PED's you think the NBA has a problem there?

[Minstrel]

Poor Ken Griffey Jr.

 

[Idog1976]

Comparisons to previous eras are hardly fair... did Magic Johnson, for example, ever even lift weights? I would not be shocked if he did not.

With that said, I would be quite surprised if many players did not take enhancements... but are they taking illegal ones? Some, probably.

Is it a problem? Not to me. If they're taking illegal drugs and they get arrested, then that's fine. I'm not worried about the integrity of the sport or anything.

Ed O.

I couldn't find it, but I've seen video of Magic talking about how good Bird was and showing him lifting weights in a weight room. I didn't look real hard and only looked for stills. I hate the new google image search it brings up tons of unrelated stuff now for some reason. Annoying, anyways I don't think he spent anywhere near the time that guys do now. That said, I think you really have to have the blinders on to not see quite a bit of PED use in the NBA.

 

[Ed O]

I couldn't find it, but I've seen video of Magic talking about how good Bird was and showing him lifting weights in a weight room. I didn't look real hard and only looked for stills. I hate the new google image search it brings up tons of unrelated stuff now for some reason. Annoying, anyways I don't think he spent anywhere near the time that guys do now. That said, I think you really have to have the blinders on to not see quite a bit of PED use in the NBA.

I see PED in the gym every time I go (not as often as I'd like, but a few times a week). So what?

Those are guys who just want to look better and be stronger. They don't have millions of bucks on the line.

It doesn't mean, though, that anyone is taking anything illegal. Proper nutrition and dedication in the weightroom can go a long way... especially when you consider how skinny so many NBA players are to start off with, their muscles look a lot more impressive than they would if you had someone similiarly proportioned by 8 inches shorter with higher body fat.

Ed O.

 

[Idog1976]

I see PED in the gym every time I go (not as often as I'd like, but a few times a week). So what?

Those are guys who just want to look better and be stronger. They don't have millions of bucks on the line.

It doesn't mean, though, that anyone is taking anything illegal. Proper nutrition and dedication in the weightroom can go a long way... especially when you consider how skinny so many NBA players are to start off with, their muscles look a lot more impressive than they would if you had someone similiarly proportioned by 8 inches shorter with higher body fat.

Ed O.

Did you vote some or none just out of curiosity?

 

[Ed O]

Did you vote some or none just out of curiosity?

I didn't vote. If the question was whether I thought there was a problem (like the thread title) I would have voted "No".

Ed O.

 

[huevonkiller]

There are a lot of "non-PED" looking baseball players that tested positive. I'm not usually comfortable with just an eyeball test. One needs more than that.

 

[Idog1976]

There are a lot of "non-PED" looking baseball players that tested positive. I'm not usually comfortable with just an eyeball test. One needs more than that.

I agree and the NBA has the weakest testing standards of NFL/NBA and Baseball. As we know NFL and Baseball did, and probably still do, have quite a bit of PED use of various sorts.

Dave on Blazersedge wrote a nice piece awhile back and was wondering about what a scandal would do if say Dwight Howard or LeBron tested positive as they are mega stars and in such a star driven sport how that might effect the NBA. Worth looking up and reading if you have the inclination and time.

Oh and Ed. I realize my poll question and thread title didn't match very well. I was going with my poll question.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

I don't care if they take PED's.

 

[Idog1976]

I don't care if they take PED's.

Neither do I, it's just that I find the willful suspension of disbelief among adults on this subject to be fascinating. I'm with you VG who gives a shit. They just need to explain the severe risks to people and not say, oh I don't know, nail guys like D. Miles and let obvious PED monsters on certain East Coast teams to get a pass.

 

[44Thrilla]

Neither do I, it's just that I find the willful suspension of disbelief among adults on this subject to be fascinating. I'm with you VG who gives a shit. They just need to explain the severe risks to people and not say, oh I don't know, nail guys like D. Miles and let obvious PED monsters on certain East Coast teams to get a pass.

Yah, I don't care much either. They might be doing it to get bigger contracts but it's helping their team in the process. If they are dumb enough to mess with their body like that, then let 'em. Take a look at all the WWF wrestlers that are dying in their 40's. I have a feeling we will start seeing a lot more of that with all these athletes who mess with this stuff.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Heck, they should just make PEDs mandatory. Anything less is cheating the fans out of the best product possible.

 

[Idog1976]

Heck, they should just make PEDs mandatory. Anything less is cheating the fans out of the best product possible.

[video]http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=23764633[/video]

 

[oldmangrouch]

Yah, I don't care much either. They might be doing it to get bigger contracts but it's helping their team in the process. If they are dumb enough to mess with their body like that, then let 'em. Take a look at all the WWF wrestlers that are dying in their 40's. I have a feeling we will start seeing a lot more of that with all these athletes who mess with this stuff.

On a more serious note....

The problem with the pro wrasslin' analogy, is that most of the guys who died young, also had issues with pain-killer addiction, recreational drugs, and /or multiple concussion syndrome. There are too many other factors involved to say they died from using PEDs.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Neither do I, it's just that I find the willful suspension of disbelief among adults on this subject to be fascinating. I'm with you VG who gives a shit. They just need to explain the severe risks to people and not say, oh I don't know, nail guys like D. Miles and let obvious PED monsters on certain East Coast teams to get a pass.

Yeah it is naive to assume they aren't used in the NBA. If I was in the NBA and taking something might make me better and make more money, I'm not even sure I would have to think long and hard about it.

 

[Idog1976]

Yeah it is naive to assume they aren't used in the NBA. If I was in the NBA and taking something might make me better and make more money, I'm not even sure I would have to think long and hard about it.

People who claim Millions are at stake if they get caught have it backwards. If your athleticism naturally is a 7 and you can boost it to 11 that puts you from a 700k guy to a 7 million guy or more potentially. Easy math, ten years at 700k vs two years @ 7 Mil before you get caught...and that's assuming the NBA is trying to catch people. Other then the occasional D. Miles-esque wrist slap it never happens.

 

[44Thrilla]

On a more serious note....

The problem with the pro wrasslin' analogy, is that most of the guys who died young, also had issues with pain-killer addiction, recreational drugs, and /or multiple concussion syndrome. There are too many other factors involved to say they died from using PEDs.

Well I didn't mean to say PEDs was the main cause of their deaths, but it certainly contributed.

 

[huevonkiller]

I agree and the NBA has the weakest testing standards of NFL/NBA and Baseball. As we know NFL and Baseball did, and probably still do, have quite a bit of PED use of various sorts.

Professional baseball players don't participate in the Olympics, which has extremely strict testing standards. NBA players do. I just think Basketball is a more athletic sport, and you rely on being a genetic freak more than in other major sports (height, explosion, the roster is smaller so it weeds out less athletic players). When Howard was in High School he was a skinny dude but still the most athletic kid in his draft class. It is not surprising he hit the genetic lottery and continued to develop. Same with some other players, so unless you have some detailed investigation you want to present, I can not just use the eyeball test.

Baseball had more problems because their stars tested positive. It isn't just conjecture like what you're doing with Howard. There is hardcore evidence, Mitchell report, etc.

 

[Idog1976]

Professional baseball players don't participate in the Olympics, which has extremely strict testing standards. NBA players do. I just think Basketball is a more athletic sport, and you rely on being a genetic freak more than in other major sports (height, explosion, the roster is smaller so it weeds out less athletic players). When Howard was in High School he was a skinny dude but still the most athletic kid in his draft class. It is not surprising he hit the genetic lottery and continued to develop. Same with some other players, so unless you have some detailed investigation you want to present, I can not just use the eyeball test.

Baseball had more problems because their stars have tested positive. It isn't just conjecture like what you're doing with Howard. There is hardcore evidence, Mitchell report, etc.

The NBA being a far more star driven sport then MLB has a critical self-interest to prevent a scandal from breaking far, far more then MLB or the NFL. Not that NFL and MLB aren't star driven it's a matter of degree. Stern's entire business model is built on Howard and the Magic, Kobe and the Lakers etc. etc.

I'm saying that the NBA most likely not only knows about PED's in the league, but colludes with players/teams to keep a scandal from breaking. I think Stern is one of the most corrupt commissioners in sports....ever. Yes, I'm speculating, but people speculated before Canseco came out as well about whether it was just the juiced ball or if there was something else going on. There are ways of using PED's in advance of testing so your system is clean, especially when you have a 4 year lead in before your tests.

I don't have proof, but I believe in time I will be vindicated.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I feel safe making the assumption that Lamarcus does not use PEDs.

 

[Natebishop3]

If you knew for a fact that Greg Oden used PEDs during his rookie "season", would it lessen your opinion of him?

 

[Idog1976]

If you knew for a fact that Greg Oden used PEDs during his rookie "season", would it lessen your opinion of him?

Not unless it directly lead to his MF in some way. This whole thread was to see who still suspends disbelief. I for one think it's very widespread and Oden seems a likely guy on our team to have joined what I imagine is the vast majority of NBA players. As far as it being illegal so is pot and again the vast majority and all that. Who cares.