Mark McGwire used steroids. Surprised? No, of course you aren’t. But if he hadn’t he would have ended up like Ken Griffey Jr., another sad story in the history of professional talent in a sub-par body.

Everyone keeps saying that using performance enhancing drugs to get an edge is wrong, but let me ask you a question; If you went to the doctor and he wanted to put you on steroids to help you get better faster, wouldn’t you take the steroids? Of course you would, so why shouldn’t athletes?

Now I am not saying that football linemen should take them throughout their career but if you hurt yourself you can take them to get better. Why can’t professional athletes?

The argument has been put forward that it gives them an advantage that previous generations of professionals didn’t have. Yeah, so does the advancements in medicine and clothing but I don’t see anyone clamoring for football players to go back to wearing the leather helmet because that is how it is was done in the old days.

Or how about Tommy John surgery? It used to be the kiss of death but now guys come back from it on a regular basis. Are we going to start relegating our professional athletes to 1930s health care for the integrity of the game?

We ask these athletes to destroy their bodies all in the name of our entertainment but don’t afford them the latest medicine to help them heal quicker because it can also be used to get really, really big fast? Really, we are going to do that?

I understand that we are worried that kids are going to get on steroids at an early age. I was a student athlete in high school and I had asthma. There isn’t a cure for asthma but when it gets really bad there is a special inhaler to help improve my breathing. It has steroids in it. I didn’t use it in high school but I ended up using it later in life. Did it help improve my performance? Yes it did. I was able to breathe. I can’t tell you how much that helps.

So why is there this armistice on steroids in any form? Can’t they play a role in helping players heal and maintain their bodies for a longer period of time? Who didn’t feel a little bit bad for Ken Griffey Jr. when we realized that every time he swings he breaks at least 2 bones and rips a tendon? We demand so much from these athletes, can’t we give them the tools to heal their bodies.