A-Rod Steroid Confession: Still Tough to Swallow
Alex Rodriguez came clean this week, but there's still some dirty business going on. It's a little tough for me to swallow A-Rod saying, "To be quite honest I don't know exactly what substance I was guilty of using..." The same way he was lying when 15 months ago he told CBS's Katie Couric that he never used performance-enhancing drugs.
Alex is the highest paid player in baseball. His body is his business. At his level, I'm sure everything he does is microscopically analyzed. His swing, his workouts, his diet -- to mold him into most perfect baseball machine ever. As a steroid abuser for 20 years, I can assure you he knew exactly what he was taking. Each and every time I took a steroid, I always knew EXACTLY what I was taking. In reality I became my very own science project. Here's what I know:
Primobolan, one of the drugs A-Rod tested positive for, has fat burning or cutting qualities, and has a reputation for being a non-aromatizing steroid. Meaning a lot of the side-effects associated with estrogen producing steroids, like man-boobs, water retention and acne, are lessened.
Primobolan is also often used as a base compound for combining with other steroids, what is referred to in the drug community as "stacking." Stacking was always a great way to get the most benefits out of different drugs while trying to minimize their side-effects.
In my steroid days, I tried the same testosterone-Primobolan stack that A-Rod tested positive for a handful of times. The results were a lean look with positive strength gains, along with a touch of aggression that helped shuttle me through Gladiator events, without the bloating or the huge size gains that would make me look like a "muscle head."
What does this all add up to?
That A-Rod, the perfect baseball machine, knew exactly what he was taking. He took a steroid cocktail that one couldn't stumble upon accidentally at GNC, but rather one that was taken with the keen eyes of an expert who was trying to maximize the benefits while mitigating the side effects.
Having been in the same situation as A-Rod, but of course in a much smaller spotlight, I know it's tough to admit to having used steroids, and I applaud him for this. And I do appreciate that he's done what is expected of him and seemed humble and emotional as he apologized and asked for forgiveness. But if he's really sorry, and wants rehabilitate his image, then I suggest he speak to the next generation of young athletes and tells them about the harmful side effects of steroids. The trickle down effect his steroid use has had upon the A-Rod hopefuls is immeasurable. These A-Rod hopefuls won't have the cadre of trainers, nutritionist and physicians at their side monitoring their use of drugs. These young athletes won't take the time to build the requisite strength and skills necessary to make it to the pros, but instead will try to inject themselves to stardom. The worst part of this is that they'll probably be using the most toxic crap they've gotten from Mexico or on the black market -- and their story isn't going to end happily. Look at Taylor Hooten. Look at Lyle Alzado. Look at Chris Benoit. Enough said.
Dan Clark is the author of the new book "Gladiator - A True Story of Roids, Rage and Redemption."
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The outrage is that here is another rich and privileged person in American society who will not be prosecuted for breaking the law. It is a bizarro world where if the rich publicly confess to a crime that is punishment enough. Let the poor any middle class also have the same right to confess in place of being arrested and prosecuted.
Are you the only adult in America who has never broken a law?
After watching the ESPN interview, my first thought was, "My, what a pretty man.".
After reading the book, "Game of Shadows," I now believe that every pro sports "star" is taking something.
Even in my favorite sport, MMA (mixed martial arts) I believe the fighters are taking illegal substances.
Randy Coultre (44 yrs old) manages to compete at the top level despite his age, and the demands of this sport. His body looks like that of a 20 year old, so can't believe he's not on HGH or something.
HGH cannot even be detected, so I would gather it's widely used amongst the majority of pro athletes.
If you could take a "pill" that would allow you to make millions of dollars with the only downside being that it MAY be harmful to your health, would you?
Lyle Alzado did not die from steroid use, nor were his "brain tumors" caused by them. Alzado died from brain lymphoma, a rare type of brain cancer found mostly in AIDS patients. Alzado was the only one who claimed steroids caused his cancer. His doctors denied they were the cause and steroids have never been shown to cause this type of cancer.
Paul... I think the question you have to ask yourself is: If Lyle Alzado did not take steroids would he still be alive, or at the very least, lived longer?" I believe the answer is yes. I was with Alzado a few time at his restaurant in Hollywood before he died. Lyle told me the amount of steroids he was taking and it was truly staggering. I tried to emulate him and almost died. So, from my point of view, from having tried drugs, and having been there in the trenches, I honestly believe steroids were a contributing factor in his death.
That's a question that can be posed regarding anything you place in your body that is
of nutritional or non-nutritional value. Although I don't doubt the amount Alzado had been taking, the statement presented by him, the media and implied by yourself is that they were a direct cause of his brain lymphoma, which is not medically substantiated.
As much as people like to hype on the fact the Chris Benoit was on steroids and that they caused him to kill his family and himself, the man suffered from depression. Autopsy revealed that he suffered from severe brain and stem damage, a condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) caused from untreated head injuries during his wrestling career. This condition commonly leads to the person inflicting harm on others and themselves. However, that fact is conveniently glossed over by the media and the ditto heads du jour.
I’d be interested to know in what way did steroids almost cause your death. I’m sorry that you may have been badly afflicted by their use. However, it seems that you abused them. Anything abused in such a way can be a health risk. Look at water. Ordinarily, drinking water is perfectly fine. You would die without it, but drink too much too fast and you can die from water intoxication.
Honestly, A-Rod and Phelps using -- different substances, but still users.
Phelps suspended from what is an amateur career and loss of endorsement. Apologized.
A-Rod half apologized as it's the denial of what he was using.
Double standard. Both substances are illegal as A-Rod's obtaining same was not for medical reasons. I can't believe we aren't hearing the outrage from the public that Phelps got. My faith in the public -- gone. Double standard. In fact -- I want the names of every last one of the players that had a positive released publicly as MLB has not stepped up. What they say is pure lip service. We know by seeing players who they are, but they have to be publicly humuliated.
I today cancelled my personal season tickets (6) and was instructed and carried out the cancelling of the cororate box. Contract -- bite me. Personally, my letter to George -- called him everything but white as he too has allowed it for $$$.
Some estimates say 50 to 70% of all major league ball players were using steroids in the 90's and early 2000's. If you want to know the truth, read Jose Canseco's books. All the player's knew it, the owners knew it, Commissioner Bud Selig knew it. Nobody said a word. Baseball didn't even have a no steroid policy until about 5 yrs ago. They were all blinded by the fact that all the record breaking was bringing mountains of money through the door faster than they could count it.
I need to read Canseco's Books, but include "Game of Shadows" as it includes the Balco/Bonds investigation.
After this book, I am convinced that every pro athlete is using some illegal substance.
I wouldn't think it's too difficult a decision for a AAA ballplayer with decent skills to decide to take a drug to make him bigger and stronger, thus, allowing him to hit more homerun and making it to the major leagues.
Also, steriods are not only used just to get bigger/stronger, but they aid in recovery, which is a big deal when training/competing at the professional level.
Phelps should have said he was smoking organic catnip, which has a mild calming effect, is much smoother and healthier than tobacco (nice minty taste), and is also perfectly legal. A bong is just the right device for inhaling cooled catnip smoke if you feel nervous or jittery. Try it and see !
I'll be sure to check out your book. It sounds like it might be an interesting contrast to the "Bigger Stronger Faster" documentary.
....That is a wonderfully balanced essay Dan. the "contract with the devil's " that steroids is would be hard to resist for anyoneof us if we're honest if it meant the difference of playing in the NFL for 5 years with a million dollar yearly contract as opposed playing for the edmonton eskimoes for 1/10 as much....what athlete wouldn' t take the risk and the better, far more lucrative sports career trajectory?.....the average MLB player now makes almost 3 million per year-- what is the average salary of the AAA farm club circuit????...$125,000????
Rodriguez, Palmiero, Clemens, Bonds, Giambi, Caminitti (deceased), Mcgwire, Sosa, plus at least 96 others. The only one involved who told the truth - Canseco. The only one involved who will make it to the Hall of Fame - Bud Selig.
And that is even though Selig has basically stood idly by through all of MLB's drug problems and, in his own way, is just as responsible for what we see in MLB right now with PEDs as the players themselves.
Selig bought the Seattle Pilots, a club known to abuse greenies, and Selig did ZERO to address those problems. And it has only gotten worse from there.
Selig was the owner of the Milwaukee Brewers for a number of years while he was commissioner. I lay the whole mess at his doodoorstep. It was his job to protect the integrity of the record book and he did nothing even though it was common knowledge steroid use was rampant in sports. He had to be forced by Congress to adopt a steroid policy for MLB.
Mr. Clark thank you for your post. While I appreciate A-Rod's attempt to come clean, I too found it hard to believe he did not know what he was taking...
The idea that we won't use our technology to enhance our physical abilities is ultimately wrong. We should concentrate on safety and accurate information instead of prohibition.
I lost the little interest I had in professional sport years ago when it became obvious you couldn't get top results without being "loaded".
If you guys think money is worth jeopardizing your health its fine with me, but I don't want Congress to waist my tax dollars to save you from yourselves. (And please spare me the former addict's mea culpa finger pointing shtick.)
This reply is two fold...
First Kudos Mr. Dan Clark for speaking out! I couldnt agreee with you more. As a mother of 3 boys, albeit young right now, I will be watching them closely as they approach the years of competitive sports! I am mid way through reading your book right now, about Steroid abuse and commend you for being brave enough to tell the truth completely! I also agree with you that if A-Rod is to help future kids he too needs to tell all, ugly truth or not!
Second... Mr. Abraham if you were familar with Mr. Clark's history and his book you would see that it is very appropriate for him to be weighing in on the A-Rod controversy. He has been there, done that, knows the score... and is laying the ugly truth out there so that Mom's like me, can be better educated to help our children. I for one am grateful!
The possible health implications of steroids have been known to me since the 1970's, when I was a teenager. If anyone offered them to me then I would have laughed at them. I wouldn't risk liver and kidney problems as well as the emotional fallout they engender for the sake of getting stronger. That's absurd.
So educating your kids about the dangers of steroids is definitely a good thing to do.
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