According to the Associated Press (via ESPN) the NFL and the NFLPA have agreed to immediate testing of human growth hormone (HGH) for all players in the National Football League.
Except the NFLPA doesn’t seem so sure how soon this testing will actually take place.
From union spokesman George Atallah;
“We believe that we have to report back to our players, make sure that the protocol and the testing protocols are safe. Once we feel that way, which we hope will be as soon as possible — obviously the chairman and congressman Cummings can help us facilitate that — we’ll be in a position to start testing as soon as possible.”
I applaud the NFLPA for trying to protect their players, but it’s not how they make it sound. I believe that the players association is not protecting the players from the way the testing method is applied or if the test is reliable, but protecting them from the fact that large amounts of NFL players are taking HGH.
Say what you want about Major League Baseball, and they have rightfully received a lot of blame in the whole scope of performance enhancing drugs, they have at least faked an effort these days. The first professional athlete in the United States to ever test positive was a player from MLB. If the MLB test is instituted and up and running, why has the NFL version continued to stall?
The NFLPA, I believe, is afraid of what might ultimately produce many positive HGH tests among its rank and file. They have put up this front of making sure the tests are administered properly using the right methods, when it’s nothing more than an attempt to try and prevent any HGH test from happening at all.
I admit it sounds rather conspiracy theory-ish, but stranger things have happened.
Don't Kid Yourself (sports edition) 
“If the MLB test is instituted and up and running, why has the NFL version continued to stall?
The NFLPA, I believe, is afraid of what might ultimately produce many positive HGH tests among its rank and file.”
Bingo.
I don’t think it’s conspiracy theorish at all. Anybody who thinks there isn’t rampant use of HGH and other performance enhancing drugs in the NFL is living in a fantasy world. The negotiation is, likely, looking to institute the same loopholes that MMA has – tons of healthy athletes in their twenties suddenly having mysterious deficiencies like low testosterone that require injections to fix symptoms remarkably similar to that of steroid/HGH use.
The NFL has gotten away from it for so long because the public adores and is obsessed with football. The crackdown in the MLB didn’t just happened because of McGuire/Sosa, but also because it had fallen far from its formerly held position as the most esteemed and respected sport in the United States.
It was only a matter of time, though, until it all caught up to the NFL. It’s certainly going to be interesting the next couple years.
LikeLike
The NFL has continued to skate by unmolested because of occurrences in other sports.
Like you said, it is going to catch up with the NFL. I think when the shit eventually hits the fan it’s going to be very messy.
LikeLike
Inteeresting thoughts
LikeLike