_2.gif "Time.com 50 Best Websites 2008")
Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw (who is still, you know, not dead) clarified on Tuesday his recent remarks regarding steroid use during his career.
“I’m not bodybuilding here,” Bradshaw told the New York Daily News. “They were not those kind of steroids. They were anti-inflammatories.”
Bradshaw claims he took corticosteroids, an anti-inflammatory that is not a prohibited substance under NFL rules. He says he did not take anabolic steroids.
Fine, but let’s not lose sight of the realities of the era in which Bradshaw played. Using anabolic steroids wasn’t against the rules in the 1970s. Anabolic steroids weren’t even illegal then. The federal law that targets these compounds didn’t come into existence until 1990.
And though we hardly consider ourselves to be experts regarding the differences between the potential benefits of corticosteroids and anabolic steroids, Bradshaw’s initial reference on The Dan Patrick Show to the healing powers of the steroids Bradshaw took immediately reminded us of Mike Golic’s steroid use admission.
Let’s also not lose sight of Bradshaw’s initial remark: “We did steroids to get away the aches and the speed of healing.”
“We did steroids.”
The Daily News gives our pal Dan Patrick (shameless plug alert – I’ll be on his show at 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday, at which time I’ll talk about my use of Claritin and Pepto-Bismol) a backhanded slap for not immediately requesting clarification from Bradshaw.
Um . . . “We did steroids.”
What clarification is needed?
“We did steroids.”
The only possible thing Patrick could have said at the time was, “Terry, are you saying that you and your teammates did steroids?” But, then again, we already had the answer.
“We did steroids.”
If Bradshaw was only referring to the still-permissible use of corticosteroids, is there any reason to say, “We did steroids”?
And so Bradshaw’s clarification will be accepted by the media, and we’ll all move forward pretending not to realize how rampant the use of anabolic steroids was in the NFL during the 1970s and 1980s, and how rampant is still might be today.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times reported in July 2006 that 18 former Steelers from the 1970s and 1980s had died since 2000.
“We did steroids.”
June 25th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
One chink in Bradshaw’s story.
Corticosteroids decrease wound healing. Look it up.
If he was taking a steroid to increase healing, it wasn’t a corticosteroid.
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: 1 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
June 25th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
As the author clearly states, no steroids of any type were banned by the NFL until 1987.
If you think for one moment that the 1970’s Steelers were the only ones using corticos or anabolics you are completely delusional.
Was that use stupid? Yes. Did it shorten the lives of the players? Probably. Did each player make the decision to use of their own free will? Yes. Was that decision wrong? Absolutely.
Was it cheating? No.
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
June 25th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Florio attacking another Dynasty. What’s the matter Florio, are you a fan of the Cardinals or something?
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
June 25th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
jaxdolfan–
Corticosteroids do indeed inhibit open wound healing.
What they do is reduce inflammation in internal injuries, most specifically muscle, tendon and ligament damage, which speeds the healing of those particular injuries. Look it up.
Somehow I doubt Bradshaw was taking corticos for that cleat gash on his leg.
Anabolics do nothing to reduce inflammation or speed healing, so use of these would be counterproductive in this circumstance.
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
June 26th, 2008 at 1:53 am
I’ve taken Prednisone, a corticosteroid, periodically for 20 years to manage a minor kidney ailment. However I would never say that I’ve “done steroids.” I would say “I’ve taken Prednisone.” Maybe Bradshaw didn’t know the name of the drug he was prescribed, but if he was telling the truth about it being a corticosteroid, this much is certain: he did not take a performance-enhancing drug. Corticosteroids reduce inflammation which obviously can help an injured player get back on the field. But they’re also catabolic, the opposite of anabolic, and high doses over an extended period of time can break down muscle tissue and increase fat deposits. A physically fit individual who only takes corticosteroids periodically to reduce inflammation won’t suffer these effects, but he won’t suddenly find adding weight to the bar in the gym easier, either.
(report as inappropriate)
Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)