Nobody Really Cares About Steroids

Fundy Eylül 25, 2021

The media is freaking out again, and most think it is because Brian Cushing tested positive for steroids. This is not the reason. First off, he didn't test positive for steroids, but he tested positive for a drug that can be used to cover up the use of steroids. A lot of writers are talking about how he has really questioned the sanctity of the game of football by taking illegal substances and being rewarded for it with a Pro Bowl appearance and a Defensive Rookie of the Year award. They are talking about these things, but these are not the things that they are really concerned about.

The Brian Cushing story happened about a week ago, and it really didn't get a ton of publicity. But it has slowly gained steam. First they found out that he tested positive in September, so the NFL's drug policy only takes eight months to get through the appeal process. Then they reopened the voting for his Rookie of the Year award so that got people jibber-jabbering about stuff until he got revoted the Rookie of the Year.

That is when shit hit the fan. It's not because he cheated, hurt the sanctity of the game (sanctity does not exist in a sport that treats concussions like bruises), or that he kept his awards despite doing all of this. No, the reason football writers are outraged is because of baseball writers.

Huh? How can baseball writers be the reason that football writers are outraged? They're saving face. Very few football writers reacted strongly to the story at first, and then baseball writers said that if this had happened in baseball, it would be the biggest story of the year. Football writers realized they were right. If Chris Coghlan got suspended after winning NL Rookie of the Year for being on steroids last year, it would be a much, much larger story (Especially with him hitting so poorly this year. Note: I am in no way accusing Coghlan of being on steroids).

So football writers slowly started coming out of the woodwork on how this is unacceptable behavior, because they don't want baseball writers to have higher standards or an honor code that the NFL cannot live up to. Peter King of Sports Illustrated claimed that he couldn't sleep last night, because of Brian Cushing being revoted the Rookie of the Year. Are you fucking kidding me? There's things that may keep me up at night on occasion, but it has never been who won a rather meaningless award. I'm guessing the same is true for King, but his fake outrage makes him look like an honorable man who wants to keep football as the greatest game on the planet.

Everything about outrage over steroid use is more about saving face than actual concern about anything. It makes them look benevolent (they're not) and people interpret that as good sports writing (it's not).

-Joe

P.S. Thank you to John Rubley for posting about the band Steel Panther on Facebook. I'm not sure if there has been a better band in the last twenty years.