Performance-enhancing drugs, better known as PEDs, seem to be an increasing issue in baseball. Fans immediately call out players who use such drugs to make them better than they actually are. Alex Rodriguez will always be the notable character for doing so. But while PEDs seem to be a big problem in baseball, they have recently become a problem in the NFL as well.
This is in part due to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell abusing his everyday powers. The man has grown too powerful, and it’s time for him to either step down or be removed from his position. A player taking a PED isn’t Goodell’s problem if they are doing so, but it is his fault when he is threatening to suspend players for not sitting down and having a formal interview with “investigators” so they can find out if a player has been “cheating.”
No such thing has been much of an issue in football as opposed to baseball. The biggest reason is that most football players are big guys and heavy hitters as it is. They can’t help that they are required to be in such shape to where have muscles on their muscles and be overall freak athletes. Baseball cares more about the records, so of course when a player is nailing one home run after another, that player is taken into the public’s eye.
The widely famous “Al Jazeera Report” was released last December in what became a major headline, appearing to take down Peyton Manning and claim him a doper. Of course, Manning and company shot down the allegations.
British hurdler Liam Collins put a hidden camera in the Guyer Institute to learn about the use of PEDs. Charlie Sly allegedly said Manning used the performance enhancers in 2011 and that they were shipped to the house under his wife’s name. Sly later recanted the remarks made in the video. Sly also claimed in that same video that James Harrison, Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews visited him at some point as customers.
All three of those men are some of the most polarizing players in the NFL. Harrison may be one of the all-around biggest dudes in the NFL, so it would make sense. But Harrison immediately denied all allegations and even participated in four “random” drug tests spanning from February to August.
Of course, Goodell being the person that he is, decided to abuse his authority. The league sent a notice to the players expecting them to be fully involved in the entire process and cooperate. The NFLPA asked for additional evidence supporting the allegations because of the recants made of the report. Once again, being that Goodell is in authority, of course there was no response and no further details.
The problem is that the report was denied and claimed to be false. While it would be smart to test the players just to assure they are not taking any performance enhancers currently — which is something they have done — the requirement of the further investigation is not necessary and a full abuse of power by Goodell and the NFL.
In this moment, it proves that when it comes down to it, the players have no rights. They are expected to fully cooperate with the league, despite a recanting of the report.
Harrison even submitted an affidavit to the league claiming that he had never taken PEDs. Alas, the NFL still deemed it insufficient for their investigation forcing the players to submit to their will and unfair treatment.
Goodell has a history of this mess, not just with Harrison and the bunch, but with the rest of the league and players. He did a poor job handling the Ray Rice case, in which he claimed not to have seen the video, even though his office had been contacted with the footage.
He also abused his power more than ever throughout the long and drawn-out Deflategate. After a judge struck down Tom Brady’s suspension, it should’ve ended. But what a surprise, Goodell jumped back to court and a judge then upheld Brady’s suspension.
While taking PEDs is frowned upon in society, so is the way Goodell has handled situations. It is time for a new commissioner of the league to treat players with respect.
