh, wait, isn’t that the entire point of American Gladiators?
Links:
[NYPost.com]: `Gladiators’ Tested For `Roids
He did it. After all the speculation, all the debate, all the waiting, Barry Bonds has finally broken the all-time homerun record. The most important number in sports, 755, fell late Tuesday night. Nationals pitcher Mike Bacsik fired a fastball over the middle on a 3-2 count in the fifth inning, and the pitch turned into history as Bonds slammed it over the centerfield wall. The homerun was the 22nd of the year for Barry, and 756th of his career. Hank Aaron’s record, which some thought would stand forever, has now been surpassed, and it will be again in the not-too-distant future.
What Bonds has done, regardless of how he got there, is truly extraordinary. As Aaron himself said in a pre-taped speech aired after Bonds’ homer, this accomplishment required “skill, longevity, and determination,” all of which Bonds had. People of course will try to disparage his record based on steroid use. He are some facts to counter those arguments: from 1990-1998, Bonds averaged 36 homers per season. If you extend that pace through this season, he would have 738 career homers. Also, he had three 40-homerun seasons before the steroids came into play. He might have broken the record regardless of cheating. Here’s another argument: Bonds wasn’t the only one who cheated, yet he ranks much higher than the others suspected. Steroids did not give Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, etc. the longevity that Bonds has shown. They all fall well short of 756.
And even if you still hate Bonds, think this record is bad for baseball, and think he should be stripped of the record, remember this: Alex Rodriguez will break this record. That’s if he decides to continue playing eight more seasons, and averages about 30 homers per year. If not, Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Ryan Howard, or maybe a player that hasn’t even come into the league yet will give Bonds a run for his money. Right now, Bonds should be appreciated for his accomplishments, with the questioning left for a later date. He is an amazing player regardless, and will (or at least should) be a Hall of Fame lock. Oh by the way, the Nationals beat the Giants, 8-6.
1. Join the Club: The day after A-Rod’s 500th homer and Barry Bonds’ 755th, Tom Glavine reached yet another milestone. Glavine became the 23rd pitcher to reach the 300 win club, and only the 5th lefty. He joins Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux as the only players this decade to reach the mark. Glavine won his 300th like he won his first 299–by mixing pitches, being efficient, and using off-speed pitches effectively. Glavine has won ten or more games 18 of the last 19 seasons. He has 58 wins in five seasons with the Mets, with all his other wins coming in 16 years in Atlanta. The Hall of Fame lock went 6 and 1/3 innings against the Cubs, with two runs allowed and only one strikeout in an 8-3 win. Glavine even drove in a run for New York, which has the best record in the National League at 63-48. Contrary to widespread belief, Glavine will not be the last pitcher to reach 300 wins. However, it will likely be 10-15 years before another pitcher gets to 300.
2. The New Western Power: For most of this season, the Dodgers and Padres have dominated the NL West. But now, the balance of power in the division has changed tremendously with the Diamondbacks’ claiming of first place. They took the lead last week, then reinforced their position by taking 5 of 6 games from San Diego and Los Angeles in back-to-back series. The Dodgers were the victims over the weekend, with a sweep at the hands of Arizona. On Sunday Brandon Webb outdeuled Brad Penny in a 3-0 win for the D-backs. Webb tossed a complete-game shutout, giving him 23 straight scoreless innings. The defending Cy Young winner has suddenly become a candidate for the award this season as well, especially is he keeps up his post-All Star break pace. Penny lost his second start in a row after a 13-1 start. He allowed three runs in seven innings, and still has an excellent 2.66 ERA. The Dodgers, once the standard in the division, are now four games back. San Diego swept the Giants over the weekend and is just a half-game back.
3. Detroit’s Downfall: Not so long ago, the Tigers had the best record in the majors. But after a 2-11 stretch, they no longer even lead their division. The slump is mainly due to offense–they’ve averaged only 3.6 runs per game their last ten. The Yankees have passed them as the major league run leaders, and other teams aren’t far behind what was once the league’s dominant lineup. They were swept by the lowly White Sox this weekend, though thanks to poor play by the Indians, the Tigers are just a half-game back in their division. The Twins, at 4.5 games back, have played better than any team in the division recently.
Player of the Day: Scott Baker, Twins: 8 innings, 0 runs, 4 hits, 4 K’s in a 1-0 win over Cleveland.
Troy Ellerman, the attorney who leaked grand jury testimony in the BALCO case has agreed to the maximum sentence of 2 years and 9 months in jail. While this is 9 months longer than his plea bargain, prosecutors did reduce his fine from $250,000 to $60,000. Ellerman had also previously gave up his California law license. Ellerman pleaded guilty to allowing Mark Fainaru-Wada to see confidential transcripts.
So the question is, what exactly did Ellerman get out of this? He was a successful attorney when he was hired to defend Victor Conte and now his life is basically ruined. Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams got a book, an SI cover story, and national exposure out of it. Ellerman gets almost 3 years in federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison. We guess we shouldn’t feel too sorry for a guy who couldn’t keep his mouth shut and his photocopier off but Mark Fainaru-Wada should be visiting him every week in prison and slipping him some money.
Links:
[AP]: BALCO leak agrees to maximum sentence
Hey, everyone gather round, Lance Armstrong, doping expert and medical doctor doesn’t believe that Floyd Landis took any banned substances when he won the Tour de France last year.
I think conventional wisdom is that he will lose (his arbitration hearing), because USADA has never lost a case,” said Armstrong, the guest speaker Tuesday at an Aspen Ideas Festival health forum discussion.“The arbitrators don’t ever rule for the athletes,” Armstrong said, according a story in Wednesday’s edition of The Aspen Times. “Quite frankly, the system is set up against the athletes. Unfortunately for him, I don’t think he did it. That’s always been my position and still is today.
So despite multiple positive tests and expert testimony that the levels of testosterone could not have been produced naturally, Dr. Lance Armstrong has decided that Floyd Landis isn’t guilty of doping. Oh, and don’t forget the story about Landis’ manager threatening Greg LeMond if he testified against Landis.
There’s about 100% chance that Floyd Landis doped up for the Tour de France. There’s a slightly less than 100% chance that Armstrong did too and just never got caught. So Lance, shut the f up and go back to hawking crappy yellow bracelets.
Links:
[Fox Sports]: Armstrong: Landis is innocent of doping
What was supposed to be a small (medium sized?) cheating case in the Tour de France has turned into a year long ordeal by Floyd Landis to find the real killers dopers. Well, that’s not all folks, it’s time to mix in a little blackmail and sex.
According to reports, Greg LeMond (legendary cyclist for you youngins) had a phone conversation with Landis where Landis leaned towards an admission of performance enhancing drug use. LeMond then confided to Landis that he was sexually abused as a child by his uncle.
But it doesn’t end there. The night prior to LeMond’s testimony at the Floyd Landis hearing, someone called LeMond cell claiming to be his uncle and said “they would play hide the weenie tomorrow”. Well, there goes thousands of dollars in therapy out the window. The cell phone call was traced back to Will Geohagen, Landis’ friend and manager. Geohagen admitted making the call and was promptly fired by Landis.
Obviously, LeMond was not happy about this painful childhood memory being a matter of public record and lashed out at Landis and his crew:
It was a real threat, it was real creepy, and I think it shows the extent of who it is,” LeMond said before leaving the Pepperdine law school after his spellbinding day. “I think there’s another side of Floyd that the public hasn’t seen.
Actually, the public doesn’t want to see another side of Floyd Landis. The public would like Landis and his A sample s and B samples and urine to just go away. Permanently.
(Photo note: when we think child molestation, we think Gordon Jump.)
Links:
[Steroid Nation]: Landis friend admits making threatening call to LeMond