Jason Giambi allegedly admits taking steroids

  • Thread starter 4xchampncountin
  • Start date
4

4xchampncountin

Guest
According to a story floating around, Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees allegedly admited to a grand jury that he took illegal steroids.

The grand jury is investigating the actions of BALCO, a sports supplement company who supplies Giambi, Barry Bonds and many other high profile athletes with performance inhancing drugs. Someone allegedly got their hands on a transcript from the case where Giambi admitted taking injectable steroids supplied by his BALCO agent and personal trainer. Giambi said he knew nothing of Barry Bonds or any other player taking any type of steroids, saying those things were kept very private.

There are many, many ramifications if this turns out to be true. There is talk that the Yankees may try to void the remaining $80 million on his contract saying that his statistics were inflated by the steroids, basically tricking the Yankees into giving him the 7 year $120 million contract they gave him to steal him from the Oakland A's. Although I can't imagine that getting very far. The players union will fight that to the death. The union's stance is that the collective bargaining agreement basically outweighs anything in a particular players contract. The agreement states that a player gets basically no penalty for a first time drug use, mostly intended for cocaine, hippie lettuce, etc. Although it would almost surely apply to steroids also. The real reason the Yankees want to void the rest of his contract is that the guy is a stiff. He had a couple of good years and the Yankees overreacted and paid him a king's ransom to get him from the A's via free agency.

People are saying the game is now tainted. I say that is complete crap. If anyone thinks that Giambi is the only player on steroids they are completely naive. These guys are on creatine, ripped fuel, and hundreds of other performance enhancing substances every day. Kurt Gibson's memorable home run in the world series wouldn't have been possible without some heavy narcotics allowing him to pinch hit with a severely injured leg. These guys get pharmaceutical help every single day. To say that even if Giambi took steroids (which seems pretty likely) that every thing he did on the field is tainted is rediculous.

If Barry Bonds is found to have used banned substances that doesn't mean he didn't hit every one of those 700+ home runs he has hit.

There is not a substance in the world that will allow you to put the bat on the ball when it is coming in there at 90+ mph and is sinking, slicing, curving, tailing and anything else.
 
4xchampncountin said:
There is not a substance in the world that will allow you to put the bat on the ball when it is coming in there at 90+ mph and is sinking, slicing, curving, tailing and anything else.


No, but there are substances that will make the difference between a 240 feet double and a 350 feet homerun.
 
Using illegal substances obviously taints the accomplishments of those using them and the players should be ashamed of themselves. I would be in favor of banning anyone found guilty of using steroids or any other performance enhancing substances. They are making a mockery of what sports should be.
 
that's what happens when you become a traitor from the Oakland A's and go to the highest bidder (Yankees)...sorry...
 
esorlxaw said:
that's what happens when you become a traitor from the Oakland A's and go to the highest bidder (Yankees)...sorry...
It happens every year to the A's. Oakland doesn't have the money to keep all the talent within the organization.
 
gordon24fan said:
It happens every year to the A's. Oakland doesn't have the money to keep all the talent within the organization.

I know, but you notice that they crank out some pretty awesome players. It jus goes to show you that money doesn't neccesarily equal a good player. Its a good development program like the A's have and have had for a long time. Giambi and Tejada are just recent examples.
 
Money will build the better teams in baseball. The small market teams have little chance under the current arrangement.

As far as performance enhancing substances, we are just seeing the beginning of what is hidden under the rug, unfortunately.

The reason for all the home runs?
Players are stronger (steroids), ballparks are smaller, balls are livelier, bats have more torque, expansion has diluted pitching, and there are a few more games.
 
The game has changed for several reasons. These guys train all the time. Every day of the year. In the old days most players had full-time jobs in the off season to pay the bills. Very few players made enough money to only play baseball. Anymore, even an average major leaguer makes enough money to do whatever the heck he wants in the off season. And most of them choose to work out, often with a personal trainer. They look at that as a good investment, and they are right. With a very few exceptions (Gabe Kapler of the Red Sox being one) getting bigger and stronger leads to better stats and more money. Kapler bulked up so much it hurt his game.

With so many supplements being legal, I really have a hard time understanding why guys like Giambi would risk taking the few illegal substances out there. In Giambi's case, it appears to have made him about $120 million over 7 years. But, I really doubt he could not have had virtually the same effect from taking creatine, andro (not illegal at the time), or any combination of legal supplements.
 
If anyone watched 20/20 tonight on TV they would have seen the founder of Balco, Conte, tell all. He stated that probably 80% of baseball players are taking performance enhancing substances. A huge scandal is about to hit sports.
 
muggle not said:
If anyone watched 20/20 tonight on TV they would have seen the founder of Balco, Conte, tell all. He stated that probably 80% of baseball players are taking performance enhancing substances. A huge scandal is about to hit sports.

80% might be a low figure. Virtually all of them take some kind of performance enhancing substance. How many of them take illegal substances is a better question.
 
4xchampncountin said:
80% might be a low figure. Virtually all of them take some kind of performance enhancing substance. How many of them take illegal substances is a better question.
Steroid use is illegal and Conte stated that probably 50% use steroids to enhance their performance.

Prior to age 35 Barry Bonds did not hit a single home run that went over 450 feet. After age 35, when most player's performance declines, Bonds hit 21 home runs that went over 450 feet. This occurred at the same time that he all of a sudden became very muscular.
 
Athletes may deny it, but it does happen all the time. The testing needs to be stricter across the board.
Good grascious, look at alcohol abuse, herbs, and other banned substances used by many.
Giambi and Bonds are not alone!
 
The use of steroids is a sad state of affairs. Conte stated that he had Marion Jones on a scheduled use of steroids when she won all the Gold Medals in the 2000 Olympics. All the records that have been set are cheapened by athletes using steroids.
 
How about the guy who works in the factory that makes the parts for your car (or the car itself) who smokes a joint or two before his shift starts? Or who is hung over from a night of perfectly legal drinking the night before?

Or the doctor who hasn't slept in over 24 hours but is working the emergency room when you or your child have a serious accident?

Or the manager or executive who has a few perfectly legal drinks on lunch and then goes back to work? The decisions he makes that day will likely effect the lives of their subordinates for years to come. Maybe he goes back and carries on job interviews in a slightly altered state. Talk about a butterfly effect. :huh:

I've seen all of these happen. And they all concern me much more greatly than whether or not Bonds and Giambi are a little more juiced than the league says they should be.
 
And we can discuss all of those, however, the thread was about Giambi and the use of steroids by athletes which is a serious problem. :)
 
4xchampncountin said:
How about the guy who works in the factory that makes the parts for your car (or the car itself) who smokes a joint or two before his shift starts? Or who is hung over from a night of perfectly legal drinking the night before?

Or the doctor who hasn't slept in over 24 hours but is working the emergency room when you or your child have a serious accident?

Or the manager or executive who has a few perfectly legal drinks on lunch and then goes back to work? The decisions he makes that day will likely effect the lives of their subordinates for years to come. Maybe he goes back and carries on job interviews in a slightly altered state. Talk about a butterfly effect. :huh:

I've seen all of these happen. And they all concern me much more greatly than whether or not Bonds and Giambi are a little more juiced than the league says they should be.

Nobody said that those people couldn't take steroids.
 
bx3 said:
Nobody said that those people couldn't take steroids.

That's true, and sometimes steroids are indicated for medical problems as well.
However....prolonged use will damage the adrenal system. (that includes kidneys)
 
Back
Top Bottom