This could be a big deal (steroids)

[Mr. Scot]

Stubblefield naming steroid users, suppliers

Former NFL defensive lineman Dana Stubblefield has received two years’ probation for lying to federal investigators.

The relatively lenient penalty apparently has resulted from the fact that Stubblefield has been “providing information to federal authorities and the league regarding steroid use and distribution in the sport,” according to ESPN.com.

Uh. Oh.

A sentencing memorandum filed Thursday indicates that, as part of his plea arrangement, Stubblefield provided to authorities “the names of players, trainers, and others associated with the NFL who may be involved in ongoing activities with illegal drugs in professional football.”

Per the report, Stubblefield already has been interviewed by the NFL regarding his knowledge regarding illegal drug use in the NFL.

Though he last played in 2003, plenty of guys who were in the league then still play pro football. More importantly, plenty of trainers and other team officials who might have knowledge of or involvement in official drug use likely are still drawing NFL paychecks.

Frankly, however, we fear a bit for Stubblefield’s safety. The last guy who tried to name names regarding steroids use in the NFL committed suicide before any suspensions could stick.

Suicide, via multiple gunshot wounds.

[Kevin Greene]

Frickin' rat.

[Darth Hater]

It all makes sense now, I knew Gramatica was juicing.

[mountainpantherfan]

Anyone who believes that the NFL is a steriod free sport would go into the same category that believes that professional wrestling is a steroid free sport. All you have to do is look at the players and see that normal humans don't look like that natuarlly.

Personally, I don't see the difference in football players using steriods and taking cordizone shots. Both are "performance enhancers" and are equally dangerous in the long term. How is it ethical to allow a player to take a medical drug to play through serious injuries yet not allow them to take medical drugs to help prevent those injuries. And as a husband of a high school althectic trainer, this doesn't just happen in college and in the pros.

No one really wants to expose the under belly of the NFL because if you did then there is a lot that people just don't want to see and the NFL is too popular for the public to want to expose it for what it is. And yes, I'm one of those.

[Mr. Scot]

If he names a really big name, someone the league has used as a "face", the excrement will most certainly hit the rotating blades.

Even worse though, if he exposes a subculture.

The league has been able to survive publicity hits largely because people see the testing, suspensions and such as evidence that the league is doing everything they humanly can to fight the problem. Thus, they put all the blame on the players.

If Stubblefield makes it look like the league is ineffective at combating the problem, they'll definitely take a PR hit. And given the labor situation, the timing ain't so good.

[Doc Holiday]

if teh poo does in fact hit the fan, I'll wonder how many people will try and get a book deal.

Here's my take on the whole steroids and Football thing.

In the NFL the fans just don't care about it as much as base ball fans do, Football fans care only about next season/game/play, Base Ball fans care about the history of the game, Football fans would be more concerned about how long the player will be suspended and Base Ball fans are more concerned about if his record should have a asterisk next to it or not.

See what I mean?

[Mr. Scot]

There are certainly factors that could make it less of a disaster for football than it's been for baseball.

First, it's a valid point that football is nowhere near as stat driven as baseball.

Also true that just sheer numbers make a difference. There are 53 guys on a football team, 22 on field at any given time, and all of them involved at once. Baseball only has 10 guys on the field at once, and only two or three generally involved in a given play. Football teams also are often better equipped to cope with the loss of a player to suspension than baseball just on sheer depth.

Public perception plays a part too. Baseball lagged behind on steroid enforcement until they were essentially forced to do something about it by congress. The NFL has been proactive, hence people's perception that they're doing what they can.

You also have to consider that the steroid scandal has involved some of baseball's biggest names. Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, etc. To get the NFL equivalent you'd likely have to have the scandal involve guys like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Somehow, when I look at those guys physiques, I just don't think "steroid user". Brady may have a big head, but it's an ego issue, not a physical one.

There's also the relative status. Baseball was down after the strike, nearly out. The guys who "saved" baseball (McGwire and Sosa) wound up looking dirty. Football doesn't need to be "saved". Football is king of all it surveys.

And finally, unless it's league-wide and ubiquitous, you can pretty much expect the fanbases with little to no users would point to their rivals that did and cry "dirty team", not "dirty league".

All that said, I still think, depending on the names that come out, and the information related (especially as to how they avoided detection) could wind up giving the league a big black eye.

I think the labor situation is a much bigger worry right now, mind you, but I'd hate to see these things compound each other.

[goodlay]

Exactly Scot, the reason why it was so big in baseball was because it was the heroes of the league. (Sosa, McGuire, etc.) In football it'll be guys like Jeremy Bridges most likely, just more linemen trying to get juiced up.

[Delhommey]

It also helps that football isn't boring as poo.

[outlaw4]

It also helps that football isn't boring as sh*t.

I think Mr. Scot has hit all the right points. In a way, football players should feel fortunate that the regular season is only a certain number of games a year instead of 100+ games for baseball. That, and they get to "hide" behind helmets while baseball players are out in the open. It's easier to boo someone when you can see their face and the relative pace of the game is slow.

Finally, how can you really tell a football player is doing the stuff if everyone else around them are bulked up the way they are? It doesn't stick out like it would in baseball.