I got to see the effects of performance enhancing drugs first hand in my own experience with athletics. In my younger days, I was a open-level racquetball player and knew quite a few exemplary players. A small group of them got into snorting coke as recreational choice. Was very in vogue then and athletes often are hard partiers. Well, the coke bunch also were some of the most talented and I could see a real improvement at first in their overall speed on the court. Seemed almost superhuman at times.

The problems came quickly though in these players. They angered quicker than they used to which was a distraction to their games. Eventually they all developed sinus problems which affected their wind and endurance. Their own personal lives crumbled as well and they all fell out of the elite.

My point here is that, as much as the enhancing drug might appear to help, I really believe that the balance is broken somewhere and eventually the athlete will end up no better than they were in the first place, often much worse. Maybe the problem is self-repairing.

Seems like an awful lot of expense and wasted energy worrying about what athletes do in their spare time. If they win or lost because of their actions, it's still just a game or sport. Why do we care if Barry Bonds pumps steroids? Hell, for most people, going to a ballgame or sporting event is just an excuse to eat peanuts and drink way too much beer.

By the way, playing a lunch time racquetball game in an hour or so with a guy that's 6' 4" tall and hits the ball extremely hard. Man, is he tough to get a ball past. Anyone have any substances to improve my chances?

Art