Anthony Roberts Blog
The CNN of the steroid world...

 I find this kind of thing fascinating. Back in the early ’70s, there were people questioning whether or not an athlete could remain competitive in bodybuilding without using anabolic steroids. Long before the point of no-return (which is where we are now), magazines would actually broach the question of whether a non-steroid user could actually compete (not win, but compete) against steroid users.

And even better, It’s interesting to note that the magazine itself claims to be “violently” against steroid use. Flip open an Iron Man Magazine today, and you’ll see plenty of steroid-laden physiques. One of their current authors who claims to be “natural” has give quite a bit of drug advice to a mutual friend of ours, and earns himself quite a living on the side by doing “contest prep” and writing out diets and drug routines for competitive bodybuilders. In any case, take a look at this article because it’s actually very interesting, and I think it gives quite a bit of insight on how we got to where we are today, in terms of steroid use.

Can A Non-Steroid User Compete Today ?

By Joe Gallucci
as told to him by his son Bob

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(IronMan Editor’s Note — This article by the father of one of the great bodybuilders of America presents a problem that has assumed greater seriousness each year and confronts all bodybuilders and lifters in their search for supremacy in the contest. To user or not to use growth and stimulant drugs is a decision they all have to make. Iron Man, of course, is violently opposed to the use of any type of drugs, but this seems to have little effect, tho many fellows have told us that they have dropped out of competition rather than resort to drugs.

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At the recent Mr. East Coast physique contest I was conversing with Joe Dodd and Ron Jumper about the ever present drug problem facing bodybuilders everywhere. We all agreed that bodybuilders who do not take steroids are like crippled runners in a race with speedy sprinters. It seems that as the drug users multiply, small groups of non drug users, such as ourselves, become disgusted and disheartened in this useless competition. We have only three paths to consider:

1. to use durgs
2. become frustrated as non drug users
3. drop out of competition

It seems that quite a few of the top potential physiques who refuse to take drugs and who would be excellent representatitives as Mr. America ( Curt Haywood, Carl Smith) have been forced to resort to the latter alternative.

One teenager I met at the East Coast competition, Greg DeFerro, showed concern and diapproval of the drug scene. He had witnessed many New York area bodybuilders who had taken drugs and he was startled over their amazing physical progress. He felt as if the true sense of the word competition was gone from bodybuilding and that the winner would ultimately be the largest drug abuser. His last question was one I did not have an answer for (at the time): “What can we healthy athletes do to compete against the steroid men?”

Is there a drug scene?

Many readers who mearly read the various strength magazines are not fully aware that their “heroes,” who are illustrated on these pages are, more than likely, a product of anabolic-androgenic steroids. It is estimated that greater than 90 percent of the first five to ten physique contestants in national contests are taking some form of steroids. Just look at their progress. years earlier, men such as Reg Park and J. Abbenda relied on hard work, nutrition, proper training methos and rest to acquire slow, steady gains and build championship physiques through a process of years. Today, physique men may train for a year or two, find out about drugs and then skyrocket towards tremendous physical gains. how many physique men today were prominent a year or two ago ?

The prefabricated drug bodies of today take on a two fold look. Some have attained the bloated, swollen face and fingers along with a heavy abdominal area. I categorize this appearance as “the Dianabol Bloat.” Their bodies seem to be blown up. The second look stresses skeleton-like facial features with unbelievable “cuts” and vascular blood vessels appearing in places never before seen on the human anatomy. This look dominates at contest time when the bodybuilders use special medication to withdraw a great deal of water from their bodies. This temporary condition is quite dangerous to the homeostatic balances of the body. Both these looks share one common factor: tremendous quantities of drugs have been used to attain these desired effects.

Why do they take drugs ?

If there is a drug scene in bodybuilding, why do the competitors take drugs ? This question is entirely individualistic. Each competitor trains with a desire to win. We all place value on winning, our familes, friends, employment and a host of other things. However, it is the egomaniac, the one who places himself above all else, who is most likely to forget all warnings and dangers and condone taking the dangerous vehicles to destruction. The desire to win becomes too great and takes precedence over all else. Winning becomes the number one goal in life. Any means obtainable to secure winning is passionately sought after. Certainly we all like to win, but by jeopardizing our health and placing a higher value on bodybuilding and winning than all other things, are we really “champions” who are wll adjusted and who should be emulated by others ?

One famous eastern bodybuilding contestant demonstrates his superself ego mania quite often. He is always found at local contests telling everyone how he should have won and beat them all. He also has plenty of photos of himself to show others how really great he is!!

At the 1972 Mr America contest I was told the “secret” of what I must do to win the 1973 Mr. America title. These secrets were personally given to me by fellow contestants:

1. “Take six weeks off and train at Art Jones’ Gym in DeLand.”
2. “Take a month off and train in California, espeically at Pearl’s.”
3. “I have a grocery bill of $50 - $60 weekly for me alone” (not including his wife)
4. “Get with the drugs.”

Following this advice, I would be sacrificing my college education, my job, my family and friends, my fiancee, and my health. All these things I place far greater value on than winning.

What is being done to combat the drug problem?

To answer this question simply, “Almost nothing!” The honest, hard working, non drug competitor has literally no chance of winning the big, national titles in the present decade. The judging system favors the extremely large massive and incredible “cut,” vascular physique. Both conditions can be attained through drugs. The personal interview part counts for only one-sixteenth of the total score of a contestant. How can the social, emotional and mental fitness of a competitor be valued so meaninglessly when the degree of total fitness of each individual is what the judging pannel is attempting to measure?

At the national committee meeting in Kansas, drug use was discussed but, according to reports, no legislation was enacted to prohibit or detect drug abusers. The Mr. America judging panel asks the contestants yearly what they think of the drug situation and that is as far as the question is considered. I once wrote the National AAU office in New York asking for help or advice in colving the drug problem. I didn’t even receive a reply. It seems as if a laissez-faire attitude exists concerning drug usage for bodybuilders.

New Ideas May Help

I, for one, am not ready to sit back and watch the drug boys take over the sport. I believe they will not only ruin their health but will ruin the physique game as well. I believe there are many non-drug contestants like Dodd, Jumper, Haywood, Smith, DeFerro and myself who are disappointed in their state an dnational officials who have not shown action or support in combatting the drug problem. Mr. Peary Rader, through his magazine, has pritned various articles discouraging drug use.

I am sure some magazin publishers know of some bodybuilders who have not used drugs and who have sacrificed long, hard years to develop their physiques. Why not write an articles about these lesser known contestans and their meritorious struggle to compete in a pro-steroid world. Why not publish pictures of them periodically and caption each picture with, “it is believed he has attained his physique without the use of dangerous steroids.” Wow! Young readers can be encouraged to attain championship physiques without drug use.

My strongest suggestion in combatting the drug problem is to organize a physique contest which favors the physically fit, All-American, clean cut competitor. Certainly the cheif criteria for winning should be the physique, however, other factors should also be stressed. here is a general breakdown in scoring rules:

Mr. Health and Fitness Of America Contest
25 per cent Physical Fitness test battery points	50
25 per cent Symmetry	50
25 percent Size & Muscularity	50
25 per cent General Appearance
a) Interview, Appearance, Presentation of Self	25
b) Posing, Presentation of Routine	25
Total Points	200

The physical fitness test bater consists of various physical tests which stress the physical fitness components of Strength, endurance, cardio-vascular endurance, speed, agility and flexibility. Here is a sample test battery which could be administered by the officials one day prior to the physique contest:

1. pullups required: 20 or rope climb - no feet to be used.
2. standing broad jump requred: 7 feet 4 inches.
3. Trunk extension required: 9 inches difference.
4. Agility run required: 18.5 seconds
5. 440 yard run required: under 70 seconds

Since most national physique contests are heal in high schools, colleges or YMCAs, there should not be any difficulty in acquiring the equipment necessary to conduct the tests. Each test is worth 10 points. A contestant must fufill the requirements of each test to receive the full 10 points. Bodybuilders will have to develop and improve their performace in some of these demanding tests but the end result will be his proof of being a physically fit athlete. An unphysically fit steroid user will have difficulty performing the requirements of these tests and will be at a disadvantage to the physcially fit natural non-drug user.

The general appearance category comprises one-fourth of the total poitns and is gien emphasis to judge the mental, social and posing preparation of each contestant.

It was also suggested by some officials at the Mr. America contest last year, that a liver function blood test and a urinalysis be taken from each contestant to determine if there is liver or kidney damage which are primary signs of steroid use. This might prove a good idea when organizing a contest usch as the Mr. Health and Fitness Contest of America.

These are my suggestions to help in combatting the drug problem. I would like to have these ideas considered by other bodybuilders and officials and receive their comments. Possibly, the Mr. Health and Fitness of America contest could be run by an organization such as the AAU and a true, ideal, athletic representative of the sport of bodybuilding could be chosen yearly. Maybe then, young bodybuidlers such as Greg DeFerro can look forward to competing on a competitive level with their peers and the sport of bodybuilding will have regained the “competitiveness” in the true healthy sense.

Alyssa Milano was recently asked a question about anabolic steroids, in relation to the book she’s written on baseball. To be perfectly frank, she’s probably smarter than 99% of the anti-steroid baseball pundits:

Fox News: Barry Bonds is undoubtedly one of the greatest players. I have a problem calling him a greatest player. He is a player with an asterisk because of steroids. Are you a little more forgiving than that?

MILANO: I think so, yes. I think I can look at that and say, even if he didn’t take the steroids, which I am not condoning steroids at all, he still would have been one of the greatest players.

I have maybe a different outlook on that whole issue, which is, baseball has dealt with controversy in the past, and they have overcome it. And we really are a pharmaceutical nation. Every commercial you see is about some pill to pop to make you feel better.

• And I don’t blame these players for trying to look for an end. They have done it year after year with different products, greenies and amphetamines, or, you know, spit on the baseball if you were a pitcher. And I think this is just the version of that that is sort of parallel to where we are. I equate it in the book, you know, that it is hard to find an actress over 40 that hasn’t shot their face up with both talks, you know? Everyone is looking for some edge or some quick fix.

I think this is a very realistic point of view. Maybe it’s my own jaded point of view, but I have to admit that this is probably one of the most realistic takes on the steroid situation in Major League Baseball…

Great face, great body, and a realistic point of view on steroid use in professional baseball. Who’s the boss now?

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Yes, you read that correctly - the war on drugs is over - and the United States Government has been defeated, somewhat ironically, by the people of the United States. On May 13th, 2009, the Obama administration’s new drug czar said he wants to get rid of the idea of “a war on drugs,” and shift towards favoring treatment over incarceration.

Initially, when the war on drugs was declared by President Nixon in 1969, the two sides appeared evenly matched - the worlds most powerful government was set to take on the worlds largest population of drug consumers. Now, exactly four decades later, the war no longer looks winnable - and the General in charge of the war is pulling out.

Realistically, this means changing various statutes and laws, not just issuing press releases and statements that mean nothing without action to back them up.

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The mainstream media often overstates the real dangers of anabolic steroid use. In light of this, here’s some often missed statements, that I found on the DEA’s own website:

Most of the effects are reversible if the abuser stops taking the drug,..

From the case reports, the incidence of life-threatening effects appears to be low…

What I find most interesting is that these quotes very rarely make it into any mainstream media article, although most of the other comments found on that same site do. These quotes may surprise some people, but when you take a look at the DEA’s history, politically, with anabolic steroids, they become less surprising.

Gene Haislip, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the DEA’s office of diversion control opposed the Anabolic Steroid Control act during the Congressional hearings of 1988. A year prior, on October 1st, 1987, John Lawn, the Adminnistrator of the DEA concluded that anabolic steroids should not be made controlled substances. In fact, the entire DEA opposed anabolic steroids being made into a scheduled substance.

Of course, although the two quotes above were lifted directly from the DEA’s website, none of this other information (that the DEA opposed their becoming a controlled substance) seems to appear anywhere on the site. And most agents seem to have forgotten that before they were busy catching steroid users, their agency was fighting to keep steroid use from becoming a crime.

Just a little food for thought.

It seems that the lawmakers in Texas, home of the nation’s biggest steroid-testing program for high school athletes, have decided to severely cut the funding for their program. This is neither good news nor bad news, but simply a reflection on how woefully undereducated the anti-steroid powers-that-be actually are.

The current program, which is costing the state $6 million, was designed to test roughly 50,000 high school students each year. It failed, as I predicted, because it was designed as a political tool, and not as a legitimate program. Everyone wants to get behind steroid testing, but nobody wanted to figure out how to actually run a program that works.  The new, redesigned program would reduce funding to $2 million over the next two years, still allowing it to remain the largest program of its kind in the nation, and allowing Texas lawmakers to savor the feeling of egg on their face, when in two years time, they will still lay claim to the largest failed steroid testing program in the country.

“I think we’ve raised awareness on a public health and safety issue,” Dan Flynn, R-Van, was quoted as saying . Of course, that’s a nice way to say “we failed and made fools of ourselves.” I’d actually say that steroid use would now be on the rise in Texas, as student-athletes realize the impotence of the program, and the ignorance of those in charge of it.

Flynn also said the smaller program ought to concentrate on football, baseball, track and weightlifting, as these are sports he claims that athletes are most likely to get a direct benefit from taking steroids to build strength. I’m not entirely sure that they are going to be allowed to single out athletes like this, and it seems that they’d run into trouble passing a law that specifically targets a subset of athletes. This, of course, was the problem with the first program, and it only cost them $6 million dollars to figure out.

At least Texas can still lay claim to being 26th in education, and 1st in steroid testing. Git ‘er done!

Recently, one of my friends posted the results from the Irish Drug Free National Championships. This was a drug free and equipment free meet - meaning there were no squat suits, bench shirts, etc…allowed. Taking a quick look at my weight class (I’d be too heavy for the 90kg class, although I’m not quite 100kg, I’d still fall into the latter class), here were the results:

100kg Senior
Squat - 185kg
Bench - 130kg
Deadlift - 235kg
Total = 550kg

I’m not entirely sure if belts are allowed, but I’d pretty easily be able to take the top spot in the squat and bench, and potentially the overall. Now it’s important to remember that I’m not drug free and I don’t train for powerlifting at all. Still, it’s interesting to note that if I were to compete in drug-free powerlifting, in a weight class a bit heavier than I actually am, and with no special training, I’d be able to win it (because I’ve used steroids). And I’m talking about any day of the week here, not with any preparation at all. That should be very telling to people who say that you can get just as strong without steroids, because the reality of the situation is that without steroids, these national champions couldn’t even really compete with me, in their own sport, that I don’t train for.

And I’m not even that strong, to be honest, for a steroid user.

It’s easy to lose faith in the legal system when you have access to the kinds of information I see on a daily basis. Without getting into it too heavily, let’s just say I’ve seen it all, and have very little respect for many facets of our judicial system, and many of the people involved with it. But every so often, someone does something that restores my faith, at least temporarily; today it’s Hays County Assistant District Attorney Lynn Peach  (Porn-Star name notwithstanding).

Last week I told you about a man who has been in jail for 498 days on two counts of possession of Trenbolone.  Specifically, I said:

…his lawyer is motioning for a new trial alleging that Watts was notified by an assistant district attorney that “some of the evidence presented previously to the Honorable Court was to say the least suspect, if not in fact, a fraud.” The motion, filed recently, indicates that there is suspicion that the evidence is “of the nature of Brady material,” i.e. it  might have benefited the defendant if it had been presented at trial…

Now, District Judge Jack Robison recused (*excluded himself from the case) on Tuesday because of the possibility that the matter could develop into charges being pressed against an officer of the court. “I’m outta here” the judge said. Testimony from (Hays County Assistant District Attorney) Lynn Peach revealed that she believed elements of a search warrant affidavit were misrepresented or false.

“We have investigated the allegations made by Ms. Peach and feel strongly that the law and the facts show no misconduct in the prosecution of this case,” said fellow District Attorney Sherri Tibbe in a press release Tuesday afternoon. Further stating that “The guiding principal of this office is to ensure that justice is administered in a fair and ethical manner.”

When Lynn Peach was called in to help fellow Assistant District Attorney Chris Johnson and San Marcos Police Detective Laray Taylor, she observed that elements of an affidavit that claimed to be from a “concerned citizen” sounded more like the work of a “confidential informant.”

According to W. Kent Brown, author of the Steroid Users Survival Guide, informants fall into one of three categories:

A. Concerned Citizen - People who observe an illegal activity in their neighborhood and want it stopped. Almost no steroid arrests have anything to do with “concerned citizens”

B. Criminal Informants - These are what we commonly call “snitches” in the steroid world. They’ve been caught breaking the law and are trying to get a reduced sentence inreturn for setting up other people.Operation Raw Deal extensively used this type of informant.

C. Mercenary Informants - These are people who assist law enforcement agencies and prosecutors in return for a cut of what is seized during the arrest. Operation TKO, Gear Grinder, and Raw Deal all utilized this type of informant, and I’m on the understanding that one of them may have been involved in all three operations.

Of these three types of informants, type “A” (the concerned citizen) is typically seen as the most credible, but that’s really on a case by case basis.

A “confidential informant,” according to Peach  “is someone who is involved in the drug trade who is getting something for what they’re giving.” and further testified that someone who is classified as a “concerned citizen” typically has long-term ties to the community and has a higher “degree of reliability,” than a “confidential informant,” (snitch) which she described as someone “inherently unreliable” who, in contrast, often has ties to the criminal activity on which they are reporting. Of course, there’s wiggle room here, and overlapping categories, but she’s basically correct.

But in this particular case, Peach testified that she asked Taylor who the “concerned citizen” was and he identified her as a former girlfriend of Shipman’s who had been arrested on drug charges (clearly making this person a confidential informant). She then testified that she didn’t believe Johnson when he told her he did not know who the concerned citizen was. It stands to reason that if one District Attorney knows who the informant is, then so does the other.

“I thought, holy smokes, he’s lying. He knows exactly who that girl is.”

Peach testified the girlfriend of the convicted man had been arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia on Sept. 25, 2007 - while  Shipman was arrested Oct.. 27. Seems pretty obvious to me….

“Part of my concern was that short period of time,”

Then, at great risk to her own career - but wanting to do the right thing, and uphold the spirit of the law, Peach notified the convicted man’s attorney, and then testified that she believed both Johnson and Taylor were involved in the misrepresentations. I wonder how many people, of lesser moral fiber, would have just turned a blind eye to this? What followed was a number of “closed door meetings,” and “a lot of activity” within the district attorney’s office.

Falsifying evidence goes on every day, and if you think it doesn’t, you’re wrong. What doesn’t go on every day is someone seeing it, putting themself and their career at risk, and reporting it. But on this day, justice came out on top for once, and for that, my Hero of the Day is Hays County Assistant District Attorney Lynn Peach.

Great job Lynn!

Down in Texas, where everything is bigger (except their educational ranking which is 26th), they’ve managed to live up to by handing down one of the biggest (and stupidest) steroid sentences I’ve heard of in awhile. Shawn Nathan Shipman, has been in jail since his arrest on Oct. 29, 2007. His crime? Two counts of possession of Trenbolone (Acetate). Yes, he’s been in jail for over a year on a possession charge. The only time you should be in jail for over a year on a possession charge is you possessed a severed head. 

Now his lawyer is motioning for a new trial alleging that Watts was notified by an assistant district attorney that “some of the evidence presented previously to the Honorable Court was to say the least suspect, if not in fact, a fraud.” The motion, filed recently, indicates that there is suspicion that the evidence is “of the nature of Brady material,” i.e. it  might have benefited the defendant if it had been presented at trial. Gee, a District Attorney withholding evidence….I’ve never heard that one before.

Let me explain how this works: The District Attorneys in Texas don’t bother with cases unless it looks good on their record. That means they want people to plea out, and serve as much time as possible, so they can get promoted or (eventually) quit and get a nice, cushy, high-paying job in criminal defense. You know how I know that? Because an FBI agent told me that’s how it goes. They only care about what makes them look good, get promotions,  etc….not how bad the crime is, or how solid the case is. And, again, remember that I’m paraphrasing, but this is EXACTLY what a Houston, TX FBI agent told me (which I’m sure he’s regretting right about now).

A hearing on the motion has been scheduled for 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 28, before District Judge Charles Ramsay. My prediction is they work it out so that nobody gets embarrassed, he gets credit for “Time Served” and gets out of jail, under the agreement that he doesn’t pursue this further, and completely embarrass the District Attorney(s) & Judge involved with the case. 

I just finished reading Bases Loaded, by Kirt Radomski. I first heard Kirt’s name when it came out in the media that a clubhouse attendant had been supplying steroids to players on the Mets. I was called by Inside Edition, and several other news organizations asking for the inside story on him. Within a couple of hours, I’d been able to contact a steroid user (a friend of mine) who worked out at Kirt’s gym. Kirt, it turns out, sold Mexican steroids and high-quality hGH. He was a gym-level dealer, and I found out some other stuff about him, although I was never able to get much other then who he was and what kind of steroids he sold locally. Note: his local gym-level dealing was not talked about in his book, but I personally know guys who live on Long Island and who had bought from him.

I’m pretty sure that he made a decent amount of money selling gear at his gym, but that’s not in the book at all. By pretty sure, I mean I’m 100% positive, actually, based on the strength of my contacts in the L.I. area.

His book was pretty good, but stylistically, it wasn’t the greatest. Kirt Radomski is a man from my neck of the woods, a New Yorker, who lives within driving distance of where I grew up and spent most of my life. Unfortunately, the book was ghost/co-written with someone else, and there is just a general “feel” to me that kind of formulaic writing. This book just doesn’t feel like a guy who grew up on the same streets as me - the ghost writing was a little heavy handed and to me, really took a bit of the punch out of the book.

Kirt tells us that he curses a lot, but doesn’t curse much (if ever) in his writing. Well, if you curse a lot when you talk, then you should curse a lot when you write. I want to feel like you’re talking to me, not like I’m reading something that’s passed along second-hand through an interpreter.

Other than that, there are a few errors he makes in his theories about steroids but nothing that makes you doubt his general knowledge (which would probably be well above average, but probably not enough to be considered an expert, per se). And there were also a few errors that made me think the proofreader wasn’t too hot (misspelled Superdrol, and some other little things).

Overall, I don’t doubt that he was being totally truthful in this book (although he leaves out the fact that he was dealing steroids at his gym), and I even thought that he had some unique ideas regarding steroids that I’d never thought of; for avoiding too much obvious weight gain, he recommended pyramiding dosages up and then back down - a practice that doesn’t produce better gains, but logically would avoid suspicious/obvious gains in weight (important if you’re a professional athlete). Pyramiding has been abandoned by most steroid users, but makes perfect sense for athletes who don’t want the obvious cosmetic effects to happen to rapidly.

Overall, I was satisfied with this book. I learned some things I didn’t know, and confirmed some that I did. If you’re a baseball/steroids fan or researcher, this book should be required reading - you can’t really get most of this (specific) information in any of the other steroids in baseball books, other than maybe Canseco’s…which was also a decent read (both of them).

For those of you who don’t know, Brian Cushing, potentially the top linebacker in the NFL draft, has allegedly/reportedly tested positive for anabolic steroids. He trained for the NFL combine here in New Jersey with Joe DeFranco, a dude I’ve run into several times (and had more than one conversation with) during my career in the industry.  [Note: the guy in the background of this picture of Brian Cushing is actually wearing a shirt with DeFranco’s Gym logo on it]

I’d love to tell you that Joe is secretly consulting with me (he isn’t) to design cycles for his athletes (he’s not - even though he lives in Hackensack, right next to me), but the truth is that Joe is clean as hell, and if his athletes are using gear, he doesn’t know a thing about it - frankly (ha!) he wouldn’t know where to start (he’s totally clean himself) other than to give me a call (which he hasn’t).

Remember…these are currently just allegations that have been circulating through cyberspace, although on some credible sites thus far…

The fact remains that if one of his athletes tested positive, but I’d lay some serious coin down if we were betting that Joe knew nothing about it. Hell…it’s New Jersey, and the kid played for Bergen Catholic (my Dad played for Don Bosco - HA!)…he’d know where to get steroids all by himself (if, in fact, he actually used them).

The strange thing is that Brian Cushing is lifting a keg in this photo. I know from experience that Joe doesn’t even drink beer (he’s a Vodka/Cranberry guy). Where did Joe get the keg for Brian to lift????