Comments on: Pro cycling and baseball’s drug problems http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/05/25/pro-cycling-and-baseballs-drug-problems/ Baseball, Cheating, and Rules discussion at the author's blog for the Cheater's Guide to Baseball Fri, 07 Dec 2007 06:29:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Frank Jordan http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/05/25/pro-cycling-and-baseballs-drug-problems/#comment-830 Frank Jordan Tue, 12 Jun 2007 19:05:20 +0000 http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/05/25/pro-cycling-and-baseballs-drug-problems/#comment-830 I'm not advocating the use of steroids by any means, but, when should a substance be banned, only when it works? For example, everyone uses Gatorade, but if it really improved your performance like the advertisements imply, would it then be banned? Truth is, Gatorade quenches your thirst, nothing more, so it's allowed. What if they find that if they add more electrolytes to the drink it increased endurance. Would it then be banned? I'm just curious where the line is drawn, and who determines it. I’m not advocating the use of steroids by any means, but, when should a substance be banned, only when it works?

For example, everyone uses Gatorade, but if it really improved your performance like the advertisements imply, would it then be banned? Truth is, Gatorade quenches your thirst, nothing more, so it’s allowed. What if they find that if they add more electrolytes to the drink it increased endurance. Would it then be banned?

I’m just curious where the line is drawn, and who determines it.

]]> By: Evan http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/05/25/pro-cycling-and-baseballs-drug-problems/#comment-780 Evan Wed, 30 May 2007 21:19:25 +0000 http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/05/25/pro-cycling-and-baseballs-drug-problems/#comment-780 The problem with these sorts of standards is that when someone comes along who naturally exceeds them, he's not allowed to compete, and that could plausibly be described as unfair. The problem with these sorts of standards is that when someone comes along who naturally exceeds them, he’s not allowed to compete, and that could plausibly be described as unfair.

]]> By: vj http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/05/25/pro-cycling-and-baseballs-drug-problems/#comment-774 vj Tue, 29 May 2007 22:30:17 +0000 http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/05/25/pro-cycling-and-baseballs-drug-problems/#comment-774 Joel (clever nickname btw for a discussion on biking, German for "rider"), while I have not looked into the history, I am not sure that the hemocrit level limit was introduced for the reasons you suggest. I thought it was more about defining a level above which there's sufficient reason to assume that a rider is using EPO. Joel (clever nickname btw for a discussion on biking, German for “rider”),
while I have not looked into the history, I am not sure that the hemocrit level limit was introduced for the reasons you suggest. I thought it was more about defining a level above which there’s sufficient reason to assume that a rider is using EPO.

]]> By: Joel Reiter http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/05/25/pro-cycling-and-baseballs-drug-problems/#comment-773 Joel Reiter Tue, 29 May 2007 19:39:14 +0000 http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/05/25/pro-cycling-and-baseballs-drug-problems/#comment-773 This is spot on. The rules in bicycling are there not to keep it fair or preserve some human ideal but to keep people safe. Take hemocrit level as an example. There are new enzyme tests that can find other peoples blood in you (just ask Hamilton) or synthetic EPO, however, there is just no way to distringuish your own blood from a transfusion or the better brands of EPO. So the rules get rules written to protect the rider not stop the cheating. In the 80s plenty of racers died of dehydration or of low heart rates. Now there's the hemocrit level and, well, I'll be damned everyone's natural level is *just* south of the limit. Through a sensible application of the rules the sport is more competive and safer at the same time -- a remarkable combination when you think about it. This is spot on. The rules in bicycling are there not to keep it fair or preserve some human ideal but to keep people safe.

Take hemocrit level as an example. There are new enzyme tests that can find other peoples blood in you (just ask Hamilton) or synthetic EPO, however, there is just no way to distringuish your own blood from a transfusion or the better brands of EPO. So the rules get rules written to protect the rider not stop the cheating. In the 80s plenty of racers died of dehydration or of low heart rates. Now there’s the hemocrit level and, well, I’ll be damned everyone’s natural level is *just* south of the limit. Through a sensible application of the rules the sport is more competive and safer at the same time — a remarkable combination when you think about it.

]]> By: kenshin http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/05/25/pro-cycling-and-baseballs-drug-problems/#comment-771 kenshin Sat, 26 May 2007 08:54:05 +0000 http://www.cheatersguidetobaseball.com/2007/05/25/pro-cycling-and-baseballs-drug-problems/#comment-771 Interestingly, the efforts of cyclists to increase red blood cell number actually represents a detriment to their ability to race. The oxygen carrying capacity of blood does not increase in linear progression with RBC number. Rather after a certain point, increasing cell number increases blood viscosity and decreases oxygen delivery to the tissue. Since most human males operate near the peak of the oxygen viscosity curve normally, increasing cell number probably hurts more than it helps. Interestingly, the efforts of cyclists to increase red blood cell number actually represents a detriment to their ability to race. The oxygen carrying capacity of blood does not increase in linear progression with RBC number. Rather after a certain point, increasing cell number increases blood viscosity and decreases oxygen delivery to the tissue. Since most human males operate near the peak of the oxygen viscosity curve normally, increasing cell number probably hurts more than it helps.

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