Our vote for the worst reporting on steroid testing in Texas high schools goes to Alex Sanz of the CBS television affiliate in Houston. KHOU-TV needs to teach their reporters a few things about fact-checking before airing their reports. Practically every aspect of Sanz’ report on steroid testing in Texas high schools was wrong (”HISD steroid testing may start after break,” March 17).
The state signed off on the testing in recent months, and though it hasn’t started yet, there are signs it may sometime after spring break.
Twenty-three percent of high school athletes are expected to be tested statewide.
The UIL Anabolic Steroid Testing Program isn’t testing anywhere near 23% of high school athletes. It is closer to 5% of athletes over the next three semesters (end of 2008-2009 academic year); only 40,000-50,000 athletes out of approximately 800,000 will be subject to steroid testing.
Then there is the money quote:
Administrators point to stories of high school athletes, in other cities, who have died after using steroids. They said that’s why this random testing is so important…
We’ve all heard the one tragic story of a high school athlete that died after using steroids. But just because that story has been repeated numerous times does transform it into a plurality of stories about high school athletes who died from steroid use.
The district said the test is worth it — even if all you save is one life.
It’s impossible to place a monetary value on the life of a teenager. But there is no evidence that steroid testing saves lives. If the goal is to save the lives of high school athletes, perhaps the $5.6 million would be better spent on another program - perhaps an alcohol abuse prevention program. This would clearly have a more pronounced impact the number of lives saved.
Even the title of the report gives Houston ISD athletes at least a week advance notice of testing enough time to “cycle off” some fast-acting and/or oral anabolic steroids. Clearly, very few bureaucrats and reporters understand the concept and purpose of surprise testing. Thank you Mr. Alex Sanz.
Kelly Blair, the owner of 1-on-1 Elite Personal Fitness near Houston, was identified as the source of the human growth hormone used by baseball player Andy Pettitte. We reported allegations that Andy Pettitte obtained it from his father who allegedly obtained it from Blair; there were further suggestions that a former bodybuilder awaiting trial on murder charges supplied Blair’s gym with anabolic steroids.
Has Kelly Blair been falsely accused? The so-called steroid investigation is looking more and more like a steroid witch hunt with dubious accusations made against fitness professionals, particularly in the Houston area.
For the record, Kelly Blair denies that he ever gave growth hormone to the father of Andy Pettitte; but admits that if he were asked he would have shown no hesitation in helping Tommy Pettitte obtain human growth hormone for Andy (”Trainer denies he supplied HGH to Pettitte’s father,” March 14).
“If Tommy Pettitte would have come to me back in (2004) and asked for assistance in getting growth hormone, I wouldn’t have hesitated,” Blair told the Chronicle Friday morning. “I absolutely would have done it. Why wouldn’t I? I wouldn’t have thought he was getting it for Andy, so I would have done it in a heartbeat.
“But that didn’t happen.”
Blair sounds credible. He doesn’t deny his willingness to have helped secure HGH for Pettitte; he simply denies that he was ever asked.
The New York Times reports that IRS Special Agent Jeff Novitsky is making inquiries about several fitness professionals in the Houston area in an effort to substantiate the use of anabolic steroids and growth hormone by Roger Clemens in a possible federal perjury case. They have asked a former employee about Houston fitness guru Shaun K. Kelley, the owner of Shaun Kelley Weight Control.
Novitzky, who has spent the past five and a half years investigating the distribution of performance-enhancing drugs in professional sports, maintains a lead role in the perjury investigation, the lawyers said, and is interested in questioning a number of people in Houston, including Kelley.
As a result of the New York Times story and Kelley’s implied association with Clemens and performance enhancing drugs, the blogosphere has already started digging up dirt on Shaun Kelley.
Kelley told the New York Post last night on the phone that he never sold performancing enhancing drugs.
“Roger Clemens has never been in my store,” Kelley told The Post in a phone interview last night. “I’ve never sold steroids or growth hormone.” […]
“That’s all the information these clowns from The Times have,” he said. “That is the weakest report I’ve ever seen printed. If all that they can come up with, they need to find new reporters.
“I will give the FBI a polygraph. I do not deal drugs. I’ve never done anything with Roger Clemens except shake his hand.”
Recently, Kelly Blair, another Houston fitness professional, made national headlines due to his association with MLB baseball player Andy Pettitte and alleged distribution of growth hormone and steroids; the media tried unsuccessfully to find links between Blair and Clemens but settled on trying to link him with a former pro bodybuilder awaiting trial on murder charges.
Obviously, the unwanted attention, unsubstantiated allegations, and government leaks by lawyers close to the investigation are bad for business in Houston fitness industry.
