Summer of Steroids?

By: Matthew Felling
Topics: Media Issues

(CBS)

America's cultural discussion about steroids in sports – already hitting its stride with a Major League Baseball investigation – is about to shift into high gear. The story of professional wrestler Chris Benoit killing his wife and son before hanging himself has jarred America from a state of detached concern to all-out worry.

Media sensations are a difficult calculus to break down, but chances are we're about to begin a larger discussion about performance-enhancing drugs, along with their social and physical costs. Five elements could raise this story into the Summer of Steroids.

First off: In the wake of the intensely-researched book "Game of Shadows" – a look at the role of steroids in baseball, and San Francisco Giant Barry Bonds's relationship with a firm called BALCO -- Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell was tapped by Major League Baseball to lead an investigation into the matter. Their work has been hampered by the fact that current players haven't been willing to participate. Until now. New York Yankee slugger Jason Giambi announced last week that he will be the first active athlete to comply with the panel's fact-finding mission. As Newsday reported:

"I will address my own personal history regarding steroids. I will not discuss in any fashion any other individual," Giambi said in a statement.

Secondly: Major League Baseball's All-Star Game will take place in Barry Bonds' home ballpark on July 10th, and the national discussion of the allegations against him will be ratcheted up in the days beforehand. And it's looking as if the fans are revolting against him already:

The lack of public support for Barry Bonds as he stands on the brink of becoming the greatest slugger in baseball's history is laid bare by the latest voting figures for next month's All Star Game.

Bonds, the 42-year-old San Francisco Giants outfielder who is six home runs from equalling Hank Aaron's record of 755, is only fourth in his position in the fan voting. Bonds trails Carlos Beltran, Ken Griffey Jr and Alfonso Soriano, three established stars who are having impressive but not exceptional seasons.

Thirdly: A related factor in the Barry Bonds hoopla will doubtlessly be the fact that he is nearing one of the most famous sports records of all: Hank Aaron's home run record of 755. Currently at 748, the fact that he continues to creep up on the number under such a cloud of controversy will keep this discussion going for the next month.

Fourth: Most unfortunately, the Benoit story. According to CBS Sportsline:

Pro wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife, suffocated his 7-year-old son and placed a Bible next to their bodies before hanging himself with a weight-machine pulley, authorities said Tuesday.

Investigators found anabolic steroids in the house and want to know whether the muscle man nicknamed "The Canadian Crippler" was unhinged by the bodybuilding drugs, which can cause paranoia, depression and explosive outbursts known as "roid rage."

The Benoit story has numerous elements that could keep it on the media's radar for quite awhile, especially because…

Fifth: It's summer in the media. And the cable channels like to find a single story – whether it is shark attacks, a spate of pedophilia cases in the Roman Catholic Church or Chandra Levy's disappearance – to fascinate the American public for weeks on end. A drug scandal in The American Pastime, with an additional nudge from a grisly story involving a professional wrestler, could be the ingredients that when added together may make this the Summer of Steroids.

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by sanfelz June 27, 2007 11:21 PM EDT: There are medical reasons to use anabolic steroids -conditions where the benefits exceed the risks-but the risks are real, great and the information about the dangers is readily available.
On a related matter, Harry Smith neatly dissected Floyd Landis over the last two mornings.; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 June 27, 2007 6:40 PM EDT: Technology, nutrition, and imaginative training techniques should all be allowed and incorporated in the development of our elite athletes. Maybe even bio-robotics and cloning could be integrated in prospective contestants that will never have a family life, nor will know nothing more then living in a cage and being forced fed performance enhancing drugs and be subject to android surgery and extreme training.

Is it the value of the performance we require in our elite athletes, or is it the value of the game?; Reply to this comment