(This post/rant is regarding the minor league return of Manny Rameriz and the subsequent media coverage)
Let’s pretend for one second that one of the claims of many within the MLB commissioners offices and the media itself is in-fact true:
Steroids are unsafe, younger users shouldn’t be messing around with what they don’t understand, etc, etc
From all accounts it seems that Manny was caught going off-cycle, tapering down with a estrogen balancing drug, HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). Manny did this to keep his natural production of Testosterone in-check, which is to his benefit now and in the future.
If the health of young individuals is of interest to the powers that be wouldn’t they want to share some of this information? Some may see it as promotion of illegal substances. I see it as education. If a 16 year-old high school ballplayer is dabbling around with steroids and isn’t fully aware of his off-cycle options (which are to the benefit of his health) isn’t the media (and the MLB) in-fact compounding the problem by not presenting any information? I’m sure most kids out there know most of the basic cycle facts. Still, a fact here or there would do more benefit than harm.
A more open dialogue (and presentation of facts) from the mainstream media would help to soften the negative impact of health related steroid cases amongst todays youth. Instead the media would rather continue to turn his return into a circus.
Yeah, I’m ranting. Sorry folks. This headline teaser from a Yahoo Sports article got me going
Manny Ramirez began his rehab stint going 0-for-2 and gained nothing by refusing to address his 50-game suspension.
Within the article itself nothing of interest was reported, just the author’s (Tim Brown) indignation with Manny not coming clean. In my opinion it’s the readers of this trash that ‘gain nothing’ from this type of article. Brown and many like him would rather pretend to be ‘hunting for the truth’ via an admission of guilt instead of a presentation of facts. To me this style of reporting is about as interesting (and valuable) as listening about Jon & Kate’s divorce. I could care less…
The point you make regarding the “Steroid Hysterics” is reminiscent of certain pro-lifers who would refuse to teach teenagers/tweens about safe sex
I was watching the Yankees/Braves game last night and they did an update on the Red Sox game after Jason Varitek hit a home run. Within the update they also what Manny was up to in his rehab stint. I also could care less to see if Manny was 0 for 2 with a walk, but I think that presenting kids with the details of what happens off-cycle might not be the best idea.
To me it’s a way of telling them that quitting can be rather easy if you take these simple steps. It would be like telling a person how much they could legally drink and still get behind the wheel, when the message should be not to drink anything if you are behind a wheel. I realize that for health reasons steroids can be taken legally. In that case a kid or an adult should learn from their doctor about the off-cycle and not the media.
The problem is that the information isn’t readily available. I can see what you’re saying and it probably is an act of promotion but I doubt that a kid is going to take the legal route and talk to his doctor. A doctor would never prescribe any drugs to a youngster anyways, due to their natural production of T. Probably just my rage at the half-ass tabloid reporting style of the media.