Is the use of steroids in our sport over rated?

[Barry Williams]

YEA !!! Our first drug question. And I tried to make it as politicaly correct as possible. Before you answer to quik ; keep some names like Mike Belk , Will Lynch , and Mike Neal in mind. 3 strong ass men that HAVE BEEN TESTED !! Will has beat me in more than one meet and I salute him for it.

[Marty Queen]

My answer here sort of goes back to my answer on the other drug poll...I simply don't know enough about the subject or the sport (YET) to say for sure.

[maxson]

I don’t know enough about the subject either, but I do know that the media has taken over the issue in sports in general, so I don’t believe much about what I read or watch on TV regarding the subject.

[gopostal42]

maxson said:

I don’t know enough about the subject either, but I do know that the media has taken over the issue in sports in general, so I don’t believe much about what I read or watch on TV regarding the subject.

very true and its affected the political world in a rediculous way. a guy was just arrested and sent to prison for 7 years for selling steroids while people who deal meth get a slap on the wrist. its re damn diculous and about enough to piss a guy off.

[Joey Smith]

Personally I think the fat ass lady I seen at Mic D's yesterday buying 2 Big Macs large fry and DIET COKE then supersizing it should be put in jail!....Obesity is the number one killer in this country not steriods....curious how people let their children become fat with all the health risks and mental anguish and freek out at athletes who take care of themselves eat right train hard and use juice to enhance themselves and become icons be the hell bent going to hell going to jail terrible person?....weird....

[Marty Queen]

As a veteran journalist of 14 years experience and a 7-time North Carolina Press Association award winner, I feel I can provide a few insights into the way print journalists handle stories about subjects like steroids.

I will say that probably 95 to 99 percent of the PRINT journalists I have known and/or come into contact with are earnest about telling the truth and getting their facts straight, because if we don't, people can sue the shit out of us. Also, most of us love what we do and have largely altruistic motives, because we sure as hell don't do it for the money (you wouldn't believe me if I told you).

That said, there is too often a certain degree of laziness involved when it comes to fact-checking. If a doctor tells you steroids are bad for you, you tend to take that at face value, even though doctors can be just as full of shit as anyone else. Where we start to lose credibility is when we fail to seek out other sources about topics as general as the steroid controversy has become. Other doctors might have a different take on the situation, as would those who have used steroids and are more familiar than anyone with the side effects they produce. It's imperative we tell all sides of the story about contentious subjects like this, not just one. When we don't we're short-changing the reader.

As for believing or not believing what you read, pay attention to whether the writer uses multiple sources or simply repeats the info quoted to him or her by the "expert." We are at our best on this type of story (what we call "hard news") when we remove ourselves entirely from the equation and serve simply as an efficient conduit of information that carries news from the source to the reader. If we want to express our own opinions, well, that's what columns and editorials are for. I'm not saying there aren't bad journalists out there -- on the contrary, there are way too many of them. I'm just saying most of us only print what we strongly believe to be the truth. Notice I said "print." Don't get me started on "broadcast journalism," a phrase that has the approximate oxymoronic quality as "jumbo shrimp."

Part of the hype surrounding the issue currently is due to the fact so many stories have surfaced about steroid abuse in sports (cycling, MLB) that have rules against the use of performance-enhancing drugs. I honestly don't think we'd be hearing nearly as much about steroids if their usage was limited to sports that don't outlaw them. There is currently a lot of hype about the topic, largely because of high-profile cases such as the Barry Bonds fiasco.

I think it's possible such pervasive coverage can influence the judicial system because it can affect the way the public -- the jury pool -- perceives the problem. That's unfortunate because in this day and age, we're bombarded with so much information, by process of elimination, much of it has to be false. Hence, the public's general mistrust of the media is heightened to the nth degree. That's unfair to those of who are committed to doing things the right way, but that's just the way things are.

As for steroid use in powerlifting, it all boils down to how you perceive it as an individual. Pointed introspection and careful research will never lead you down the wrong path.

Just my two cents worth.
holla back

[maxson]

Marty,

Thanks for the fine explanation on the topic as it relates to the media coverage. I should have been a little clearer on my point, but you nailed it on the head on paragraphs five and six. I think it would be difficult for someone to have a fair debate in a public forum because of the negative hype associated with the recent events in sports.

I hope my words did not offend you in anyway. I saw the pictures of you NEBO guys, you’re a big dude and can probably kick my ass….. lol

[Marty Queen]

maxson said:

I hope my words did not offend you in anyway. I saw the pictures of you NEBO guys, you’re a big dude and can probably kick my ass….. lol

Not at all, bro. You were absolutely right about the media saturation on the topic; it's hard to know what to believe these days, and like I said, there are some unscrupulous journalists out there, and some just plain old bad ones who don't know their ass from third base

This is one area where this board has a lot knowledge about the subject -- way more than the general public and probably the majority of MDs.

Again, not offended in any way. Thanks for the shout out.