The Future of Sports

[Pavan Dave]

Now that some guy beat the home run marker in baseball, what do you think about the direction the sports world is headed with more and more people taking illegal substances? Will people who play without any suspicion of using these substances will be in the minority soon or will the leagues finally give up and make performance enhancing substances legal?

[Koko Ed]

So long as money is the main influence that drives sports what is happening today will seem like the "good old days". People are going to find new and nastier ways to cheat and winning will become even more paramount.

[Mike]

I say let them shoot up all the roids they want. I want to see some 475lb guys hitting a 5 ounce ball 650 feet! Then when the guy with tree trunk legs can run fast enough to catch it, I want them to duke it out to the death with their corked bats and infected needles.

[Deacon Blues]

It's going to be based around money and public opinion. This generation people still get outraged about shooting up things, so I don't see a large change coming anytime soon as team owners will still frown upon it. More likely, however, is that rookies will be introduced to performance enhancing drugs earlier as a way to guarantee big league success, this will become a more and more common practice and proceed to trickle down until most major stars did steroids at some point in career. As it gets more common so will public acceptance, at which point it'll just be one of those things you don't talk about it but everyone knows. I don't ever foresee a complete legalization considering some are illegal by federal law anyway, but laxer rules and supervision will probably grow incredibly.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Deacon Blues

It's going to be based around money and public opinion. This generation people still get outraged about shooting up things, so I don't see a large change coming anytime soon as team owners will still frown upon it. More likely, however, is that rookies will be introduced to performance enhancing drugs earlier as a way to guarantee big league success, this will become a more and more common practice and proceed to trickle down until most major stars did steroids at some point in career. As it gets more common so will public acceptance, at which point it'll just be one of those things you don't talk about it but everyone knows. I don't ever foresee a complete legalization considering some are illegal by federal law anyway, but laxer rules and supervision will probably grow incredibly.

This is an opinion that I have regarding the use of steroids in sports. Until there is no doubt left whatsoever that steroid use, performance enhancing drug use - does not adversely affect the athlete's health, it will never be condoned or fully accepted. Heart problems, violence, mood swings, suicides, etc. -those types of issues will have to be proven not to have been caused, affected, or influenced by the drugs used.

Another aspect that can be looked at with the performance enhancement drugs is the integrity of the win. Even in the current sports climate that surrounds us - that is an aspect that I think about and have for a long time.

[Lil' Lavery]

It all depends on what sport you're looking at. The two highest profile sports in relation to steroids are Baseball and Cycling, as they have the biggest scandals surrounding performance enhancing drugs. It's no secret that the NFL has a problem as well, but it doesn't receive the same publicity and scrutiny. Just look at Shawn Merriman getting (only) a 4-game suspension for violating the NFL's steroid policy, and still making the Pro Bowl.
Now look at the NHL. As surprising as some may find it, the NHL doesn't have a major steroid problem. After the NHL's lock-out, both the NHLPA and the owners pushed for and agreed on a performance-enhancing drug testing program as part of the new collective bargaining agreement. In the last two seasons, the NHL has executed over 3,000 random drug tests, and a total of one player (Sean Hill) has tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. One.
Before the lock-out, the NHL had no official testing program, but hundreds of NHL players were tested at international events such as the Olympics, World Cup of Hockey, and World Championships. Not a single NHL player tested positive at those events (although two (Bryan Berard and Jose Theodore) did test positive before the 2006 Torino games, after the NHL's testing policy began). The NHL (and IIHL, which governs most international hockey) use the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of banned substances.
In the ever cloudier and scandal-wrought world of sports, the NHL has had a relatively clean record since the 2005 lock-out. No betting on NHL games, dog-fighting, or steroids there.

[dlavery]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

It all depends on what sport you're looking at. The two highest profile sports in relation to steroids are Baseball and Cycling, as they have the biggest scandals surrounding performance enhancing drugs. It's no secret that the NFL has a problem as well, but it doesn't receive the same publicity and scrutiny. Just look at Shawn Merriman getting (only) a 4-game suspension for violating the NFL's steroid policy, and still making the Pro Bowl.
Now look at the NHL. As surprising as some may find it, the NHL doesn't have a major steroid problem. After the NHL's lock-out, both the NHLPA and the owners pushed for and agreed on a performance-enhancing drug testing program as part of the new collective bargaining agreement. In the last two seasons, the NHL has executed over 3,000 random drug tests, and a total of one player (Sean Hill) has tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. One.
Before the lock-out, the NHL had no official testing program, but hundreds of NHL players were tested at international events such as the Olympics, World Cup of Hockey, and World Championships. Not a single NHL player tested positive at those events (although two (Bryan Berard and Jose Theodore) did test positive before the 2006 Torino games, after the NHL's testing policy began). The NHL (and IIHL, which governs most international hockey) use the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of banned substances.
In the ever cloudier and scandal-wrought world of sports, the NHL has had a relatively clean record since the 2005 lock-out. No betting on NHL games, dog-fighting, or steroids there.

I think that this may be the first time that anyone has ever held up professional hockey as an example of good sportsmanship!

Personally, I am concerned where the trend towards abusive use of performance enhacing chemicals in competitive events may lead. As FIRST has clearly indicated in the past, at least part of the FRC competition is based on a sports metaphor. Albeit unwanted, it is entirely possible that some of the less-desireable traits of professional sports may also creep into the FRC competitions - including banned substances. As the level of competition in the FIRST community continues to rise, I am worried that we may have to institute a random spot-testing program for our competitors as well. Of course, our primary competitors are the robots. I can easily see a future where:

- any robot may be randomly asked to go off in a corner and deposit a little hydraulic fluid in a cup.
- battery doping with fresh charges of sulphuric acid will be expressly forbidden.
- any robot eating a poppy-seed bun does so at their own risk.
- any robot making use of alternate air compressors must provide certification of a legitimate medical need from their personal mechanic.
- overly agressive play, sudden torque gains, and signs of robot acne will cause immediate suspicion, and may be used as justification for a complete tear-down inspection

Just a thought....

-dave

[Wayne C.]

Originally Posted by dlavery

I think that this may be the first time that anyone has ever held up professional hockey as an example of good sportsmanship!


- any robot may be randomly asked to go off in a corner and deposit a little hydraulic fluid in a cup.
- battery doping with fresh charges of sulphuric acid will be expressly forbidden.
- any robot eating a poppy-seed bun does so at their own risk.
- any robot making use of alternate air compressors must provide certification of a legitimate medical need from their personal mechanic.
- overly agressive play, sudden torque gains, and signs of robot acne will cause immediate suspicion, and may be used as justification for a complete tear-down inspection

Just a thought....

-dave

Hmmm- robots and body building--- naw, never work....

WC

[dlavery]

Originally Posted by Wayne C.

Hmmm- robots and body building--- naw, never work....

WC

Oh, really? Do a google search on RoboGames and check out the robot weight lifting competition...

-dave

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by dlavery

Oh, really? Do a google search on RoboGames and check out the robot weight lifting competition...

-dave

Wayne may be referring to the fundraiser that he and the team did a little while back:

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=57595


I didn't know about the robot weight lifting competition - that's cool.

Originally Posted by JaneYoung

Wayne may be referring to the fundraiser that he and the team did a little while back:

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=57595


I didn't know about the robot weight lifting competition - that's cool.

The tetsujin competition is pretty sweet. I remember watching one of the older ones, with these big clunky exo's trying to ackwardly lift the weights. Half failed immensly, and the other half worked but weren't human shaped.

As for the future of sports, I think that my sport has the best policy. Being a Martial Artist, and training in MMA carries a lot of responsibility. At the proffessional level (the UFC and WEC, for example), the policy is that a single failed test results in immediate expulsion, and the ruining of the fighters career. It's my opinion (which is possibly flawed) that taking a hard stance on performance enhancing drugs is the only way to keep the competition human.

On the flip side, it would be cool to also have a side competition where doping is allowed...

[raymaniac]

Originally Posted by 114ManualLabor

As for the future of sports, I think that my sport has the best policy. Being a Martial Artist, and training in MMA carries a lot of responsibility. At the proffessional level (the UFC and WEC, for example), the policy is that a single failed test results in immediate expulsion, and the ruining of the fighters career. It's my opinion (which is possibly flawed) that taking a hard stance on performance enhancing drugs is the only way to keep the competition human.

But if that happened a bunch of fans would get really angry if their favorite player is expelled, and that could lead to problems.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by 114ManualLabor

The tetsujin competition is pretty sweet. I remember watching one of the older ones, with these big clunky exo's trying to ackwardly lift the weights. Half failed immensly, and the other half worked but weren't human shaped.

As for the future of sports, I think that my sport has the best policy. Being a Martial Artist, and training in MMA carries a lot of responsibility. At the proffessional level (the UFC and WEC, for example), the policy is that a single failed test results in immediate expulsion, and the ruining of the fighters career. It's my opinion (which is possibly flawed) that taking a hard stance on performance enhancing drugs is the only way to keep the competition human.

On the flip side, it would be cool to also have a side competition where doping is allowed...

Nah... all to often fighters get away with it. Even the harsher punishments are just a year suspension (Sean Sherk and Hermes Franca of the recent UFC lightweight titlefight both tested positive, and were suspended for a year... pending appeal of course).


Dave, that policy will unfairly target teams with way too many motors in the drive train!

[John Gutmann]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

It all depends on what sport you're looking at. The two highest profile sports in relation to steroids are Baseball and Cycling, as they have the biggest scandals surrounding performance enhancing drugs. It's no secret that the NFL has a problem as well, but it doesn't receive the same publicity and scrutiny. Just look at Shawn Merriman getting (only) a 4-game suspension for violating the NFL's steroid policy, and still making the Pro Bowl.
Now look at the NHL. As surprising as some may find it, the NHL doesn't have a major steroid problem. After the NHL's lock-out, both the NHLPA and the owners pushed for and agreed on a performance-enhancing drug testing program as part of the new collective bargaining agreement. In the last two seasons, the NHL has executed over 3,000 random drug tests, and a total of one player (Sean Hill) has tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. One.
Before the lock-out, the NHL had no official testing program, but hundreds of NHL players were tested at international events such as the Olympics, World Cup of Hockey, and World Championships. Not a single NHL player tested positive at those events (although two (Bryan Berard and Jose Theodore) did test positive before the 2006 Torino games, after the NHL's testing policy began). The NHL (and IIHL, which governs most international hockey) use the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of banned substances.
In the ever cloudier and scandal-wrought world of sports, the NHL has had a relatively clean record since the 2005 lock-out. No betting on NHL games, dog-fighting, or steroids there.

Well then again it isn't good to have NFL sized guys trying to be agile. Hockey is about speed an agility. There is no doubt strength plays a role, but it isn't like they are trying to hold each other down. In hockey that is of course illegal. It is like a ping pong player using steroids to pump up his legs muscles. In fact the first thing I thought f after reading the OP's post is "The NHL doesn't have a problem"

-John

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by John Gutmann

Well then again it isn't good to have NFL sized guys trying to be agile. Hockey is about speed an agility. There is no doubt strength plays a role, but it isn't like they are trying to hold each other down. In hockey that is of course illegal. It is like a ping pong player using steroids to pump up his legs muscles. In fact the first thing I thought f after reading the OP's post is "The NHL doesn't have a problem"

-John

While that may be (semi) true in the post-lockout NHL, it definitely wasn't true in the pre-lockout era. In the early half of the decade, NHL hockey was all about size, hitting, interference (essentially holding each other down), and trapping defense. And while the NHL had no official testing policy during that era, many players were tested in international competitions such as the Olympics. Not a single NHL player failed one of those tests.
And steroids have uses other than creating NFL lineman sized behemoths. You wouldn't want to be that bulky in cycling or track, yet both of those sports have had major steroid controversies.

The NHL, for some reason, has been magically a much cleaner league than most others over the past few years. By no means is it perfect. Todd Bertuzzi, Sean Hill, and Rick Tocchet have created major scandals in the hockey world. But Rick Tocchet never bet on NHL games or fed NHL related info to those who would be placing bets, unlike the similar controversy in the NBA. Sean Hill is the lone steroid suspension in the NHL, unlike the multiple in the NFL and MLB. Todd Bertuzzi is somehow still in uniform, but his actions are no worse than those of Albert Haynesworth (NFL) or Jose Offerman (baseball).
Sure the NHL has fighting, but name the last time you saw a bench-clearing brawl in the NHL. I can't even think of one, and I don't think one has happened in my lifetime. Now compare that to other major team sports. The University of Miami and Florida International University just last year in NCAA Football. And we all know about what happened between the Pacers and Pistons. Etc.

For some virtually unexplainable reason, the NHL has been a league with a seemingly clean record in terms of scandals (well, aside of the lockout, but that's a whole different matter). And steroids isn't an exception to that phenomena.