11/21/24
October 06, 2004
Sheffield admits to steroid use ... sorta.: NY Yankee outfielder Gary Sheffield has told Sports Illustrated that a cream he received from BALCO and used on his knee contained steroids, but he didn't know it. The league says its has no recourse because the use took place two years ago. Anyone else make it a habit of reading the label of something before they rub it on themselves?
what would you expect the label to say, "this bottle contains illegal steriods?"
posted by goddam at 01:02 PM on October 06, 2004
something tells me it didn't have a label, or at least not a detailed and clear one. Thoughts that come to mind: - good for him for being honest - what steroid was it? Was it illegal at the time, or is it one of these THG things that wasn't known yet and wasn't illegal? Was it an actual steroid or was it a hormone like THG (technically not a steroid) - once we know the above question, what are the effects of it? From what I know of anabolics, topical solutions provide very little muscle building benefit. To get full power you need to inject it, or in some cases, swallow it. If it was only being applied to the knee, it's not even being absorbed into an area with good muscle mass. Sprays and cremes that I am familiar with are usually applied in the following areas: thighs, traps, upper chest. Putting it on the knee, if that's the whole truth about where he put it, really would make you think you were using something to help the joint and ligs, and not so much your overall muscles. - who the hell uses stuff given to them by a sketchy lab your friend uses without doing your own research into it? - what effect did it actually have on his training, his strength, his recovery time, his injury, etc. while he was using it?
posted by Bernreuther at 01:53 PM on October 06, 2004
Topical steroids don't do jack for building muscle; they're used either as an anti-inflammatory agent or for various dermatological disorders. If it really was a topical steroid that's causing the fuss, I just don't get it. It's like crying "drug user!" if someone were to receive liquid cocaine during eye surgery.
posted by Skot at 03:00 PM on October 06, 2004
As a Boston kinda guy, I'd love to say that Sheffield was cheating, but it doesn't seem like that was the case. Looks like he's just being honest. Does anyone know if a topical sterioid cream could actually affect his performance?
posted by Samsonov14 at 05:21 PM on October 06, 2004
If it really was a topical steroid that's causing the fuss, I just don't get it. It's like crying "drug user!" if someone were to receive liquid cocaine during eye surgery. That was my thought too. Don't steroid creams sometimes get used for really bad poison ivy and other contact dermatitis type nasties?
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:37 PM on October 06, 2004
the stuff used for poison ivy, asthma and such is a corticosteroid (anti-inflammatories like prednisone and hydrocortisone). they are different than anabolic steroids (which do come in cream and gel form)
posted by goddam at 12:05 AM on October 07, 2004
"Hey my knee hurts." "Here, try some steroids." ".... Okaaaaay."
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 12:22 AM on October 07, 2004
What is this stuff called "< i>b>clear" Its supposed to help your "recovery time" and is used putting in under you togne? Gary said he had taken that too!
posted by daddisamm at 01:36 PM on October 07, 2004
I had the same thought, samm. It's one thing to be putting something on your knee of which you allegedly have no clue of its contents (wink wink). It's quite another to admit you were taking a steroid that was supposed to help you recover more quickly from workouts.
posted by wfrazerjr at 04:58 PM on October 07, 2004
I want to believe Sheffield. On the surface, this looks like an attempt by him to cover his tracks. If MLB is going to control use of banned substances, they need to implement year around, manditory testing. The Genie has been let out of the bottle; it will be very difficult to get it back in!