Author Topic: The league is packed with talent right now and I think it might be due to HGH  (Read 23488 times)

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Offline rondohondo

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I suspect that there's widespread use of HGH and similar drugs in the four major sports.

Anthony Davis on draft day .....



Anthony Davis 4 months later.....







things that make you go hmmmm :o

Offline indeedproceed

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I suspect that there's widespread use of HGH and similar drugs in the four major sports.

Anthony Davis on draft day .....



Anthony Davis 4 months later.....







things that make you go hmmmm :o

See here is where the PED's argument hits a wall for me.

Tell me why a kid like Davis, consensus #1 overall pick, on a rebuilding team with honestly very low expectations this season, and coming off of a career year, would take PED's between draft day and the beginning of the season?

He's got a guaranteed contract. He's already the #1 pick. He has literally everything to lose by getting caught and very, very, little to gain.

It is exponentially more likely that he got a nutritional adviser and a personal trainer and worked hard.

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Offline Rondo2287

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http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/15093944/wades-denial-of-peds-in-nba-hardly-believable

Decent article on the topic.  Could we get the refs some of those PED's that enhance eyesight?

I thought the article rather well...dumb. The article, summed up in less than 20 words: "Other sports denied all knowledge before they got busted. Wade denied all knowledge. Basketball is a sport."

It's your typical fence-sitter, no substance, waste of space article.


I disagree, I mean if you were hoping it would have inside information on steroids in basketball than ya, you were let down.  But reinforcing the point that muscles isnt the only barometer of PED's is important.  A basketball player could gain a much greater advantage by increasing spead, reactions, jumping and rehab than other sports where people desire more power.

But isn't that point true in virtually every sport?

When I think of Football and hitting a Baseball I think Strength is one of the best enhancements that PED's can provide you.  I don't think its as applicable in basketball because the attributes I just mentioned are probably more desirable than strength.  I mean Rashard Lewis never really struck me as being jacked, but he is the one that got caught.

IIRC Rashard Lewis said he had bought an OTC supplement back in 2006 that he didn't know contained banned substances. People generally bought that explanation. I'm not sure you can use him as a template for PED abuse.

David Ortiz said the same thing, thats what they all say
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Offline rondohondo

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I suspect that there's widespread use of HGH and similar drugs in the four major sports.

Anthony Davis on draft day .....



Anthony Davis 4 months later.....







things that make you go hmmmm :o

See here is where the PED's argument hits a wall for me.

Tell me why a kid like Davis, consensus #1 overall pick, on a rebuilding team with honestly very low expectations this season, and coming off of a career year, would take PED's between draft day and the beginning of the season?

He's got a guaranteed contract. He's already the #1 pick. He has literally everything to lose by getting caught and very, very, little to gain.

It is exponentially more likely that he got a nutritional adviser and a personal trainer and worked hard.

very little to gain? How about a max contract? He is on a rookie contract for his first 4 or 5 years . I just don't see how someone can get that much bigger and cut in such a little amount of time .

Offline Roy H.

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I suspect that there's widespread use of HGH and similar drugs in the four major sports.

Anthony Davis on draft day .....



Anthony Davis 4 months later.....







things that make you go hmmmm :o

See here is where the PED's argument hits a wall for me.

Tell me why a kid like Davis, consensus #1 overall pick, on a rebuilding team with honestly very low expectations this season, and coming off of a career year, would take PED's between draft day and the beginning of the season?

He's got a guaranteed contract. He's already the #1 pick. He has literally everything to lose by getting caught and very, very, little to gain.

It is exponentially more likely that he got a nutritional adviser and a personal trainer and worked hard.

The NBA doesn't test for HGH, right?

What's the risk if there's a 0% chance you'll test dirty?  (I'm not saying Davis is or isn't using, but the "what does he have to gain" argument doesn't make much sense when there's little to no chance he or anybody else would ever be caught.)


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Offline indeedproceed

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http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/15093944/wades-denial-of-peds-in-nba-hardly-believable

Decent article on the topic.  Could we get the refs some of those PED's that enhance eyesight?

I thought the article rather well...dumb. The article, summed up in less than 20 words: "Other sports denied all knowledge before they got busted. Wade denied all knowledge. Basketball is a sport."

It's your typical fence-sitter, no substance, waste of space article.


I disagree, I mean if you were hoping it would have inside information on steroids in basketball than ya, you were let down.  But reinforcing the point that muscles isnt the only barometer of PED's is important.  A basketball player could gain a much greater advantage by increasing spead, reactions, jumping and rehab than other sports where people desire more power.

But isn't that point true in virtually every sport?

When I think of Football and hitting a Baseball I think Strength is one of the best enhancements that PED's can provide you.  I don't think its as applicable in basketball because the attributes I just mentioned are probably more desirable than strength.  I mean Rashard Lewis never really struck me as being jacked, but he is the one that got caught.

IIRC Rashard Lewis said he had bought an OTC supplement back in 2006 that he didn't know contained banned substances. People generally bought that explanation. I'm not sure you can use him as a template for PED abuse.

David Ortiz said the same thing, thats what they all say

That doesn't mean Shard was habitually using HGH with full knowledge of what he was doing.

And to build towards a bigger point, Ray Ratto's article was dumb, and didn't bring anything new or insightful to the table, and he's got a stupid face. So there.

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like that is always lethal." - Evan 'The God' Turner

Offline bdm860

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I suspect that there's widespread use of HGH and similar drugs in the four major sports.

Anthony Davis on draft day .....



Anthony Davis 4 months later.....







things that make you go hmmmm :o

See here is where the PED's argument hits a wall for me.

Tell me why a kid like Davis, consensus #1 overall pick, on a rebuilding team with honestly very low expectations this season, and coming off of a career year, would take PED's between draft day and the beginning of the season?

He's got a guaranteed contract. He's already the #1 pick. He has literally everything to lose by getting caught and very, very, little to gain.

It is exponentially more likely that he got a nutritional adviser and a personal trainer and worked hard.

very little to gain? How about a max contract? He is on a rookie contract for his first 4 or 5 years . I just don't see how someone can get that much bigger and cut in such a little amount of time .


I did p90x and got ripped in 3 months, and I have a full time job. Anthony Davis has all the money, resources, and time to get ripped in 4 months.  Plus a lot of those pictures get a little photoshopped, especially from an ESPN or SLAM photo shoot.  Ever see this?  Not that hard to look great for a photo shoot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M957dACQyfU

If anything we should worry about him seemingly changing color in every photo.  Does he have Michael Jackson disease or is he Zartan?
« Last Edit: October 09, 2012, 02:38:40 PM by bdm860 »

After 18 months with their Bigs, the Littles were: 46% less likely to use illegal drugs, 27% less likely to use alcohol, 52% less likely to skip school, 37% less likely to skip a class

Offline Rondo2287

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http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/15093944/wades-denial-of-peds-in-nba-hardly-believable

Decent article on the topic.  Could we get the refs some of those PED's that enhance eyesight?

I thought the article rather well...dumb. The article, summed up in less than 20 words: "Other sports denied all knowledge before they got busted. Wade denied all knowledge. Basketball is a sport."

It's your typical fence-sitter, no substance, waste of space article.


I disagree, I mean if you were hoping it would have inside information on steroids in basketball than ya, you were let down.  But reinforcing the point that muscles isnt the only barometer of PED's is important.  A basketball player could gain a much greater advantage by increasing spead, reactions, jumping and rehab than other sports where people desire more power.

But isn't that point true in virtually every sport?

When I think of Football and hitting a Baseball I think Strength is one of the best enhancements that PED's can provide you.  I don't think its as applicable in basketball because the attributes I just mentioned are probably more desirable than strength.  I mean Rashard Lewis never really struck me as being jacked, but he is the one that got caught.

IIRC Rashard Lewis said he had bought an OTC supplement back in 2006 that he didn't know contained banned substances. People generally bought that explanation. I'm not sure you can use him as a template for PED abuse.

David Ortiz said the same thing, thats what they all say

That doesn't mean Shard was habitually using HGH with full knowledge of what he was doing.

And to build towards a bigger point, Ray Ratto's article was dumb, and didn't bring anything new or insightful to the table, and he's got a stupid face. So there.

He does have a stupid face.  But something that is insightful was brought to the table.  I think a 19 year old like anthony davis who is a supserb athlete once on a Pro training regiment should add bulk to his frame.  I don't see anything I wouldnt expect in those pictures.  Ratto made that point yet some people here think its a telltale sign of steroid use.
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Offline CelticSooner

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I'm sure HGH is widely used in most sports. I would say advances in sports science is the biggest reason for extending a players career now days.

If you don't know about the cryotheraphy check this out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNS1evhiwyI

Offline Boris Badenov

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But something that is insightful was brought to the table.  I think a 19 year old like anthony davis who is a supserb athlete once on a Pro training regiment should add bulk to his frame.  I don't see anything I wouldnt expect in those pictures.  Ratto made that point yet some people here think its a telltale sign of steroid use.

I agree, A. Davis is a bad example for the reasons you mention.

D. Howard, Artest, N. Robinson, Lebron...those guys make me wonder.

Offline Eja117

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That whole cryo thing...I know there are guys that swear by it, but are there any scientific studies showing it works?

Offline edwardjkasche

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Improved conditioning is one logical reason.  Normal "9 to 5" human beings could never spend enough time working out and eating right to be in as good a shape as pro athletes.

Improved "legal" supplements and medical procedures are another.  Kobe, KG, Nash and a host of others would probably already be retired if not for improvements in this area.  Remember the Phoenix Suns' cryosauna?  Everyone is correct that Bird probably would have played until he was 40 if he played in today's era.

But, any fan who truly believes that there is no use of "illegal" substances in any sport is naive.

Grown men (and women) in athletic endeavors will do whatever they have to do to give themselves an advantage.  It's a shame.  It's also human nature.

The NBA's drug testing is a joke.  There is NO HGH Testing Program as of yet (as far as I have read).  The NBA just began off-season drug testing for steroids this past off-season.  But, steroids really wouldn't do a NBA player much good.  HGH and other illegal substances (elevated testosterone) could do a great deal of good for quickly repairing muscles and building that lean strength.

Saying that one league would learn from MLB's mistake is incorrect.  It took baseball seemingly forever to admit what was going on, and then the players' union still fought increased testing.  The NFL has widespread use of illegal substances, but guys get through that testing all the time.  Rarely is anyone publicly punished.

I wish they'd start testing every player every two weeks, through an independent agency, and all results would be public.

Offline saltlover

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I'm sure there are some NBA players taking HGH, because it is easily available to people with money, there is no testing, and hey, it might help.  Getting caught would stink, but not getting that huge contract would stink more.

That said, does anyone who follow Euroleague know what the testing situation is over there, and if players fail with any regularity?  The Olympics actually has real testing, and I can't think of a basketball player, NBA or otherwise, who's failed one of those tests.  It's possible that basketball players might truly benefit less from PED's.

And not to cast suspicion on anyone who doesn't deserve it, but if Greg Oden takes this year off and comes back healthy, I'm going to wonder.  The best argument for HGH is the restorative abilities, and if anyone needs a magical elixir, it's Oden.

Offline bdm860

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The Olympics actually has real testing, and I can't think of a basketball player, NBA or otherwise, who's failed one of those tests. 

A side note about Olympic testing.

Grant Hill said in the '96 Olympic nobody wanted to be the leading scorer, because it was the leading scorer who got tested, and getting tested was a pain in the butt.  So I don't know how much Olympic testing has changed in the 16 years since, but it could be not that many basketball players are getting tested, especially if they're only testing one player per team, and maybe even just on teams that won a medal or even just the gold.


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Offline moiso

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I'm not impressed with those Davis pics.  He looks about the same.  Everybody is going to look a little scrawnier if they lift their shoulders and elbows up like Davis in that first pic.