Chargers Players did Steroids in the 60s

[TD4LT]

http://www.examiner.net/stories/0504...50405025.shtml
Sports Commentary


Panel results in lively talk on steroids


Bill Althaus
The Examiner


LAWRENCE, Kan. -- When I received an e-mail from the director of communications at the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics on the campus of the University of Kansas, I was puzzled.



Why would one of the most respected political institutes in the country be contacting a sports columnist?

Well, as it turns out, the Dole Institute's speakers' series, which has included a few individuals you might have heard of like former President Bill Clinton and anchorman Tom Brokaw, has a wide scope of topics.

Tuesday night, I joined former University of Kansas and San Diego Chargers quarterback John Hadl and Bill James P the stat guru who is to baseball geeks what Darth Vader is to Star Wars clones P in a lively panel discussion about steroids.

Hadl, a member of the University of Kansas athletic staff, poked some fun at himself before he talked about the horrors of steroid abuse he witnessed while playing in the old American Football League.

"I'm the dinosaur of the group," Hadl said, "and I can tell you that I was introduced to steroids in 1966.

"Our strength coach (with the Chargers) was a guy named Alvin Roy. We called him the medicine man. He gave guys little cups with these pills in them.

"None of us knew what they were, but I later found out they were steroids. About 10 of us didn't take them P and I'm happy that I was among that group.

"They weren't illegal back then, but I know a lot of guys who did take them, and they're really having problems today.

"But two months after taking them, they were huge. The guys who didn't take them, well, they weren't huge. And that's the problem. Do you risk your health to succeed in your sport?

"Now, back when I played, I'd say no. But today, you have guys looking at $12 million contracts, and if they think steroids will help them get the big money, they might be willing to take them."

I agree with the former quarterback legend, who didn't pull any punches in his presentation.

James, the man who made baseball stats cool, said, "All the talk in the (Congressional) hearings has been about steroids. Steroids, steroids, steroids. What about greenies? What about stuff that hasn't even been invented yet?"

I love baseball, and I believe the recent steroid scandal has cast a shadow over the sport that will linger for years.

Does anyone really want Barry Bonds P a great, great player P to break Hank Aaron's all-time home run record? Hammerin' Hank didn't need to jam a needle in his fanny to smack 755 bombs, and I'm not saying that Bonds needed 'roids to become the best player in the game, but his association with BALCO's Victor Conte and personal trainer Greg Anderson has to raise questions.

What's even more disturbing is the fact that countless thousands of prep athletes might be willing to risk the use of steroids to succeed in their respective sports.

Let's face it P steroids are illegal. If you want to succeed, don't mess with dangerous shortcuts. Work hard to earn your success.

Your organs and body will thank you for it.

To reach Bill Althaus send e-mail to bill.althaus@examiner.net or call 350-6395.


sup with this?

[conair103]

long time ago

[TD4LT]

still thought it was important to bring up
maybe not

[friarfish]

everyone did it back then

[TD4LT]

o well news to me

[JoeMcRugby]

Steroids were not tested in the NFL until the late 80s.

Confirmed steroid usage did not result in any type of punishment from the NFL until 1990.

Steroid usage was not illegal (without a doctor's prescription) until 1991.

Hence, steroid usage was rampant throughout the NFL through the late 80s.

Absolutely no surprise that Chargers (and players from every other franchise) were using steroids liberally during that time frame.

[phicart]

From the 1880's until around 1901...the same time period that pro football and baseball was born, cocaine was a legal ingedient in health tonics and other drinks, including coca cola. The search for and use of products to enhance health or performance has always been around. It will continue to be so. While a lot of these products have proven to be unwise to take, they can't be considered as "cheating" until they are deemed banned or illegal.

[thehotdelancey]

definitely... definitely a reason we hear about so many dying at young ages...not just from football damage, but also damage from the steroids. Thank god that they are cracking down on it.

[AlaBolt]

remember the oakland raider lyal alzado(spelling probably wrong) starred in alot of hollywood movies, after he retired,...died at 38 riod user ...( heart attack) he was a great player in the 70's, one of the movies I remember was Ice Pirates....

[IgorUnchained]

Originally Posted by AlaBolt

remember the oakland raider lyal alzado(spelling probably wrong) starred in alot of hollywood movies, after he retired,...died at 38 riod user ...( heart attack) he was a great player in the 70's, one of the movies I remember was Ice Pirates....

I had a Lyle Alzedo and a Howie Long poster back in the day. They were Baaad dudes and I wasnt a Raider Hater back then. It is true that they werent testing for Steroids back then, but I think what they are doing now is even worse than how they were. It is now a witch hunt out there and anyone who tests positive for a Red Bull is going to make the news and have to testify in front of congress.


There was a time when even the Olympics were rampant with Steroids....the East German Women's swim team always looked alot like Mike Tice with one thick eyebrow..... the Olympics still have failed drug tests, but it isnt news for weeks at a time unless a medal is stripped.

Cheating is cheating, and there is no excuse for any of it. Steroids are MEDICINE and are not to be abused. Asthmatics and short people that I know were given steroids at one point or another....it isnt like this stuff is heroin. The side effects are EVIL and the risks are high (Lyle Alzedo), but if prescribed by a doctor they are no worse than most of the drugs they sell on TV that may cause drowsiness, hair loss, ringing in the ears and 4 hour erections.

Ive noticed that alot of folks have dismissed Castillo's steroid use because of alot of convenient excuses and his ability to have his lawyers write a good letter...but ask yourself if Terrell Owens took steroids "just to get his knee healthy for the Super Bowl" if you would be as "OK with it".

Personally, I dont care at all one way or the other. Besides the black eye the Bolts take in this day and age of steroids in the papers and on the news, I couldnt care less.

I hope Congress and the sports media can move on as well.