Old but Slow wrote:This kind of thing has been a part of our whole society for some time now. Problem getting it up? Here's some Viagra. We have become a chemical society, looking for false improvements whenever we can, with plastic surgery, penile enlargements (sh), hair implants, breast enhancements, and much more. So where does it lead, and what do we say is acceptable?
In sports, it becomes more complicated, as enhancements can lead to better money. We all understand money, don't we?
In a sense, we are all involved, because we value excellence, we value endurance, we make these assets important to us and we pay money for them.
It is hard to blame the athlete who tries to satisfy the public by taking every opportunity to reach their expectations. But, to cheat? Why not when we have cheaters in business, in government, and in every level of society?
What is the saying? Something about glass houses?
When abused, yes, you're exactly right.
But I've had 3 steroid shots in the past 6 months, and they work wonders. I had surgery in my left shoulder last October to repair a torn rotator cuff. 8 weeks after the surgery, it was still very stiff and sore. During my visit with my surgeon, he gave me a steroid shot and the stiffness went away and hasn't returned. It advanced my recovery.
I recently discovered that I have severe arthritis in my left knee. The only viable solution for a permanent fix is to have the knee replaced, which would be a very excruciating procedure requiring a recovery time of about 6 months, lots of physical therapy. One of the few alternatives available to me is to get a steroid shot in the knee when the pain gets to the point where I can no longer tolerate it. I've had two since my diagnosis. They will only give me one shot every 3-4 months in the same joint.
I don't take drugs unless I absolutely need them. When I had my shoulder surgery, they gave me some oxycodone, which is supposed to be fairly addictive. I took three of the pills not due to the pain, but because they told me to start taking them before I started hurting. When there didn't seem to be any pain, I quit taking them and never did have any pain I couldn't tolerate. The surgeon said he had never had a patient that didn't take the meds.
Bottom line is that we probably take way too many drugs, more than what's needed to do the trick. IMO some of this is due to the doctor feeling the urge to "do something" so he prescribes meds, and who doesn't trust their doctor?
As far as how it is used in sports, I can sure see how it helps a baseball pitcher get over the "sore arm" that lasts a day or two after throwing 100+ pitches by taking a steroid injection. Baseball treasures it's individual records, so if Roger Clemmons was able to take steroid shots where Bob Gibson or Walter Johnson wasn't, it would taint their traditional records and I agree with them being banned. But using in in football and other sports as part of a closely supervised medical plan in a recovery from an injury such as Manning's neck injury, I don't see a problem with them. It's the illegal aspect, players skirting the rules gaining an advantage over those that are doing everything by Hoyle that makes this situation with Manning concerning.