HGH Testing Should Favor Bucs
March 25th, 2011
Back in 2009, Earnest Graham estimated 30 percent of the NFL was using HGH.
For those not bored to tears by the ongoing NFL labor mess, the latest juicy negotiation nugget has the NFL insisting that any new agreement with players include testing for human growth hormone, better known as HGH.
Alex Marvez, of FOX Sports, was on the story yesterday.
HGH is known to help players recover faster. In theory, that faster recovery helps maximize workouts and increase performance, which leads to them getting, bigger, stronger and faster. It’s a wonder drug — not allowed and hard to detect.
Now pundits can argue all day long whether a prolonged lockout would be an edge or a detriment for a young team like the Bucs, compared to other NFL clubs. But if HGH testing hits the NFL, there should be no debate that the Bucs would have an edge with all that youth on their side.
Remember, it was Earnest Graham, in a story Joe sent national, who said 30 percent of NFL players are using HGH.
” …I don’t think a guy would think it’s cheating. No. I mean they know it [is cheating]. But I don’t think it registers. …I would say 30 percent [are using HGH]. I have no idea how to come across it. Not that I’m looking for it. I don’t know anybody. It’s not something that a guy would just, unless you really trust a guy, to open up and talk about. You know what I mean. …I’ve heard a guy talk about HGH but not [that he’s doing it].”Graham went on to say he doesn’t believe any NFL player would admit to using HGH.
“A lot of guys are kind of proud guys and don’t want to feel like they were cheating. Me, myself. I would feel like I’m cheating,” Graham said.
Joking about his all-but-eliminated role in the Bucs running game Graham joked, “Maybe I’d cover punts better if I was on HGH.”
While Joe’s in favor of HGH testing, Joe finds it interesting that talk of testing comes just as a rookie salary scale might hit the league. Pay the young guys less and take the HGH from the old guys, and you’ve just cut payroll.
March 25th, 2011 at 9:16 am
Honestly I don’t care. I pay to see a violent game played by ridiculous super human type athletes. If they want to take roids or HGH or whatever…it doesn’t bother me a bit. The NFL should concentrate on educating the players on how harmful the long term effects can be from using these these type of enhancements, instead of wasting money on testing and suspending. I say educate them on the subject with mandatory classes and let them do what they do.
March 25th, 2011 at 9:23 am
Your last sentence said it all Joe, thats why it will happen.
I agree with JDouble. Let them do whatever they want, its their body and we want to see the fastest and strongest NFL players drugs can buy! lol.
March 25th, 2011 at 9:39 am
Isn’t that kinda irresponsible?
March 25th, 2011 at 10:10 am
How is it irresponsible? They are grown ass men. Make sure they attend the classes every year and are educated on the subject and then let them make their own decisions. If their scrotum shrinks up and they die of cancer at age 32….it’s on them.
March 25th, 2011 at 10:13 am
I look at it like this Joe. American citizens are forcibly educated on the harmful effects of cigarettes, alcohol, and a high fat diet, and yet millions of us drink, smoke, and are obese. It’s a decision we all have. Everyone can decide how they want to treat their own body. I see no difference with professional sports and enhancements.
March 25th, 2011 at 10:20 am
JDouble:
I see what you are saying, but for the NFL to get rich off of guys who turn out to be Mike Webster seems like blood money to Joe. The the NFL would turn into what baseball was, even the decent players who were clean would have to start roiding up just to keep a job.
If it was a private citizen sitting at home doing whatever he wants and isn’t hurting anyone, I totally agree. Dude can do whatever he wants.
Also remember, one reason the NFL wants to test for HGH is a possible lawsuit down the road. Remember, dudes shooting themselves up with whatever (sans prescription) is and has been against federal statues for decades.
Yeah, it’s all about the money.
March 25th, 2011 at 10:33 am
I guess JDouble wants to give the term “real men” a new meaning? It goes well beyond, what the players are gonna do to thier bodies. And what do you think the minors(kids under 18) are gonna have to do to make it, when their time comes to try the pros? They will need to do it just to keep up, right?
Also, there is a reason stats and records, decades long, are broken in a blink of the eye today. Pre-roid and post-roid record books?
March 25th, 2011 at 10:59 am
Steroids and HGH are legal everywhere else in the world. Legalize it, let all the weekend warriors get their swoll’ on and tax it. Create industry; create jobs.
see also: pot
March 25th, 2011 at 11:06 am
Man made booze, steriods, and HGH. God made pot. Who do you trust?
March 25th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
@ OAR
LMAO, ur speaking nuthin but tha truth
March 25th, 2011 at 1:08 pm
If players, ex or current, are dropping dead from performance enhancing drugs, it’s going to ruin the game. I can see it now: interviews before, during and after the game with the distraught families of dead and diseased players. Announcers squawking about it between plays. No thanks. Competition for team positions and the big payday would force virtually all players into taking the drugs. There is no way it ends well.
March 25th, 2011 at 1:28 pm
So does that mean Rex Ryan is cheating for using Viagra, another form of a performance enhancing drug?
March 25th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
I don’t know why you just assume bc of their youth that the Bucs would benefit from HGH testing. Sure younger players recover faster, but add in HGH and the recovery would be even faster. It’s the Barry Bonds argument — the guy didn’t need The Cream to hit homeruns…but it sure did help….the utes don’t need HGH to recover, but it sure would help
my guess is it’s the same percentage of Bucs using as it is for every other team.
March 25th, 2011 at 1:43 pm
Viagra? I think Rex uses tolnafte? Although legal, it is a must for those with foot fetishes!
March 25th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
Let’s not kid ourselves. The young kids ar eusing too. How else can you explain 21 year old sophomores coming into the NFL weighing over 280 lbs?
March 25th, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Mauha
My point exactly! What do you think their reason is, I’ll give you one guess?
March 25th, 2011 at 3:48 pm
Yeah, another good point. Parents, do you want glorified NFL man-beasts influencing your teenage athlete wannabees to take dangerous drugs to pump up their adolescent egos?
March 25th, 2011 at 9:12 pm
When it’s a difference between a multi-million dollar contract or maybe getting cut from the team and no paycheck, taking HGH for your job is no longer a choice. To say educate them, then let them choose is a joke. There is no choice when it’s the only way to compete with others that have already made the choice. Use or lose millions. The NFL needs to ban and test for HGH to keep the game clean and competitive.
March 26th, 2011 at 1:24 am
Joe, I think you said it well: Natural athletes would have to start “roiding up” in order to keep up. JDub I also see your point but team sports are important to youth development. Nobody in show-biz is looked high upon in society because they smoke, drink, or eat too much (except that dude from “Man vs. Food.”) Keep the HGH out of football and sports in general. I’m all for positive change in football, but I think the game should stick to its’ roots.* Keep it pure, keep it clean, and let players bang some heads without HGH and what-not.
* Endzone celebrations should be allowed to be flagrant, fun, and original….. “Stick to its’ roots” does not apply here