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Tiger Woods on Steroids? It 's not a ridiculous question

Wednesday May 13, 2009 | 09:10:24 am 571 words, 14477 views  

For many, the controversy over performance-enhancing drugs has already passed. Much like how a great part of the nation has been rendered immune to torture due to years of knowing about it, many sports fans have reached a point where they just don’t care what athletes stick into themselves. As long as they perform, let them do what they want.

Still, there are holdovers that take umbrage to their favorite athletes cheating. And there are others who will side with their favorite athletes when they deny using steroids. Remember, we are but a decade removed from fans arguing that man-mountain Mark McGwire would never cheat.

Lance Armstrong has been accused of using performance-enhancing drugs, and has vehemently denied it. And the average American sports fan will side with him. He’s Lance Armstrong, Tour de France superstar, American hero, he would never cheat. It must be the damn jealous French out to get him.

Of course, it shouldn’t be out of line to think that Armstrong has likely cheated in the past. It’s difficult to comprehend that Armstrong - after a brilliant and inspiring fight against cancer - came back to cycling and dominated - while clean - against the world’s best cyclists, many of whom were in fact cheating.

But it seems we are supposed to believe that every athlete that has risen to the top of their sport has never cheated. All of these top, buffed athletes have previously denied, or continue to deny cheating: Armstrong, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, Tiger Woods …

Wait, Tiger Woods? How could I conceivably think that Tiger has ever done anything either illegal or illicit? He’s Tiger Woods! As Shane Bacon at Golf Fanhouse put it: “[R]umors that Tiger may be on the juice are obviously ridiculous.”

The question that many will refuse to ask - Why is it ridiculous to wonder if Tiger has ever juiced? Is it because the PGA Tour has announced that 100 percent of the players they’ve tested are clean? Well, as we’ve seen from Major League Baseball and the NFL, sports organizations will do whatever they need to do to keep their biggest moneymakers from being found out.

Do you really think the PGA Tour would test Tiger Woods for performance-enhancing drugs unless they knew he’d be clean at the time of his test? There is just far too much money to be lost to think otherwise.

You can argue all you like that performance-enhancing drugs wouldn’t help a golfer, but, no offense, you’d be speaking out of ignorance. Because there are all types of designer drugs out there that will help athletes in any sport, golf included.

In the end, let it be known that this is in no way an accusation against Tiger. I know what everyone else knows - he has denied ever using performance-enhancing drugs, and he has now said he’s passed two drug tests. No accusation made against him (if there even have been any) holds any water, whatsoever. About the only inkling of evidence against him would be his amazing physique, but Woods’ remarkable dedication to being the best golfer ever easily explains that away.

More than anything, though, Woods is, and will continue to be, a victim of his own era. Top athletes use performance-enhancing drugs. This is clear. And while I can write with confidence that I believe Woods is clean, the idea that he may not be is anything but ridiculous.

–WKW

Permalink 12 comments

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: docpark [Visitor] · http://www.golfism.org
For a sport where players routinely disqualify themselves and others based on honor and for the good of and in the spirit of the game, I don't think that it is likely we will find juicers. There may be one or two mediocrities holding on with everything they've got, and it may be more prevalent in the smaller sub-mini tours that don't feed into Q-school and the Tour, but not Tiger. It's like asking if the Pope is Jewish.
PermalinkPermalink 05/13/09 @ 09:19
Comment from: Stacy [Visitor] · http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/golf-for-beginners
Woods a juicer? Never! There is no juice in Gatorade Tiger, just added Vitamin E and more electrolytes.

Benefits? Higher mental acuity and better focus, but I'm not becoming Ironman because of it.
PermalinkPermalink 05/13/09 @ 12:29
Comment from: Hack [Visitor] · http://blog.niceballz.com
It's indicative of the times we're in that we have a jaded view of anyone who is uber successful.

How can you 'not' have even the slightest question of anyone these days? Even the purist of the pure (e.g. Tiger, Phelps...ok umm maybe not) are asked.

Thanks McGwire...Sosa, Barry, A-Roid and a few dozen NFL players over the past 2-3 years.

Thanks...thanks a lot for making all of us cynics.

Jerks.
PermalinkPermalink 05/13/09 @ 14:35
Comment from: Kiel Christianson [Visitor]
Does the PGA test for neuroenhancers, like Adderal, Provigil, or Ritalin? Just curious...
PermalinkPermalink 05/13/09 @ 16:51
Comment from: Steve [Visitor]
This is another stupid article by a dimwit
PermalinkPermalink 05/13/09 @ 19:57
Comment from: Ank [Visitor] · http://www.minigolfonlinegames.com
That don' sounds to me truth . How can Woods take that . I don't expect it from such a big player . Is there any solid proof that he is a juicer ?
PermalinkPermalink 06/02/09 @ 12:20
Comment from: Booger [Visitor]
It's not a ridiculous question. His "then and
now" body image coupled with golf course behavior that can also be described as "roid rage" make him suspect. The communist Wolfrum is correct - the PGA Tour would never jeopardize its investment in their walking advertisement for hybrid vigor and the wonders of multicultralism reigning triumphant in the game most emblematic of "whitey".
PermalinkPermalink 06/03/09 @ 15:37
Comment from: Scott [Visitor]
I don't want to believe that Tiger has done steroids it would be a very ugly blow to the game of golf and I would not blame the PGA for keeping it under wraps if he did test positive. However, with his not so subtle body transformation for the weight and frame type he had 5 ears ago coupled with his demeanor on the course ie...most recently Turnberry and throwing and slamming clubs. I can't help but believe he has and may still be doing steroids or HGH.
PermalinkPermalink 08/10/09 @ 12:00
Comment from: Michiel Van Kets [Visitor] · http://www.articlesdirectories.com/
I don't for one minute think it is OK for sports icons or role models for children to just stick whatever they want into their bodies just to give a performance. This is not the right attitude and not what most parents would want their children to consider to be OK either??? Or am I wrong and the world has changed that much? Tiger? Really??
PermalinkPermalink 08/22/09 @ 10:10
Comment from: Adirec Torytski [Visitor] · http://www.abso-bloody-lutely.com/
I'm with Michiel, how can anyone think for a minute that any kind of drug use for sports stars is OK in any way. What kind of message are we trying to send?
PermalinkPermalink 08/22/09 @ 11:07
Comment from: Big Ben [Visitor]
I have no doubt he is a juicer. If you know anything about the stuff and how it changes your body you would know too. Oh let me think...are roids really that damgerous under doctor's care?
The big bucks, superhot babes dropping their panties everywhere you go vs a little risk. Take this and the knowledge of no tests for you unless your clean at the time, and no up and coming competitor can juice and meet you on a even playing field. Big money and stupid laws have ruined sports. We are suckers for believing its just a game and fairness really matters.
PermalinkPermalink 09/01/09 @ 15:10
Comment from: Amanda [Visitor] · http://beagletrainingguide.com
I think they should have a separate golf league for "steroids only" so all the guys who can't play the game fair have a shot at same as well.
PermalinkPermalink 10/15/09 @ 14:08

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William K. Wolfrum William K. Wolfrum

a WorldGolf.com Blog

WorldGolf.com's William K. Wolfrum blogs about everything in the world of golf and travel, including Michelle Wie, Lorena Ochoa, Tiger Woods and other PGA and LPGA headlines. Plus, he offers the humorous and obscure in news, politics and pop culture.