Is it great that they are doing this? No, but are you going to sit out a game because of pain or are you going to do something for it?

I don't see this as abuse or an advantage to the player though. They aren't doing it because they want to use it at least I would hope they aren't. Cortisone shots aren't fun. That's for sure.

Just my two cents :)

We know TJ surgery can extend/save careers, we speculate that steroids enhance performance...there is one difference.

It seems that people define a PED as one that's been branded illegal by the US government. And we know how much ahead of the curve they are. Andro gets banned by the IOC and Health Canada many years ahead of MLB. ((Will, do you talk about the difference between the FDA, the IOC, and Health Canada in your book?) But, as long as it was sanctioned by MLB, the media doesn't make that big a stink over it.

The other line that people seem to adopt is that if you only take enough drugs to get back to your drug-free potential. Hence, laser eye surgery, cortisone shots, and the like. But again, no talk about amphetamines?

Is there anything more biased and unrevealing than the US media?

I agree...most folks take their cue from the government or media when they categorize a drug as 'good' or bad.

Perhaps the line should be drawn at whether or not a drug has performance enhancing qualities for completely healthy athletes. That would rule out steroids and mother's little helpers while allowing cortisone shots, arthritis medicines, etc. I'm sure even this line is dotted.

Stephane Quintal (journeyman hockey player) said that his drug of choice is Sudafed (pseudophedrine) chased with coffee. He guesses 40% of hockey players use some sort of uppers like this.

Long story short, I don't see where the public can have any kind of outcry over the line. That line must be drawn by the organization itself (IOC, Health Canada, MLB, etc). They establish the line, and the fans judge the players based on that line.

I see no point in the media try to make a story out of this, other than that's what the media likes to do.

One thing I noticed when I moved to the states, is that the media loves to "preview" their stories: "you won't believe what happened in Queens today".

All I know is that MLB attendance is the highest it's just about ever been. Fans don't care.

I do address the FDA. I ignored Health Canada because, well, I knew nothing about them, it's Canada, and well, to include them would require explaining the Canadian health care system and philosophy.

I don't address the IOC because they have abrogated their responsibility for drug testing to WADA. Yes, that's right, the IOC does NOTHING about drug testing. WADA is addressed.

Sudafed. Man, that stuff puts me to sleep.

Line - yes, I was speaking of a moral line, not a line drawn by a sanctioning organization like MLB, WADA, or PS 132. They have the right to draw it whereever and if you don't like it, don't play. There was an attempt to have drug-free bodybuilding about 10 years ago that tanked. When the WWF watched steroids closely, they tanked (tho honestly that's more about storyline and personality, I think.)

Sudafed: next time, try it with an espresso! NHL players swear by it.