Blogcritics Author: Sal Marinello

The NFL's Drug Problem Rears Its Ugly Head, Again

Sal Marinello — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 02:57:17 EDT

The worst-kept secret in all of sports, the National Football League's performance-enhancing drug problem, is back in the spotlight.
According to news reports eight NFL players have tested positive for banned substances under the league's steroid policy, and four of these failed tests involve a diuretic called Bumantanide. The cover story being floated by the players alleged to have failed the drug tests is that the diuretic, or "water pill," was being used as a weight loss...

Ignore the "Obese Police"

Sal Marinello — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:23:11 EDT

I�m not talking about cops who are fat, but rather the butt-in-skis who are obsessed with body weight and body fat.
Unless you’ve been unconscious, live in a cave, or are a member of the lost tribe of the Amazon, you’ve heard about the overweight/obesity “epidemic.” You've also been subjected to myriad reports, studies, reviews, and opinions that fat is bad and that too many people have too much of it. Television shows like The...

Ryan Fowler Is Latest NFL Player Implicated By David Jacobs

Sal Marinello — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:58:10 EDT

Before he killed himself, drug dealer David Jacobs allegedly implicated the Tennessee Titans linebacker a performance enhancing drug use/seller.
The NFL is slouching towards its BALCO moment. Monday it was revealed that the now-at-room-temperature drug dealer David Jacobs implicated Tennessee Titans linebacker Ryan Fowler as either purchasing, using or supplying performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). Fowler’s lawyer shot back with the obligatory, but ultimately hollow denial.Here’s...

Let Dwain Chambers Run In The Olympics

Sal Marinello — Fri, 6 Jun 2008 14:28:31 EDT

Chambers the drug cheat did the crime and has served his time. Let him run and see what happens.
Much to the chagrin of British track and field officials, disgraced British sprinter Dwain Chambers is mounting a comeback. His goal is to make the British Olympic team in the 100-meter dash this year after a two-year ban from the sport, his punishment for being a drug cheat who followed the BALCO Labs regimen.Chambers was banned for two-years but...

The Ramble: Steroids are Worse Than Gambling, Drug Free Olympics Impossible, Trevor Graham Trial Fallout, Horses on Steroids and the Dog Days of June

Sal Marinello — Mon, 26 May 2008 13:04:24 EDT

Talk of steroids, human growth hormone, EPO continue to dominate in the world of sports.
For anyone willing to pay attention and who is interested in learning about the issue of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) in sports, these are very interesting times. New aspects of this story are revealed daily and as a result the sports world will never be the same, and will never be viewed in the same way again.Steroids Are Worse Than...

Government Is Involved With Everything We Do, Not Just Sports

Sal Marinello — Sat, 17 May 2008 16:01:14 EDT

Congress and other branches of the federal government are willing to involve themselves in the business of sport. Why is this a surprise?
Ever since Congress held their first hearing about steroids and baseball denizens of the blogosphere, the mainstream media and the world of fandom have been critical of the government’s involvement in the world of sport (Check here, here, here, here and here for examples!). With the release of the Mitchell Report and the investigations into...

The Ramble: Steroids, Steroids Everywhere and Human Growth Hormone Too

Sal Marinello — Wed, 7 May 2008 10:34:16 EDT

Stories related to steroids (and other PEDs) dominate the sports pages, from the Kentucky Derby to the NFL, from baseball to the Olympics.
The Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) in sports story continues to evolve and will not go away. There are people who don’t care or wish that the PEDs story would go away, but their apathy and/or denial of reality has no effect on this snowballing situation.Eight Belles’ Tragic End. Both the trainer and owner of the tragic Kentucky...

The Ramble: Steroid Busts, Steroid Tests, Steroid Trials, Steroid Investigations, And Falling Production

Sal Marinello — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:47:59 EDT

In the past week there have been a ton of stories dealing with steroids and human growth hormone (HGH).
The present episode of the steroids/human growth hormone in sports story is a series of interconnected events that can be tied back to the BALCO Labs story, and this episode is but a chapter in a larger volume of stories than can be traced back to the Ben Johnson/Seoul Olympics scandal of 20 years ago. In the past week there have been a few stories...

The Ramble: Smaller Baseball Players, an Olympic Weightlifting Drug Scandal, Drug Snitches and Drug Cheats, Hamstring Injuries and Tiger Loses the Masters

Sal Marinello — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:32:11 EDT

As a recurring theme, the steroids and HGH in sports story dominates the news once again. Oh, and Tiger lost.
The public may not care, but the issue of performance-enhancing drugs in sports will not go away. As this is an Olympic year and the World Anti-Doping Agency and governing boards of sport – along with law enforcement – have decided to crack down on drug cheats, this news will continue to dominate. Of course there will be other...

Buh-Bye Shea Stadium

Sal Marinello — Tue, 8 Apr 2008 20:49:02 EDT

Today is the last Opening Day in the Toilet by the Bay. It�s fitting that Shea Stadium is located in Flushing.
As someone who grew up about a mile from Shea Stadium on 77th Street and Northern Boulevard in Jackson Heights, Queens, I have a particular affinity/hatred and disgust for Shea Stadium. Since I’ve been 10 years old I have attended Mets and Jets games at Shea and I have vivid memories from both baseball and football contests. As opposed to New...